We are excited to launch a new challenge this Lent: The SportsLeader Stations of the Cross Workout.

Every Lent the Church encourages us to pray the Stations of the Cross.

As a team or as an athlete, you are going to work out. Why not combine the two?

SportsLeader would like to introduce a way to integrate working out and praying the Stations.

14 exercises - 14 Stations of the Cross

Purpose: Help us grow closer to Christ by experiencing the fatigue, sweat, effort that our Lord suffered for us in his Passion and Death.

Hopefully this workout made prayer will enable us to relate to Jesus in an environment, the gym, that we are familiar with. The exercises can be modified to whatever your needs are. This can be done alone, in a small group or a large team.

How?

1. Introduce with short talk about the workout and Lent
2. Invite a different athlete to read the Station and Reflection before each exercise
3. Do exercise and repeat 14 times.
4. Conclude with a talk about what Christ suffered for us because He loves us.
5. Then do a short video challenging 3 other schools to do the workout as well: For example: “We are the McNicholas High School football team and we just completed the SportsLeader Stations of the Cross Workout. We challenge Badin, Roger Bacon and Purcell Marian to do it as well every week this Lent.”

Thus far three schools have completed the workout: Cincinnati OH Archbishop McNicholas football, Columbus OH Bishop Hartley football, baseball and soccer and Donaldsonville, Louisiana Ascension Catholic boys and girls powerlifting.

We've included videos, photos, testimonials, slides and all the resources necessary to get you started.

If you'd like more information or need some help, please send me an email LJudd@SportsLeader.org

Click here for the full script on how to do the SportsLeader Stations of the Cross Workout.

For the exercises you can choose really whatever you'd like.

Some schools are doing 40 reps of each exercise to symbolize the 40 days Jesus was in the desert.

Some schools are integrating this into their PE classes.

Some runners are doing 14 laps on the track and they are reflecting on a station before each lap.

Some are simply following the script we've included.

There are seven weeks in Lent from February 10 - March 25. If you do the workout each week and every week you challenge 3 different schools ...

Testimonials from Ascension Catholic High School

Owen Theriot 8th Grader: (Male)

Hello, my name is Owen Theriot and I am a student at ACHS and a member of the powerlifting team. We recently completed a workout that was called "The Stations of the Cross Workout" which was very inspirational for me and my team. It affected me because I not only did the workout for me to get closer to God, but I also did the workout for my brother Brant. My brother has a physical disability and can't do things that most kids can do. My brother has been through many surgeries and suffers like Jesus did in the Stations of the Cross. Most of the time I don't stop and think about how lucky I am to be able to do powerlifting. The workout challenged me to be a better Christian like Jesus and a better lifter for my team. I am glad we did this workout and I hope teams challenge themselves to be better Christians for Jesus and others like my brother!

Mattie Robicheaux 10th grader: (Female)

I thought that the Stations of the Cross workout was a great way to put us in Jesus’ shoes. It was hard throughout, but as a team, we had to just keep pushing through. This workout impacted me because it helped me understand the Stations of the Cross better. I think it would have the same impact on other Catholic Athletes as it did on me.

Camille Lemann 9th grader: (Female)

The Stations of the Cross workout helped me to realize the many struggles Jesus faced on his way to the cross. It made me reflect and fully comprehend that my life isn't so bad after all, when putting Jesus' difficulties in perspective. While completing this workout, I was motivated to push myself even harder as a sacrifice to Jesus. The opportunity to participate in this event helped me to appreciate my faith, life, and all its blessings.

Coach Joe Ryan:

The Stations of the Cross workout for my team touched not only me but my team. Until I was contacted by Lou from Sports Leader I was lost in my religion. I knew what my religion was and how to be a better Catholic but I didn’t know how to get that done and being a part of this blessing has given me new life to constantly become a better Catholic. I know my team was touched in a special way because throughout the workout there was little chatter, you could tell the team was focused and had a mission. It was astonishing the type of reflection you could tell was happening amongst the athletes. Since that time my team as asked me numerous times when we will do the workout again and we have one planned for every Friday during Lent to challenge a new team to take the Stations of the Cross workout challenge. I know once you do this with your team you will not only become closer as a team but most importantly better Catholics to better serve Jesus how he wants you to serve him.

As the "Ice Bucket Challenge" went viral, we are hoping this will as well.

Reach out to your fellow competitors and talk to them about the workout and then challenge them. Have your athletes do the same.

Make a short 10 second video and then share everything on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram ... so the word gets out. Ask parents and family members to share.

Our goal is to have every Catholic school possible do the SportsLeader Stations of the Cross Workout by the end of Lent.

When you share on Twitter please tag us @SportsLeaderusa