Bittersweet Conculsion

It's my last week in California. Bittersweet doesn't even begin to describe my indifference in leaving. I miss my family, I miss my best friend, my coworkers, and my city. The other side of me loves my new home. I've found a liking for the west coast world. It's crazy out here. California's filled with nut jobs, excessive traffic, different dialect and lingo but as crazy as it may seem, it's a beautiful disaster. The ocean, the sand, how everyday is beautiful and sunny. My Beach Sunset  I can't find that anywhere else. Something about being alone and outside your comfort zone is at first scary, but once you embrace it, it can be so calming and life changing.

We wrapped up our season on a good note by beating our opponents from Las Vegas, after that started the unfortunate and always hated goodbyes that we try to avoid. I think its easy to say bye to friends and to family because you will be reunited with them down the road however there's a sour taste in your mouth when saying goodbye to a teammate. Unlike a lot of other relationships, a teammate is there with you every step along the journey, quite frankly he's supposed to. We fight together, we win/lose together, we show up everyday busting our rears to better one another. A teammate is not only a friend but a competitor, a mentor, a brother, and an opponent all wrapped into one. They connect with you on very different levels. This year was no exception, my relationships with my teammates were just as strong as previous years and it hurts just as bad to say goodbye and part ways. You see we may never see each other again. Some will, but for the majority of us, we may never see each other for the rest of our lives. I will truly miss each one of my brothers.

I had the privilege to direct my last camp the past week where again lives were changed and relationship were built. Nothing makes me more excited than watching a kid who doesn't like soccer, by the end of the week hating that its over. Overall my experience saw more than 200 kids attend three different camps. Of the 200, Thirty two (32) children made first time commitments asking Jesus into their hearts. This is better than any soccer trick we can teach them. Being the director allowed me to have some freedom in filming some of the action taken place during these three weeks. You can watch and share my video by clicking this link. Seahorse Soccer Camp Highlights 

I can not thank y'all enough for reading and being so encouraging throughout my experience here in Southern California. I could not have made it here without your support and love and for that I am truly grateful. I will begin my journey home one week from today as a fellow teammate/brother of mine are driving cross country making pit stops at all the nations best attractions (Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc). After my week long trip back home I wish to see and hangout with all of you! Please feel free to contact me or write my online! Love you All!

Hayden
Colossians 3:23
(615)268-9571
haydencoffman1@gmail.com

Last week!

Eight weeks down, Four more to go. There are times where I feel like I've been here forever, yet other times when I feel like I was at graduation yesterday. Regardless of all that, the fact is that my time here in California is slowly coming to an end. Since the last update I posted, I have begun to start directing summer soccer camps for kids. Each player on our team gets the opportunity to be a coach at one of these camps and any player would tell you that it is some of the most fun/rewarding part of being apart of this organization. What's different this year is that I no longer coach at these camps but instead I am directing. This simply means that I am in charge of the structure, curriculum, and making sure the coaches stay sane while babysitting 10-15 sugar filled animals most people call children. Being the director comes with great responsibility so for the past few weeks I've had to put my big boy pants on something, if you know me, is very hard for me to do at times. So far I have completed two full weeks of camp and have seen 160 kids be ministered to by our organization. Of those 160, 31 made first time commitments to accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior! Unbelievable how God works. I had a pleasant surprise my first camp right before I was about to preach the biggest message of my life when the US Director of MAI (our organization) showed up in California at MY camp, to observe and listen to my rant. He prayed over me before hand and I never felt more at ease to speak to a crowd. Twenty minutes later, 21 children gave their lives to Christ and responded to the message!
Our team has been challenged to the extreme these past few weeks. Overall we have had seven 1 goal matches that have not gone our way. All seven were heartbreakers that weren't meant to happen. It's to the point where it seems as though some high being is controlling the outcomes just to test us and teach us a valuable lesson. I've never fought harder in matches, out played, and out hustled teams only to have them sneak a goal in 30 seconds before time expires. And to have that happen on multiple occasions is beyond me. So please pray for our guys as this is very tough mentally to take and kills any/all motivation we have. This is our last week of games and practices. This week we face Las Vegas who you know gave us a terrible experience at their place (if you don't then read my earlier blogs). I hope and pray that doesn't happen again. Secondly and last match is against the MLS Reserves team San Jose Earthquakes whom we lost to in the dying seconds in what was the game of the season. Either way we can be certain to finish the year with two fantastic games against great opposition!
Lastly I had taken time to put together a small 1 minute video highlighting some of the fun we had in Mexico. Here's the link (down below)  feel free to share!

