Redwood Valley Area FCA Huddle Proves FCA Camps are Fruitful

Wendy Graven • May 26, 2026

In Redwood Falls, the impact of FCA and FCA Camps is showing up in real and tangible ways. The Redwood Valley Area FCA Huddle has sent several kids over the last few years to Northland FCA Sports Camp! What God ignites at camp is proving to grow, shaping and transforming athletes and their teammates long after they return home.


For Redwood Valley Area Huddle leaders, Matt and Amber Lundeen, that transformation is exactly why they are eager to send athletes to Northland FCA Sports Camp each summer.


“Matt and I are passionate about sending kids to camp because of the great impact they receive by being around Christian coaches and huddle leaders,” Amber shared. “We also love the challenge and encouragement they get from the nightly speaker. They don’t get that at other sports camps.”


These differences shift perspectives, challenge athletes in their faith, and multiply impact once back home.



“We’ve seen athletes set up Bible reading plans where they text each other each night sharing what they are learning and we’ve also seen them encourage other teammates to come to our weekly Friday morning Huddle. The athletes become more serious about making their faith their own after experiencing camp.”

That ownership of faith is evident in students like Rick G., a junior preparing for his fifth summer of playing basketball at Northland FCA Sports Camp. Rick credits the Redwood Huddle as a key influence in his continued commitment to his faith and to attending Camp.


“Matt and Amber encourage my faith in Huddles on Friday mornings by reading Scripture, praying, and allowing for Christian community with fellow teammates and classmates. They also do a great job encouraging camps like Northland FCA Sports Camp and Leadership Camp and also participation in local camps like Southwest MN FCA's Jr. Sports Camp,” he shared.

For Rick, camp is about more than athletic growth it’s about a faith that fittingly correlates with this year's FCA theme: PROVEN. Rooted in John 15:8, Rick sees camp as an opportunity to abide in Christ and bear fruit that points back to God’s glory. “I go to camp every year in hopes of strengthening my relationship with God and learning new things in Scripture,” he said.


As he looks ahead, Rick’s goals reflect a growing boldness to live his faith out loud by openly sharing his faith, learning from others, and continuing to deepen his relationship with God. He hopes the fruit of that growth will be evident not just at camp, but back in Redwood through stronger leadership in his school, on his team, and by living with the conviction that everything he does is done with and for Christ.

That same sense of growth and purpose is shared by Lydia B., a junior who will play volleyball at Northland FCA Sports Camp for the third year this summer.


“Being in the Redwood Valley Area Huddle is an amazing experience,” Lydia said. “Our huddle is very welcoming and inviting to everyone.”


She remembers how impactful it was to watch older student athletes lead when she was younger. “FCA really made me want to know God. Seeing upperclassmen lead by example was huge for me,” she shared. “Their excitement for the Word convicted me to dive into the Bible and learn as much as I could!”


Now, Lydia is stepping into that same influence for others. At camp, she’s excited to continue developing her volleyball skills, but even more, to grow spiritually by being open about her faith journey, building new friendships, and sharing the love of God.


“My faith has really bloomed since I’ve let God into my life and into everything I do,” she said. “I love that the ministry of FCA incorporates two things that are so important to me, faith and sports.”

Northland FCA Sports Camp Director, Andrew Draper, shares, “It is a true honor to direct this Gospel-centered sports camp year after year. I’m a product of its impact! I attended FCA Camp for football twice in high school, then served as a Huddle Leader throughout college before joining FCA staff after a year of teaching high school Health and PE. This FCA Camp is what God used to capture my heart and level me up in my walk with Jesus.”


That personal transformation continues to fuel Andrew’s leadership. As he puts it, “What better place for a young athlete to encounter Jesus than on a field, court, or course surrounded by Christ-following role models who lead by example, live out their faith, and point to our Creator?!”


He also highlights the impact of a faithful family behind the scenes, “Matt and Amber Lundeen, along with their kids, have been a key part of Northland Sports Camp’s success for many years. They are a shining example of an FCA family going all in for the good of athletes in their community while helping impact the greater region.”


Through the faithful leadership of Matt and Amber Lundeen, students are consistently encouraged to abide in God’s Word, seek opportunities to share Jesus, and give Him glory in every area of their lives. Their leadership is steady, relational, and deeply impactful. They aren’t just organizing a weekly Huddle they are walking alongside students as they grow in faith and in sport and as they step into leadership themselves.


In Redwood Falls, the impact of FCA is undeniable. Lives are being changed, leaders are being raised, and the seeds planted at Camp are bearing lasting fruit for the Kingdom. To God be the glory! See you at Camp!

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