photo 2Since 2011, alumnus Geoff King ’07 has combined his passion for sports with his adolescent studies and youth ministry degree by working for Athletes with Purpose, a Fort Wayne-based company, specializing in fitness training, that incorporates Christian values.

King, whose college career originated at Ball State University, transferred to Bethel to continue pursuing track and field after Ball State’s program was cut. At Bethel, King ruled on the track. Over his four-year career, he was an NAIA and NCCAA All-American who won the Ron Paulsen Award (’06) and the NCCAA National Wheeler Award (’07), and held three individual track and field records: outdoor 100-meter dash (10.48 seconds), outdoor 200-meter dash (21.03 seconds) and indoor 200-meter dash (22.01). In 2015, King was inducted into the Bethel Hall of Fame for his achievements.

“It was a huge honor,” King says about the induction. “In the grand scheme of things, it was about what the school and people did for me.”

After graduating from Bethel, King served as an adolescent case manager. However, when he saw a commercial for Athletes with Purpose, he knew he had to get involved.

“They were building character and leadership and doing everything that I had a call to do,” King says.

Now, King serves as the Executive Director of Athletes with Purpose — a job that allows him to make sure that all of the trainers are equipped to lead others.

“Our main goal is to develop athletes seeking purpose beyond athletics,” says King. “We tell them [the athletes] that athletics are [their] avenue and [their] gift that [they] don’t deserve. We want them to honor that gift.”

Athletes with Purpose offers fitness training for multiple sports, but at its core, it is a company based on modeling and teaching values that athletes can use on and off of their playing field.

“An athlete with purpose is someone who is aware that they have a purpose and are committed to fulfilling that purpose. An athlete with purpose focuses on stillness, obedience, commitment, faithfulness, and diligence,” says King, who then expounded on those characteristics.

“They will be still so they can listen to what they are called to do, have the obedience to say yes to that call, the commitment to it, and the faithfulness and diligence to see it through.”

Though mastering those values is rewarding, it is not easy. Even so, King says that athletes with purpose are equipped to face those challenges.

“There will be valleys, and an athlete with purpose will work hard through those valleys.”