Thanks for reading and your continued prayers! I love you all and am truly thankful for each one of you! Be praying extra for me this week as I'm working on a bigger opportunity that may lead to some big time changes in my life!

Hayden Coffman :)

Mexico Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nrQpsZCqRk

Summer update!!

Hello!!
So I hope everyone is doing fantastic and has been enjoying their summer! I do apologize for the short break I had from posting a blog. I've been out of the country one week and the past two weeks have been traveling during the typical off days. To catch everyone up to speed I last spoke about our preperation for the Mexico trip!
The Mexico trip overall was a fantastic experience. One that I'll probably never forget. We as a team had the privilege to not only spend a week with abandoned orphans but also LIVE along side them in small dorm rooms at the orphanage. At first we were strangers, college aged American men versus 40 orphans ranging from 5-15 in age. Two very different groups, cultures, and languages. It's amazing that we even got through the week to be honest. No one would've guessed that the ice breaker would be in the hands of two young Mexican girls. For some reason they decided that they wanted to teach an American boy how to play "party cake" and within 15 minutes the entire team and group were all playing patty cake, laughing and joking like we've been friends forever. Seeing 15-20 college boys playing party cake... Just let that image burn in your minds! Very funny.
After the ice was broken we began to just connect with the kids. Each meal the children would choose a player to be their dinner buddy. I was a crowd favorite strictly due to my position I play. I wasn't Hayden on this trip but instead "portido" which is Spanish for goalkeeper. I found a group one 3-4 guys that I made good connections with. We had a great time playing games, teaching eachother things, and just enjoying life together.
We played two matches while in Mexico. Both resulting in victories. What was great was that the orphans surprised us at our games! All 40 or so of them wearing Seahorse shirts screaming for us. It made our experience that much better seeing the smiles on the kids faces as we played. I know they don't leave the orphanage a lot so I'm glad we gave them the excuse to come out and enjoy some futbol! After our trip I had the privilege to meet up with my orphan friend who I had grown close to. I have him my gloves and keeper bag which was signed by myself. It's a small gesture that made the kids week. Taking gloves that I didn't need anymore and sharing them was a highlight I'll cherish for years to come!

So now back in America playing our season. We currently are struggling to find our feet all while playing against two conference leaders and the reigning champions. I know though that God has a plan for us and that he knows what's best so even during our struggles we look to him in order to find strength and power. We've played in some really nice stadiums and in front of a couple thousand fans, we have even played against a player who the night before our match was ESPNs #1 top play on SportsCenter. So overall the competition is fantastic but the results are a work in progress. Our team is hitting the gym hard and the practice field even harder. We have kept our heads high and for that I am thankful!

Please be in prayer for us as we start our children camps next week! I have been chosen to be a director for a couple camps so I too ask for your prayers. Please pray for our campers that God will work through us to lead them and for our team to continue to compete at a high level.

If you feel lead please contact me via text, phone, email, letter or Facebook for any questions you may have or to just catch up! Thanks for all your support and love. I truly am blessed to have you in my life!

