SPORTS SKILLS ARE being used to teach Christian values to Ontario teenagers who might never step near a church.

The same dedication and determination needed to excel on the court or field is required to be successful in everyday life, the young people are being told through the Sports Trax program founded in Cambridge by Youth With A Mission.

Sports camps, clinics, and presentations can "present biblical truths in a relevant way" according to director Keith Gerber, who established Sports Trax to "bring the message of Christ and principle-based training in truth, right attitudes and excellence."

"Sport is a significant venue for reaching many of the young generation, many of whom have no church connection," he said. "Its aspects of discipline, hard work and self-control can be used to share biblical values, and challenge young people to make the most of their lives - even if it is not always possible or appropriate to explicitly talk about Christ.

"Everything we do is attempting to bring the gospel in a very relevant, simple form to unchurched young people within our communities."

Programs so far have included a clinic with professional basketball star Phil Smith, who coached and talked about his faith in Christ, and a series of special assemblies at 11 high schools at which visiting basketball free-throw expert Mike Scudder sank 98 per cent of his shots - 2,063 out of 2,100 - while urging the 4,000 audience to set goals and work hard towards achieving them.

More than 200 teenagers are due to take part in three summer camps in the coming months, too.

Despite invitations to take Sports Trax to other countries, Gerber - who has served with YWAM for 12 years - intends to focus on the Cambridge area. "We want to develop good relationships in our own area. We want to be a gateway between young people and the churches," he said.

"There are other, big sports ministries, but we intend to concentrate on this one area," he added. "In evangelism in Canada we have found that we can't come in with our big guns blazing, and then disappear again.

"We have to come in and respect the Canadian mindset - the value of long-term consistency, and the opportunity to weigh what is said. Canadians want room to think, and if you give them that they are more willing to hear you."

Last updated: 1996, May 31 /pf