Originally published in the spring 2025 Update Magazine.
At Pensacola Christian College, wellness is not just a priority—it is a pillar of a thriving community. Far from making it secondary, the College encourages health as an avenue to honor God, for He created each person in His image. When Christians can stay well by building relationships, maintaining their bodies, and thriving spiritually, they lay the foundations for purposeful, godly lives where they serve others with Christlike love. Investing in wellness is a key way PCC realizes its purpose: empowering believers to influence the world for Christ.
To help the College community stay healthy, PCC is continually providing new sports events, updating health resources, and adding Christian service opportunities. Fitness and recreation manager Mr. Ryan Gulledge said, “Fitness comes in many forms, from structured workouts to fun activities. We provide diverse opportunities that encourage personal growth, strengthen our community, and equip students, faculty, and staff to glorify God in all they do.”
Building Relationships through Recreation
Intramural sports are a way the PCC community can grow in friendship. When classes are dismissed, staff, faculty, and students of all majors can visit the Arlin R. Horton Sports Center to participate in a variety of sports. Offerings include racquetball, ice skating, rock climbing, bowling, and others. Mary Griffith (Jr., GA) loves seeing how recreation unites the College. “[What] I love most about the recreational facilities is the people,” Mary said. “There is a rock-climbing community—they all encourage and help each other. There is a volleyball community. I can go through each one, but I love being able to see and know people from each group.”
To grow unity between staff, faculty, and students, Mr. Gulledge and the fitness and recreation team have launched combined staff and student volleyball tournaments. These competitions build teamwork between peers and provide opportunities for staff to mentor students. Mr. Gulledge said, “The new student and staff volleyball tournaments foster community, encourage physical activity, and strengthen campus connections.”
“Our games are usually in groups, so you’re building interpersonal skills as you take a break from school.”
Students with different majors may never cross paths in a classroom, but they come together to play. Whether students prefer to roller skate, bowl, climb the rock wall, ice skate, use the water park, or simply to catch up with their classmates, they can find a place to belong at the Sports Center. Fitness and recreation administrative assistant Serena Bryan (Interdisciplinary Studies ’24) shared, “Everyone can participate. Students go to network [and] see people from class and people from other majors.” Serena added, “It brings you out of your bubble when you ask to join a game. Our games are usually in groups, so you’re building interpersonal skills as you take a break from school.”
Student employees are an invaluable part of PCC’s fitness and recreation team. They provide a warm welcome to peers and are always happy to answer questions and explain games. Sports Center student-employee Sean Londrigan (Sr., IL) said, “I cherish the opportunities to provide guests, both current students and off-campus visitors, with a [great] experience.” He added that because “staff and managers work very closely, I have made incredible friends. The managers are always excited to talk with and encourage the workers to be the best they can be.”
Thanks to PCC’s variety of recreational events, the college community enjoys many opportunities to make great memories and create lasting relationships. Sean shared, “The Scriptures call us to build each other up. PCC’s recreational facilities provide incredible opportunities to make friends, learn from one another, and edify others, all to glorify our Creator.”
Encouraging Health
To help staff, faculty, and students stay healthy as they build relationships and serve the Lord, PCC is updating fitness equipment and providing more health resources. Mr. Gulledge said of these additions, “PCC is working to teach a generation how to enjoy and value taking care of their health. We are worshiping God through our physical health; that is going to drive every step we take.”
“PCC is working to teach a generation how to enjoy and value taking care of their health.”
PCC takes student suggestions into account as updates are added. Thanks to requests, the men’s gym in the Field House features new lifting equipment. Fitness and recreation senior team lead Braden Baldwin manages this space. Excited about these additions, he shared, “The Field House’s new equipment enhances training, performance, and overall fitness. Whether for sports training or general fitness, the equipment ensures students have the best tools to reach their goals.” The fitness and recreation team is also expanding the women’s gym in the Sports Center. By summer 2025, they plan to have the new space fully stocked with equipment
Beyond PCC, the fitness and recreation team has added equipment to Camp o’ the Pines for both staff and students to enjoy. During special events, students use e-bikes to cruise through the forested trails, making these outings even more memorable. For a change of scenery, PCC’s West Campus offers waterfront views. Visitors may also employ on-site kayaks and catamarans to set sail on Pensacola’s beautiful Perdido Bay—the home of redfish, catfish, bass, and even the occasional dolphin.
To further invest in staff, faculty, and graduate assistants, PCC has introduced the online program Fit to Serve. PCC personnel have the choice to use Fit to Serve and to take part in diet and exercise challenges. Through these activities, participants earn rewards that can be redeemed and applied either to a paycheck or to an Employee ID Card. Braden, a participant in Fit to Serve, shared that the platform provides “great motivation through challenges, tournaments, and the point system that encourages fellowship, fitness, and fun.”
Physical health is not just shaped by activity—it is also influenced by dining choices. With Nutrislice, PCC’s new, online menu platform, students, staff, and faculty can easily access information about nutrition, ingredients, and allergens for the College’s dining halls and to-go meal service. Nutrislice also includes an online calculator for tracking calories. These initiatives help individuals stay healthy so they can serve and pursue God’s calling with strength and vitality.
Serving through Sports
At PCC, fitness is about more than striving for excellence in sports: it’s an avenue to build up a community of Christian leaders who show their faith through service. To glorify God, PCC is giving Eagles athletes additional opportunities to minister. Recently, two Eagles missions’ trips to Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire were launched through Youth Outreach Missions. With 55 Christian Service organizations already available to students, these missions’ trips give student athletes an additional chance to share Christ while using their athleticism and bonding as a team.
“Life is about serving,” faculty member Coach Mark Goetsch said. “Often sports casts a focus on self—improving of my skills to play a sport I love—but Christian service truly gets the focus off individual self or even the ‘team’s self’ and directs it toward others.”
“Eagles athletes are equipped to better influence the world for Christ through service.”
Basketball player Kyle Evers (Sr., MO) served in a youth basketball camp during the Eagles’ 2023 trip to Côte d’Ivoire. He appreciated opportunities to be involved in missions while sharing his favorite sport. He and his teammates contributed to Sunday school classes, junior church, and teen outreaches. “Eagles athletes are equipped to better influence the world for Christ through service,” Kyle explained. “It is truly special how God can use something as simple as a leather ball, wooden floor, and a metal rim to influence souls for eternity.”
At home in the U.S., PCC’s student athletes are also reaching the Pensacola community for Christ. Lady Eagles volleyball player Hope Brooks (So., ME) has participated in five service events with teammates. She has enjoyed contributing to Christmas toy drives and food drives for Ronald McDonald House, a nonprofit that provides food and shelter to families with ill children. “Service opportunities bring the team closer,” Hope shared. “Spiritually, I get more out of it than I would have ever imagined. Jesus calls us to help those less fortunate than we are, and putting His teaching to practice gives you exceeding joy.”
From befriending a new person at the Sports Center to sharing the gospel through Christian service, the PCC community enjoys countless opportunities to strengthen friendship, health, and faith. By creating more wellness opportunities, PCC is making investments with eternal influence. Coach Goetsch said, “Many times, we don’t see the final results, but seeds are planted for Jesus Christ. God’s love is shown, and we leave the results to Him.”