| The
Organization
 Athletes In Action was started by Dave Hannah, a former college
football player who was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ
in the 1960’s and saw the potential for using the platform
that athletes have to communicate the message of Jesus Christ
with people. So he started with a basketball team of former
college players, and later developed teams in many other sports
including wrestling, track and field, gymnastics, weightlifting,
and tennis whose goal was to promote excellence in athletic
competition and share about the life, death, and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. Soon many All Americans, national champions,
and Olympians were part of the full time staff of Athletes
In Action and the outreach was taken to many countries overseas.
Some staff members of AIA began working with some of the top
professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, NHL, and major league
baseball as well as college athletes who were discovering
a new life in Christ and a new purpose for the athletic gifts
and abilities that God had given them. Summer camps in various
sports as well as short term missions projects are presently
a big part of the ministry of Athletes In Action. More information
about Athletes in Action can be found at www.aia.com.
Athletes In Action is part of a larger organization, Campus
Crusade for Christ, which is a non denominational Christian
organization which began in 1951 by Bill and Vonette Bright
on the campus of UCLA. The Brights gave up a life of success
as business people to devote themselves to taking the claims
of Christ to the future leaders of our world who were students
on the college campuses. Little did they know that God would
expand the influence of CCC to the areas of business, churches,
music, athletics, media, the military, government, high schools,
and world missions with thousands of full time staff members
all over the world. More information about Campus Crusade
for Christ can be found at www.ccci.org.
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