Hayden

(615)268-9571
Haydencoffman1@gmail.com
1201 Casa Del Rey
La Habra California

Hey everyone!
So I'm currently on week 2 of my life in California. Things have been a roller coaster over the past 10 days or so. First things first, my computers acting up and rejecting te new software so I'm currently writing on my phone. Secondly and probably worst thing is that today I found out that I have Bronchitis. I've been fighting sickness for about a week now and my chest is about to explode from coughing too much. Being an athlete is tough once your heart rate increases so does the intensity of the sickness. I am not in a position where I can just sit out and wait for the storm to pass, so I'm still training and playing through the sickness. Lastly a small update on the team! The team finished preseason tying Cal Sate and beating a local Semipro team both being scrimmages. We started our first official game Saturday May 17th when we traveled to Las Vegas. The result ended up a 2-2 tie however walking away with points on the road is a good result for any away team. The toughest part of it all though were the fans. The "crazy hooligan" fans were harassing us (like most home crowds do) however this crowd hit us real hard. They began to bash/make fun of our religious beliefs. I can not repeat the things that were said but a PG example would be: "Your Gods not ****** real" or "your ****** savior can't save you" It was extreamly difficult to hear such persecution. In my 20 years playing this game, I've never been apart of a discrimination harassment like that. Over and over explicit after explicit I found myself sickened by the sadness and hatred in the hearts of the fans. Please pray for Vegas with me because they made it not about soccer, it was personal and hit our team hard.
On a good note, our team has been doing well. Training is tough and the guys are phenomenal soccer players. Although we play in the toughest division, I think we may be a decent team. Our ministry has started and I have been chosen to lead a group of 6-7 of my teammates in a small group sports ministry training after every practice. My group is full
Of guys from all different backgrounds and levels of faith but all are hungry to learn more about the love of God and how we can apply it to out game and to
Our life's. We've also volunteered already at a local school that was damaged by recent earthquakes. We helped teachers move and store supplies and brought a trailer full of donated supplies that will help them get back to their feet. It was a blessing to be apart of!
The last bit of information may be the most exciting! On Thursday (2 days from now) our team is traveling to Mexico to stay and live in an orphanage and minister to the local children. These children do not have parents not do they know who their parents are. The only thing they know is that they are abandoned and many feel like they are worthless and have nobody that loves them. It is our honor and privilege to not only stay with them for four days but to love on them, show them that God values them, and maybe even teach the a soccer trick or two. The children are going to be so happy but I know that our players will quickly learn that the kids aren't the only ones being ministered to.
Please help me pray for a few things: 1) my health, I cannot do what I do while being so sick and drained. Pray for healing and energy 2) pray for the list in Vegas who made it well known  that yet are not ok with a living God  nor do they even elite be in. 3) for the  team as we begin growing as brothers in Christ and doing ministry together. Pray for our upcoming games and for our talents to be shown to the world. 4) pray for the orphans we will see in a few short days. Pray they feel loved and grow an understanding that they don't need earthly parents but better yet that they have a father in heaven who not only loves them but died for them. Pray that they may see Christs loe through us and question about why we do what we do.

Thanks for your time and prayers! Please write me, text me, or email
Me with any  thoughts or encouragement you may have! I love hearing from my friends!

Love you All!
God Bless
Hayden Coffman #8

(615)268-9571
Haydencoffman1@gmail.com
1201 Casa Del Rey Dr.
La Habra California 90631

          And so it begins! it was only four days ago when I was sitting at my college graduation becoming the first male in the 2014 class to walk across that stage and receive a diploma. Three short hours later I found myself sitting first class on an American Airlines flight heading for the west coast. Saying goodbye to my best friend and the people I've grown up with over the past five years was one of the toughest things I think I'll ever have to do, however it is so comforting knowing that they are now on an amazing new path God has set for them!
        I arrived in California late Saturday night where it finally sunk in that this is all happening and that for the next four months I will call this place my home. The teams General Manager dropped me off at my new home where I was able to meet my new host family. Each out of town player is placed with a host family each season. The family takes them in as one of their own and helps provide small essentials (food, conversation, roof over our heads) to make our transition to California a little easier. I have been very blessed to have a beautiful host family that has been nothing short of amazing. My host father (Kent) is a religion professor in the graduate program at Azusa Pacific University. "Mother" (Kim) is a stay at home mom but volunteers at the church quite often. They have two college aged children but only one (Kayla) lives at home, she also attends APU. There are two small dogs, Abby and Millie both of which are complete opposites. Abby can play and fight 24/7, she also twitches constantly due to excitement. Millie is extremely calm and often sleeps in a tiny basket but snores louder than a grown man. I do have a teammate staying at the same house as me. His name is Alvaro "Alvi" and he's a defender from Chile but plays collegiate soccer in Kansas. He's a great guy and an awesome soccer player so it will be nice getting to know him. Maybe I'll even learn some Spanish over the next few months!
       The team had its first practice Monday morning. Half of the guys were there as the others were still traveling or some even completing finals in college. The training sessions was nice, but it will take a while to get used to this hot ball in the sky. I think its called the sun... whatever it is it's hot and it makes fitness and workouts a lot harder than back home. That night we had the privilege to watch our sister team from Charlotte play against the LA Galaxy 2. Many of you may remember but this is the professional team that had previously offered me a spot 3 months ago. It was very good to see them however, they gave us VIP clearance at the Stub Hub Center where we attended the Pre game Chapel and met all the guys in the lockerrooms. We even snuck onto the field and got an up close and personal view of the MLS stadium.
       So far we've had two practices as a team. We are looking pretty good so far, but still lacking 5-10 players who will be arriving this week. Please continue to pray for us as we train our bodies and mind preparing ourselves for a season filled with sports ministry. Please pray for me as I am currently the only goalkeeper at training camp and it has already taken a toll on my body. California's ground is like concrete due to no rain and its not fun diving and pounding the ground over and over so please pray my body can take all the reps until my teammates arrive. Also pray for the people we will come into contact with. Pray that they see something different in us and question why we do what we do.
      Thank you for reading and for all your prayers. I would love to stay in contact with you so please share this blog with anyone you know, send me a text or email, and follow me on all social medias! I love you all and can't thank you enough. God Bless!

