Playing for a Purpose: Taylor Women’s Soccer Travels to Argentina

For most college students, August means the beginning of a new school year. However, for the Taylor University Women's Soccer Team, it meant packing their bags for a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

While in Argentina, the team spent 10 days helping with community projects and ministering to local soccer teams. Partnering with an organization called Infinity Global Sports, they served at an orphanage, helped with painting jobs, and shared the gospel with athletes. But for Taylor's Women's Soccer team, their primary mission field wasn't the streets of Buenos Aires—it was the soccer field. 

All Eyes on You

In Argentina, universities do not typically have women's soccer teams, so those who want to pursue a career in soccer are recruited to professional B-league teams. "So, when you play people who are 23 years old, they're professional players, and this is how they make their living," said Scott Stan, Head Coach of Taylor Women's Soccer. 

In addition to local service projects, Taylor's team played three games while in Buenos Aires: two against professional B-league teams, and one against a city team. However, alongside the friendly competition, Taylor had a missional goal to tell share Christ. 

"The way to get their attention is to play really well," explained Stan. "If you can compete with them in soccer, you have their attention and they will listen to you afterwards." 

Knowing this, Taylor's team aimed to play just as well, if not better, than they regularly do in Upland. When game time came, they gave it their all on the pitch.  

"It was really cool to experience a different style of soccer," said senior team captain Leah McQuade. "Their foot skills were so good, and the way they played was different from what I'm used to seeing in the United States. I enjoyed the opportunity so much." 

Excellence in their game and sportsmanship opened doors to tell them about Jesus. "When the team plays well, all eyes are on them. And when all eyes are on the team, people want to hear what they have to say," Stan said. 

From Pitch to Pulpit 

After each game, Taylor and the opposing team gathered in the locker room. One of the Taylor soccer players shared her testimony, and another team member presented the gospel. As an illustration, they used a colorful soccer ball, where each panel represented different steps on the road to salvation. "Black was the color of our sin, and red was the color of the blood of Jesus," said Stan. White represented purity and forgiveness; green was spiritual growth; and yellow represented heaven and eternal life. Next, "They prayed and asked if anyone wanted to join the Taylor women in following Jesus, and after one of the games, 12 of the ladies from the other team said, 'Absolutely!'" 

Reflecting on the trip, "It was special because we could connect over a shared love for soccer. Even though we didn't speak the same language, we already had that common ground," McQuade said. "I had the opportunity to share who Jesus is to me and how He has changed my life." 

Stan put it best when he said, "We are a soccer team, so we play soccer games, but we share our faith afterwards and invite the people we played against to join us in following Jesus."