In this episode of the Varsity Catholic Podcast, Brady Steir and regular guest Ry sit down with Coach Carly Brousek — Division II softball coach, FOCUS missionary, and living proof that relationship shapes identity, and identity fuels mission.

Coach B shares her journey from growing up in a deeply supportive, faith-filled family to becoming a college athlete whose identity slowly became tied to performance. When a devastating injury stripped away the game she loved, Carly was forced to confront a hard truth: she believed she was only lovable if she could produce.

What followed was a profound encounter with God the Father — one that reshaped how she prays, how she coaches, and how she loves her athletes today.

Now serving both as a missionary and a collegiate coach, Carly reveals how God healed her wounds through the very sport that once broke her — and how she now helps her players discover who they are beyond stats, starting spots, and success.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:
🥎 A powerful identity shift sparked by injury and loss
💔 Why performance can quietly replace sonship and daughterhood
🙏 Learning how to pray when sport is taken away
👨‍👩‍👧 How Carly’s parents modeled unconditional love after every game
🔥 What it looks like to coach athletes as beloved daughters, not performers
⛪ Why Sunday team devotionals on road trips matter more than wins

If you’re an athlete, coach, or parent wrestling with identity, pressure, or purpose — this episode will remind you of the truth that never changes: you are loved because you are His.

Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/varsity-catholic-podcast/id1855639759⁠

Listen on YouTube→⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram →⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠

HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment!

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For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org

In this episode of the Varsity Catholic Podcast, host Brady Stier sits down with MLB pitcher Trevor Williams — World Series champion, devoted husband and father, and a witness to what it looks like to live faith boldly at the highest level of professional sports.

Trevor opens up about growing up in San Diego, where baseball and family shaped his earliest dreams, and how his Catholic faith quietly took root long before the bright lights of the MLB. From his college years at Arizona State to the pressure-filled climb through professional baseball, Trevor shares the unseen challenges of being a student-athlete trying to stay grounded when performance, expectations, and ambition threaten to take over.

He reflects on the emotional weight of his MLB debut, the pivotal role his family played in keeping him anchored, and the mentors God placed in his life at just the right moments. In a world that constantly demands more, Trevor reveals how faith, prayer, and intentional family life have helped him define success beyond wins, stats, and contracts.

Now a veteran in the league, Trevor speaks candidly about legacy — what it really means to leave something behind — and offers wisdom to young athletes striving to chase big dreams without losing who they are along the way.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

• What Trevor’s MLB debut taught him about gratitude and humility
• How to stay rooted in faith in a performance-driven culture
• Why family support matters more than any stat line
• Navigating college and pro sports without losing your identity
• The importance of mentors who point you toward Christ
• Advice for young athletes balancing ambition, faith, and family

If you’re an athlete, parent, or fan wondering how to pursue excellence without sacrificing faith — this episode is a reminder that the deepest legacy isn’t built on the field, but in how you live, love, and lead.

Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/varsity-catholic-podcast/id1855639759

Listen on YouTube→⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment!

Join Our Email List → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org

In this episode of the Varsity Catholic Podcast, Brady Steer and regular guest Ry Godde tackle one of the most universal struggles in sports: pressure.

If the Bible tells us “fear not” over and over… why do athletes feel so anxious about performance? The guys unpack where pressure really comes from (people-pleasing, identity, stat-chasing, expectations), how pressure can be healthy or disordered, and what it looks like to compete with freedom — not fear.

Along the way, Ry shares a painfully relatable slow-pitch softball moment (yes, prayer included), and Brady brings it home with a practical spiritual framework rooted in Philippians 4: pray, trust, play in peace, and glorify God no matter the outcome.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:
⚡ Why pressure hits athletes so hard (and where it actually comes from)
🙏 How prayer reorders performance — playing from love, not for love
📖 A simple Philippians 4 game plan for anxiety, confidence, and freedom
🏟️ Why stats, expectations, and comparison steal joy — and how to compete like a child again

If you’ve ever felt nervous before a game, crushed after a bad performance, or like you’re carrying the weight of everyone’s expectations — this episode will help you play freer, trust God deeper, and compete with peace.

Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts →⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/varsity-catholic-podcast/id1855639759⁠

Listen on YouTube→⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VarsityCatholicPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram →⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/varsitycatholic/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠

HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠varsitycatholic@focus.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment!

Join Our Email List → ⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Varsity Catholic Podcast is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org