A national ministry for female athletes is expanding this fall, launching new school chapters and mentorship programs as it seeks to counter what its founder describes as a “toxic world” of women’s sports and the political battles over transgender participation.
FIERCE Athlete, a Christ-centered organization that reaches women and girls through clinics, retreats, and coaching, announced it is adding chapters in California, Ohio, and Tennessee, while continuing existing programs such as the one at St. Anthony’s in New York. The group says its growth since 2019 has been rapid, spanning more than 20 states, reaching 24,000 people, and serving 5,200 female athletes.
A Mission Born from Injury and Faith
The ministry was founded by Samantha Kelley, a former Division I soccer player and competitive rower at the University of Connecticut. Kelley’s path to this work began during a 13-month injury recovery in her freshman year, a period that left her depressed after years of defining herself through athletic success as a multi-sport high school champion.
“There’s a lot of confusion regarding identity and femininity,” Kelley told The Daily Wire. “FIERCE is teaching truth because truth sets free. Your identity is not in your appearance, your body weight, or performance, but in the beauty of being designed as a woman.”
Kelley spent five years as a missionary with FOCUS and studied Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body before launching FIERCE. The ministry aims to help female athletes see themselves as more than their sport, addressing issues like body dysmorphia and same-sex attraction while fostering a sense of sisterhood.
Political Context and Pushback
The expansion comes amid ongoing legal and cultural fights over transgender athletes in women’s sports. Kelley pointed to the 2024 Olympics and threats by transgender men seeking entry into professional women’s leagues as examples of what she calls the “transgender industry” targeting female athletics with “particular malice.”
The Supreme Court’s June rulings affirming states’ rights to exclude biological males from women’s sports were a significant step, Kelley said, but she added that nearly half of states still do not protect women within their own sports, leaving what she describes as excessive external pressure on female athletes.
“There are going to have to be a lot more Supreme Court cases,” she said.
Building from the Ground Up
FIERCE programs typically run full-day or after school in place of practice, and are often attended by coaches. The ministry’s approach focuses on whole-person formation, aiming to break down barriers and create space for difficult conversations.
One St. Anthony’s member described the impact: “I am a sister in Christ, I am a daughter of God, and I’m way more than just my injury. I’m way more than just a player. I found that all through FIERCE.”
Kelley said she is hopeful that a cultural shift toward protecting children is underway, even as the political battles continue. The ministry’s growth, she said, shows a demand for an alternative message—one that celebrates female athletes in their God-given bodies and identities.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/fierce-female-athletes-are-flipping-the-script-on-transgender-athletes-and-womens-sports