Reaching
Athletic Influencers
Case Study in Berlin – Interview with Kevin Wood, Athletes in Action
Set the scene for us…What situation were you walking into?
We
moved to Berlin Spring 2007 not having any contacts in basketball. 0 contacts, 0 ministry!
What were your thoughts-plans on how you would start?
Initially
it was just get to know people. That meant networking in Christian circles to
find out who was, had been or wanted to work with sports people in Berlin. It was important that people knew that we were now here but we did
not want to be treading on any toes.
We
started with contacts from AIA USA of players in country, connecting them with other believers, small group and churches.
You
need to have something to offer them that brings you in contact with them. Not
as a fan. They might not necessarily be on the same page (Christianity viewpoint) but you want to let them know what you are
doing and gain respect, credibility, and gain contacts.
Our
target audience is athletic influencers therefore we specifically choose a tour. I
love basketball, know basketball, basketball is popular in this town and so it was a good sport to initially target.
That’s a good point… you choose a sport you love and know… rather
than feeling you had to do soccer.
Who
am I and what am I doing if I don’t know anything about the sport. You
are ten steps along already if you can identify with what they are saying and understand what they are saying.
Were there any other ideas you had to make contact with sport influencers?
I
may have focused on one club and tried to gain entry by getting to know the Americans on the team and then try and gain entrance
to a club. Americans are a lot more approachable, especially when they live overseas,
as they are needing support in a foreign country. I was looking for someone to
be a doorway ‘gatekeeper’ and hopefully a Christian.
Tracking down and connecting with foreigners
Easy
to connect with because of their availability, (more time on their hands than local athletes),level of English, bored after
several months, have needs when they are settling in with orientation, lonely, need connection with others.
Why did you choose a tour?
AIA
USA could
bring a high level basketball team over that would have instant respect and credibility and therefore gain AIA a name in Berlin because of the level and quality of players.
Their
Christianity is accepted because they are coming from America.
Saying
to Germans this is an American Christian Sports team is acceptable as they expect that a third of America is Christian anyway so it doesn’t seem abnormal
as opposed to asking a neighboring country to send a team.
Point made: If wanting soccer team go to ministry that has soccer (Ireland), ice hockey from Canada, etc.
The
timing works out well. The clubs need pre-season games.
Therefore
what we can offer is something they need and want.
The
aim is to bring something to the table that will serve them that they cannot get cheaper or better somewhere else. You were reaching a need of theirs.
USA is seen as the home of basketball so there is a personal
interest from players.
What was the sequence?
Confirm
the season schedule here in Germany.
Get
possible dates from tour director to establish when they could come.
Find
numbers on internet of clubs. Call offices.
I
am coordinating an American Christian Basketball team at this level coming over at this date who wants to play, normally talking
to an answering machine or secretary. They would normally give me a contact number
for the club manager or pass on the message to the manager who would call me back within the next 2 days.
Feedback: dates, level, costs, but most then said I will talk to the team coach
and get back to you.
Some
said it will be difficult with dates because the team was coming very early in the season.
Two said yes on the spot. One said yes, we want two games. There was either definite interest from the beginning or a definite no.
This was conducted all over the phone and email. No personal meetings
at this stage.
Only
one coach did I personally meet with prior to the team arriving. The main reason for this was that despite the game details
already being confirmed we had such a good repour on the telephone that we agreed to meet prior to the game.
Sixteen
clubs were contacted because the week was so early (both within and outside of Berlin). However, we wanted to stay in Berlin so that we could have good follow-up and ongoing contact
with players and management.
Think strategic and just your city. What
can you focus on once the team has gone? Who will you realistically be able to
follow up on!
When
I talked to the coaches I indicated that for most players it was their first time overseas.
To make it a real intercultural experience could we go out for dinner with the team afterwards. Most agreed and thought it was a good idea. I asked them if
they could contribute to the costs of this but in the end we split the costs 50-50 rather than them paying for our meals.
The
tour was 6 days long with 5 games against division 2&3 teams all in Berlin. In the end no division 1 games were able to be scheduled simply
because the USA
team was not able to come any later so the division 1 teams were not yet formed or practicing together. So timing is a big
key!
I
specifically discussed with Mike that half time testimony presentations were not appropriate in this environment and stage
of development for AIA Germany. There were other teams that had come through
in the past that had done this and I did not feel that it had helped any. It
was more important that they showed their faith on and off the court in developing relationships with the players.
Why didn’t you want them sharing their faith at halftime?
Culturally
appropriate… because in Germany you need relationship first not preaching.
Focus
on the tour was to open doors that then Kevin could continue to walk into and develop the relationships further. Not a walk
in and blast them with the Gospel then leave.
Yet,
at dinners relationships were formed with individuals speaking into each others lives i.e. someone said grace and the person
next to them noticed and asked some questions. Or a player who was injured on
the opposition was approached by an AIA team member asked how he was doing and if he could pray for him.
I
find it important to be honest and be up front with them at the beginning so they know where you stand.
Bernau
– great dinner, dancing together having fun as well as great interaction one-on-one.
The whole team told the coach afterwards how great it was.
What were the results of the tour?
3
of 4 clubs, 4 coaches, 1 management
8-10
players - relationships started
One
week after the tour I called coaches and tried to meet with them one- on- one to have lunch.
Three
coaches were approached and willing to meet. He was able to explain who AIA is,
what he does, what his personal motivation is, what he does, some asked why would you do that i.e. support people, at no cost,
even if they are not interest in Christian principles… able to share his testimony and say because he has experienced
Gods love and grace … he though it was great and admirable to help people.. but had no concept of God and neither do
my players… he didn’t have a box for that… kind of funny that he put his box on his team and then portrayed
to you… reflecting culture of east Berlin… no issue with us being Christians but we don’t have a concept
of God.
One
coach through the credibility of the team and another contact is willing to meet a num of months later.
From
coach’s meeting, supporting, serving and mentoring athletes based on biblical principles. Then I asked do you think guys in your team would be interested in this? Responses…“Why not?!
You can ask them.”
Arranged
time after practice, coach introduced me and allowed me to give short presentation with comment cards. I was so surprised how informal they were with me (coach intro plus AIA team having played them and built
respect - amazing) All talk a card and filled it out with 2 saying no thanks,
8 giving feedback either wanting to meet 6 had interest in sports and faith but only 4 wanting to meet. So go to games occasionally, tells coach he is coming and gets a ticket to go and then is invited to eat
with them afterwards etc. Recently one coach was in hospital and Kevin was the
only person he invited to come and visit him. He was reading Real Joy in his
hospital bed!
Offer
to players. If you are interested in meeting I will take you out to lunch.
From
that, I am meeting some players one-on-one or trying to put together English and German small group bible studies with players
from several clubs together, not just one club.
And
also tell them that I am committed to supporting them personally as a person...not as a coach... but as themselves.
One
club approached me to search for an American player for next season wanting “that has the kind of character your players
on the tour had”.
Without
speaking fluent German I wouldn’t have gotten this far, and without a background in sports even if not high level I
wouldn’t have gotten as far.
Another example…
I
made contact to an American Christian 3rd Division soccer coach. I tried to contact him anyway I could in order
to just serve him. The coach asked several times, “What do you want from me?”
They
will be skeptical. You just have to keep serving them.
Six
months of contacting, texting, calling and praying for him, he said, “Ok you’ve been a blessing, how can you help
me?”
