The Prayer Playbook

A collection of prayers from the living world of sport.

As Ron Rolheiser says, “God speaks to every element in the language it can understand.”

The language spoken here is sport.

This website is designed to help athletes, coaches, athletic directors, team captains, parents, and sports fans develop their own prayer life. Whether you are a youth, high school, collegiate, or adult athlete, my hope is that what you find here will help you grow in faith through the world of sport you already inhabit.

A group of students standing in line outdoors, wearing masks, with a religious figure, possibly a priest, blessing them. The scene takes place on a school track field next to a large tree and modern school building.

Blessing of In-Season Athletes

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Types of Prayers You’ll Find Here

    • Team Prayer before a Game

    • Being on the Team vs. Being a Teammate 

    • A Prayer for Those Involved in Sports

    • A Coach’s Prayer for Servant Leadership

    • A Prayer for Team Chaplains/Spiritual Directors

    • A Closing Prayer

    • Prayer for Athletes

    • A Prayer for the Demands of Being a Student Athlete

    • Prayer for Female Athletes

    • Sport Specific Prayer

    • Prayer for Football Players

    • Prayer for those who struggle with disordered eating

    • Prayer for Proper AI Integration

    • Prayers from High School Seniors

    • Prayers from a High School Senior

    • Prayer for College Decisions

    • A Prayer for Hope

    • Prayer in Gratitude for Blessings

    • Inspired Integrity

    • Prayer for Justice and Equality

    • A Prayer for Dignity and Equity

    • A Prayer for Love

    • Prayer for Perseverance

    • Prayer For Health and Well-Being

    • A Prayer for Strength 

    • Prayer for Healing

    • Prayer for Help through Injury

    • A Prayer for Self Motivation

    • Prayer for Spiritual Growth

    • A Prayer for Transformation

    • A Prayer for Change

    • A Prayer for Challenges

    • A Breathing Prayer

    • Breathe In/Breathe Out Prayer

    • Prayer with a Cross

    • Meditation: I Can Do All Things Through Christ

    • Morning Prayer

    • Thanksgiving Prayer for Family and Friends

    • Advent Prayer of Joy for Student Athletes

    • Winter Prayer

    • Passages of Scripture

    • Quotes

    • The Gift of Sports

    • Prayer in Gratitude for Sports

    • Prayer in Praise of Sports

    • An Athlete’s Prayer

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Inviting God into your practice, your season, and your community is where prayer begins.

Prayer is not an addition to sport—it is a way of seeing it. Prayer is but a start…

Get in Touch

Anne Stricherz teaches in the Religious Studies Department and ministers in the Office of Adult Spirituality at Saint Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco, Calfornia. Since 2009, she has written a blog and taught an elective course for seniors—Sports and Spirituality, Anne is the author of Pray and Practice with Purpose: A Playbook for the Spiritual Development of Athletes. After 20 years of coaching a variety of sports, she is serving as the chaplain of the girls’ golf team. When she is not trying to lower her golf handicap, she enjoys cheering for her alma mater, the University of Notre Dame as well Bay Area sports teams.

Want her to come speak with your school or staff?

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