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| Les Steckel opening up the playbook. |
By traveling the country so extensively, Les and Chris Steckel have become one side of an unofficial mutual admiration society. The other half is composed entirely of FCA field staff.
“I came from working in the corporate world, and that kind of support shown by Les and Chris just doesn’t usually happen,” said Tracy Ellis-Ward, FCA Area Director in New York City, who welcomed the help of the Steckels at a fundraising event in Harlem. “Both have been very supportive. They call and help out with their connections with local pro teams and just do whatever they can. I think they want to do what they can to make sure that FCA goes forth in this untapped part of the country.”
When the Steckels visited the city of Honolulu for the 2006 Pro Bowl, they maximized their time by speaking at two weekend events, appearing on local talk radio shows and engaging in fellowship with local staff and Pro Bowl athletes and coaches.
“That time that we were able to spend just getting to know Les and Chris and what’s on their hearts and how they see the ministry really helped us have a greater connection to the ministry,” said FCA Hawaii’s Danny Casey. “We’re so isolated out here, so this really made us feel a part of the FCA family.”
During their visit to Hawaii, Casey and the rest of the local staff truly got to know one side of Les Steckel that helped bring him into the FCA ministry—his inner coach. At dinner one evening, Casey stepped away from the table for a moment. When he came back, he found Steckel, surrounded closely by the staff, diagramming plays on the table with sugar packets and salt shakers.
“He was explaining the last play of the Super Bowl game he’d coached with the Titans,” said Casey. “The men were pretty captivated by it. We definitely felt a little privileged to be a part of that conversation.” 