  Hayden Coffman

(615) 268-9571

haydencoffman1@gmail.com

WRITE ME!

1201 Casa Del Rey Dr.

La Habra California 90631

The Basics

           So just in case you're new to what I am doing, I've decided to write a basic info blog that may bring you up to speed. 
            It started in college, Trevecca Nazarene University, where I found my love for ministry, specifically sports ministry. Obviously I love soccer and have had some success in he past so my dream of becoming a professional player was still in my future plans. I finally got my chance my Senior year to play for the Charlotte Eagles during one of their offseason tours to South East Asia. It was there where I realized this is what I want to do with my life. 
           Soccer teams are owned/operated by companies, hence the logos on the jerseys. You probably already know but currently I play for the Southern California Seahorses (intimidating I know...) We are owned by Missionary Athletes International (MAI) and are the farm team/ sister team of the Charlotte Eagles. The Eagles play in the professional league while SoCal plays in the development league (similar to AAA baseball). We are different than every other team in the entire world. What sets us apart from a normal club is that we operate as a Christian Ministry. Our entire staff, Coaches, and players are all Christians that strive to live out what Gods called them to do, sports ministry. We like to see ourselves as Christians who happen to play soccer rather than soccer players who happen to be Christians. Our team competes at a very high level and arguably the toughest conference in the entire league. We have brutal practices, tough sessions, and extremely hard fought matches but what's most important to us is that we use soccer as a platform of ministry. This is seen in number out ways, treating the other team and referees with respect, as well as respecting the game itself. We do not cheat, play dirty, waste time, or take dives. During the season we make multiple visits a week to local schools, churches, and after school programs where we tell our stories and play games with children. A major contributor to our ministry are the 5-8 camps we hold during the summer in which close to 500 kids attend each year. Last year alone we saw more than 60+ kids make decisions to follow Christ for the first time and that is better than any soccer trick I can teach. Camps are run by Seahorse players. Each player goes through Sports Ministry training (SMT) after every practice for 3-5 hours a week throughout the summer. During these times we learn to use our gift of soccer and make it pleasing to The Lord. Ministry and Soccer are not two separate things/times for us. Soccer is our ministry and our ministry is soccer, they are one. SMT is also a time where we have our small groups and bible studies together as players. We are a family and some of the best moments come from being open and vulnerable with your brothers. 
          Here is why I need some help. As a player, I do not get paid. Instead, all money that potentially would go to the player goes to the ministry/charity. I can not explain how rewarding this is for me. I get to see kids come to camp and learn to love soccer AND find a love for God all within one week. Some kids can not afford to go but with cheap registration and scholarships this is made possible. So instead of having a pay check from the team, I am attempting to raise support (similar to a missionary). I have been blessed with a place to live for the four months while I'm there however I still have to find a way to survive financially. California has much higher prices then Tennessee and so I am attempting to raise $5,000 for a 4-5 month span. This would cover registration fees, equipment, food/essentials, gas, and a one week mission trip to Mexico with the team.  Currently I am about 65 percent to my goal and I am SO extremely blessed to have even gotten that far! God has been very good. 
         If you feel lead to help OR would like to know a little more and other ways to help please contact me (information below) I would love to give you a brochure and talk about my story. I am in need of a few more financial sponsors, but please do not feel pressured if you cannot donate. I too know the struggles of living and saving money and the last thing I want to do is give to a tall funny looking bimbo like myself. That being said a definitely recommend praying about it and if you feel led to give I would gladly walk you through the very simple process. 
Thank you for reading and for the love and support you all have shown me over the last few months.
Please contact me whenever you please, I love talking to people! 

God Bless!
Hayden Coffman
(615)268-9571
Haydencoffman1@gmail.com
141 Wessington PL
Hendersonville TN, 37075

Let the Fundraising Begin!

