Sports Chaplaincy Australia - About Our Organisation

About SCA

Sports Chaplaincy Australia Inc. (SCA) formerly known as Specialized Life-Oriented Ministries (SLM) is the leading associated body that provides chaplains to a variety of sports around Australia.

A large proportion of high performance sports in Australia have sports chaplains. Hundreds of chaplains now serve in sports organisations such as Test and Shield Cricket, Motor Racing, Tennis, Rugby League, Australian Rules, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, Golf, Yachting, Skiing, Netball, Rodeo and Horse Racing. And at academies like the Australian Institute of Sport and State Institutes of Sport and major sporting venues including Etihad Stadium, the Sydney International Regatta Centre and Perth Motorplex to name just a few.

Understanding sports chaplaincy. For general enquiries contact the SCA National Office.

SCA's History

SCA began back in the early 1980's with the desire and vision of a young Baptist Minister named Mark Tronson. Mark made instant inroads into professional sports chaplaincy including the Australian Cricket Team. During the early 90's SCA rapidly grew from a small handful of chaplains in the late 90's. There have been many great contributors to the ministry including Reverends Bruce Warren, David Tyndall and Paul Cameron. The legacy left by Mark Tronson will have lasting impact on professional sports for many years to come. See Wikipedia article.

SCA montage of friends and chaplains

The Future

SCA is working alongside numerous sports organisations and leagues to assist with providing quality accredited men and women to serve as pastoral carers to clubs and groups. Currently over 3000 opportunities for sports chaplains remain unplaced. As a not-for-profit charity SCA seeks to raise its effectiveness and activity in 4 key areas - the Identification of personnel and opportunities, Training and Professional Development, Appointments and Accreditation and peer Support and resources for Chaplains. A focus on indigenous and woman's chaplaincy continues.

Logo History

How We Operate

It's important to note that SCA is a collaborative network not an agency. Our teams work alongside Church networks and denominations to broker opportunities for the appointment of chaplains to sport. Our primary channel is the local Australian church. SCA is a non-denominational, or more rightly a trans-denominational network, incorporated association governed by a board represented by denominational representatives, chaplaincy representatives, skills-based and sports industry personnel from various regions around Australia. We aim to develop a movement of chaplains working under a common code of conduct and core values in hubs throughout Australia.

Statement of Faith

At our core SCA is passionate about the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. Our chaplains are authentic Christians with a genuine love for Christ and serve any person of any faith or world-view. SCA holds to the basic truths of Christianity including:

There is one God and creator of all things who exists in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit
The Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God and is our authority in all matters of faith and conduct
Men and women were created to be in God's image but because of their rejection of God have damaged that relationship. Our rejection of God is deserving of his punishment.
God's response to our rejection was one of love and grace. He sent his son Jesus into the world. Jesus is both fully man and fully God. He came to restore the relationship between humanity and God by dying and rising again to life.
The only way we can be made right with God is by accepting the forgiveness that comes through Jesus and his death on the cross and acknowledging him as Lord.
Jesus will come again to judge this world. All those who have placed their trust in him will share eternity with him.

Friends of SCA

> Red Dust Role Models
> ASP Surf Chaplaincy
> Australian Racing Christian Chaplaincy (ARCC)

> Quantum Sport NZ
> Life Saving Chaplaincy