Parents. Teachers. Coaches.

These folks have more of an impact on the average kid than anyone else during childhood. At various times, Kevin Peele has been all three. Between teaching Sunday school, raising his kids, and coaching basketball, he’s touched the lives of many people at TBC and beyond.                                                             

Few would deny, however, that Kevin’s greatest passion of the three is being a coach. “Most of all, he loves coaching,” said his wife Charlene Peele. “Being able to see the kids grow throughout the year, he loves that more than anything.”                             

Kevin recognizes that kids are shaped by the men and women who choose to coach them. It’s not just about working on shooting form or building stamina; a coach’s training lays the foundation for character. It is this passion that has driven Kevin to more than a decade of service in TBC’s Upward Sports Ministry.                                                                

For the few not already in the know, Upward is a nationwide youth sports ministry which aims to reach kids with the gospel. TBC hosts basketball, soccer, football, and cheerleading programs to get kids from the community plugged in and on a path toward Christ. Over 750 kids participate in Upward every year at TBC. According to TBC Recreation Director Aidan Brooks, any given Saturday over 1,000 people are on the church campus for games. This means Upward is one of the largest outreach ministries that TBC hosts.

It was here that Kevin found his niche. He was able to enjoy the game he loved while pouring himself into young people. He was content with the work of coaching, but God had plans to take him further into service.                                                                 

In 2015, God called Kevin to step up his service. After the previous Upward basketball director had to step down suddenly, the role was given to Kevin. After coaching with people like Steve Kluk for years, he was now responsible for leading the ministry that had meant so much to him. It was an abrupt shift, so several responsibilities were thrown his way. “The leaders before him would have a team of three or four adults to run the league with them, from coaching to refereeing, to running concessions,” said Kluk. “Kevin had all of it pretty much dumped in his lap.”                                                  

What to some would be a burden was, for Kevin, a calling. His wife wouldn’t have guessed that this is where God was taking her, but she followed where He led. “This isn’t my ministry, it's yours, but God called me to help you,” said Charlene. “So if this is what God’s called you to do, then I’m going to be right there beside you.”                       

For a decade, she handled the paperwork and he handled the people. They leaned on each other’s strengths to support one another. Thousands of kids moved through the ministry, being touched by the gospel as they played. God blessed them with complementary gifts so that they might bless their church and community with them.      

The fruit of their work wasn’t always obvious. When working with kids, impact can often be hard to measure. Commonly, the coach or mentor sowing gospel seeds is not the one who gets to see the spiritual harvest. Still, God gives glimpses into the effects of our holy work. The Peeles cherish such opportunities. Charlene recalls a young man at an Upward game approaching her husband. She had just gotten the man and his son signed in when he looked over at Kevin and yelled, “Coach Peele! Do you remember me?”                                              

It had been years since Kevin coached him, and he struggled at first to even recognize the man. As he began talking, his memory rushed back. He explained that he had once played on his team years prior, that his son was now old enough to play Upward basketball. “It’s really neat to see former players come back and have their kids play,” said Charlene.                                                         

For the past two years, Kevin has faithfully served as the Upward director over all sports in addition to directing basketball. Still, he makes time for what matters most to him. “Coach Peele” coaches several teams of kids across basketball and football. If this sounds like a lot of work, it’s because it is. “Kevin’s there almost every day of the week of practices, and he’s there pretty much all of Saturday,” Kluk said.                                                 The dedication is a result of his passion for these kids and for the work God is doing in them. Upward continues to grow and thrive at TBC, in no small part due to Kevin’s time and effort.

On Baptism Sunday, Kevin and Charlene sit where they always do- on the left, just a few rows back from the front. They join in with the rest of the congregation in celebrating the public dedication of lives to Christ. For the Peeles, baptism Sunday is even more special. Upward doesn’t just teach basketball, it teaches Christ crucified. It is this message that God had promised will never return void. It is this promise that blessed the Peeles. It is why Charlene sees these services as such a blessing. “Sometimes, Kevin will lean over and nudge me during service and say, ‘that’s an Upward boy.’”