              It's that time of year, the toughest part of the year, preparation for the upcoming season. I have recently been preparing myself for what lies ahead. In about one month I will be packing my bags and moving to California for what promises to be another  life changing experience. The process started about two months ago when I attempted to put on 10-15 pounds of muscle and reaching my goal of 210 pounds before the season begins. Currently I am about 5 pounds away from my goal but I'm very pleased with the results. Next step, in this process is preparing my body for the high demands of playing at a high level of soccer. Goalkeeper sessions, high intensity agility training, and long distance testing is required for the average athlete. Needless to say it neither easy nor fun but it is a necessity. Trying to balance work, fundraising, training, and spending as much time with family and friends has been very hard to balance out.
              As many of you know, I raise support instead of getting paid as a player. I tell my story and talk to people in hopes that they too may see the good things that come out of this ministry and the work that I'm apart of in SoCal. In order to live and survive for the 4-5 months I am in California, I attempt to raise $5,000 to help cover expenses and to make this experience the best it can possibly be. Obviously I do not wish to ask/beg for money, I've been raised to always work hard for everything in life and that includes money. That being said, My mindset quickly changed once God called me into sports ministry. I had to realize that something's are not up to me but instead I must have faith and trust in God to provide. Raising support falls under this category; I cannot earn and save this amount of money on my own in such a short period of time. This requires me to trust God and ask for help. Currently I have made brochures about my situation and have been passing them out to those who may seem interested in partnering with me in the ministry. I am about half way to reaching to my goal of $5,000 but there is a lot more work to be done. Some supporters may be able to give $5 while others may be able to give $1,000 but no matter how much is given, every dollars goes to a ministry focused on making an impacted in the lives of every person I meet. If you are debating  whether or not to support me or not, I simply ask that you wait and pray about it. Maybe your role is to pray for me on a daily basis, or even refer me to a friend that would be interested but any role you choose helps me tremendously. I can honestly say that I can not live out my dream without you.
               Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to train and prepare for the upcoming season. If you are interested in coming along side me and sponsoring my efforts out West please email me and I would love to talk to you about how you can do that. If you would like a brochure please ask and I shall find a way to give it to you. Thank you all for the love and support, I am truly blessed to have people like you in my life.

                                                                   God Bless
                                                              Hayden Coffman
                                                     Haydencoffman1@gmail.com

Decisions Decisions Decisions...

        First off I want to thank you for the unbelievable support you all have given me over the past few days. It has been a very tough and stress filled week full of emotion and heavy thinking. Some of you may already know but this week I was presented with an opportunity to achieve my life long dream of becoming a professional soccer player. The Charlotte Eagles officially offered me a roster spot and the privilege to represent the club at the professional level. This came as a shock to me and my family however I had to consider and weigh my options to whether or not I take the chance and move to Charlotte or continue on the path most of you know by playing semi-pro soccer in Los Angeles California. After carful consideration and countless hours of phone conversations and prayers I have officially turned down the offer made by Charlotte and will continue to represent Southern California starting in April.
           My decision was extremely tough however I feel unbelievably blessed to even be in this position in the first place. I wanted to make a decision not by what God COULD do in my life, but instead what God IS doing in my life and the plans I have in California. It was hard to ignore the work God is doing through me with the Seahorses. I felt that if I decided to make a decision based upon my own wishes and possibilities then I am not fully trusting God in what He wants for me. That decision would be a little selfish on my part. God has given me a passion and love for California and the work that is being done by the Seahorse organization. I am currently in the process of becoming not only a player, but a spiritual leader for the club. This would include: camp director, and potentially leading a trip to the Czech Republic. With these responsibilities I have no doubt in my mind that God has me there for a reason and I know that over the course of a summer I will grow more OFF the field rather than ON the field. Coach Jackman from California has invested in me as a person and has shown me value, and for that I couldn't be happier to play for him and the organization.
           My lifelong goal of playing professional soccer is not officially over, I still may pursue it one day God willing but the people and children we impact as a team far outweigh my interest of playing professional soccer. I have no one to prove anymore but instead listen and obey God because He ultimately holds the blueprints for my life and two months from now those blue prints will have me in a SoCal jersey. Please continue to pray not only for me but for the coaching staff and team being put together for the upcoming season. Pray that God will use us to our full potential and that we may impacted those who we come into contact with. I can not thank you enough for the love shown to me over the past few days. And though this may not sound like much, It means the world to me knowing there are people like you who care. 

                         I love you all! God Bless!