Rachel Walker, Gonzaga University ‘27
In professional soccer, athletes face constant pressures of performance, competition and the spotlight. In this high-pressure environment, the presence of one person can act as a source of encouragement and emotional stability before matches.
Russ Branham is that person for Spokane Velocity FC. As team chaplain, Branham is a minister who provides players, coaches and staff moral support rooted in faith. Despite religious affiliation, Branham provides a safe space for support and mentorship.
Branham was sought out by Soccer Chaplins United (SCU), an organization based in Colorado with the goal of providing a chaplain to every soccer team in the country. This volunteer ministry program allows chaplains to bridge the gap between spirituality and sport, reminding athletes that their value extends beyond the field. SCU places chaplains with soccer clubs based on the experience and team needs.
Being a chaplain provides Branham the unique opportunity to combine his passions of ministry and faith. Branham’s main goal is to make himself available for players, coaches and staff throughout the season.
“Their achievements are not what brings them value, it’s who they are intrinsically,” Branham said. Whether reaching out to chat or pray, he fosters a welcoming environment by making himself available throughout the season. Branham has experience playing sports at a high level and expresses the importance of having a space where athletes can feel valued for who they are, not how they perform — a space that USL Spokane has given him the opportunity to create.
“The significance of individuals does not lie in their achievements but in their love,” Branham said.
His biggest role is speaking to the team before each match. Branham spends about two minutes speaking with the team about different meaningful topics and then follows with prayers. After centering the team, he makes himself available for conversation, meditation or prayer. Overall, he wants to “serve as an anchor” for the athletes and be “somebody for those who feel like they don’t have anyone.”
Spokane Zephyr FC also has a chaplain, her name is Amy Miller. Amy Miller is a local pastor in Spokane, and her story of how she came to the USL Spokane family is a little different.
Miller was sought out by Spokane Zephyr FC players. The players spoke with administrators at the church they attend, asking them to connect the players with a chaplain that they felt would be a good fit. Enter Miller. Once cleared through Soccer Chaplains United, Miller said she was excited and ready to be a part of Spokane Zephyr FC.
When asked about her experience of being chosen and vetted for a chaplain position, Miller replied, “it is a very lengthy process, as it should be – it better be someone of quality and character and someone they (the athletes) can trust.”
Although Miller was brought onto the squad mid-season, that did not affect the players’, or Miller’s, interest in getting to know one another. At their first get together, over half of the Zephyr team showed up to connect with Miller. Quickly, she began building relationships and engaging with the interested players.
“It is a privilege to see them as women first, and athletes second,” Miller said, adding that the moments she has had with these women are sacred and special.
Miller’s goal is to make the athletes feel seen and to ultimately provide each player a safe space to land. Miller has come to learn how isolating and consuming professional athletes’ lives can be. The athletes live in a fiercely competitive environment, but despite this isolation, Miller herself was “inspired by the players commitment to (being a) team.”
One way Miller is remaining connected to the athletes over their mid-season break is through reading. She has provided each interested player access to “The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For,” by Rick Warren. This book not only provides spiritual guidance to the reader, but it challenges the reader to unpack the very reason for their existence. Miller plans to go through this book with those who read it when they return in the spring.
The presence of USL Spokane’s chaplains fosters safe relationships and connections on and off the pitch. USL Spokane understands the importance of valuing people for who they are and how to create an environment that fosters an athlete’s overall health — two values Branham and Miller support through their guidance and care.
