Ramadan and Ash Wednesday in Professional Soccer

Ramadan begins this weekend — the annual fast for Muslims can be challenging for the professional player – especially in certain times of the year. At the start of a season, a player is trying to earn a spot. In the middle of summer, the heat and humidity can severely impact an athletes physiology. Ash Wednesday, which marks the 40-day season of Lent, is also a time where Christian believers take up disciplines including fasting, as well. Where do all of these religious observance periods fit into the scope of professional soccer? And how does a chaplain help support people in the midst of these times? Today, on the podcast, I share about the different ways that a chaplain supports people — of Christian and non-Christian traditions — in professional soccer that desire to make observances like Ramadan and Lent. How does one play professionally and still maintain the practices of one’s faith? What is a chaplain’s role to educate, advocate, and support? We get into all of that and a little bit more, From the Touchline. From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer). Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.