Stacy Johnson-Sorrell

Head coach Christian Outreach summer tour 98 Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

Despite her numerous accomplishments, Coach Stacy Johnson-Sorrell is not a woman who relies on awards for satisfaction. She finds satisfaction in pushing others, strength in Christ, and fulfillment in seeing young woman discover their potential. Below is a newspaper article that describes her crusade to Eastern Europe that was made possible through Christian Outreach International.

Stacy Johnson-Sorrell has just returned from another summer tour in Europe. Christian Outreach International chooses players and coaches from various sports and tours many foreign countries competing and spreading the word of Jesus Christ. "What a great opportunity it was to travel with such an awesome organization and get to play and coach basketball, as well as, work with such wonderful people in the mission field." I was fortunate this summer to have four of my upcoming players at Cameron University to play on this tour. We also took a high school girl from Lawton who will be a junior in high school. We traveled with a woman's volleyball team, a men's basketball team, and a music and a drama team. The competition was very tough in the Ukraine, most of the women were at least 25 that we were playing against, so that was great experience for our girls.

The tour began with a 3-day training camp in the Czech Republic. We prepared our teams to play together as we went through some intense Bible training in the Czech language. (We were fortunate to have many interpreters.) The conditions were good there, but we ate a lot of cabbage. As we began to travel, we would play in different cities in the evenings. After our games, the music and drama teams would perform and someone would give their testimony with an interpreter helping them. Then we would usually have a late dinner with the other team and get ready for another long day. Much of the day time was spent in schools and hospitals in the city. Two of the most touching experiences were visiting a prison in Slovakia and an orphanage in the Ukraine. It was really hard to imagine life in either of those situations.

While we were in the Ukraine, we stayed with host families. Of course, they didn't speak English and we didn't speak Russian so we spent a lot of time pointing. My family was great and I enjoyed the food, but many of our players awoke to sardines and cabbage rolls in the mornings. We forget just how fortunate we really are until we step into someone else's shoes. I got pretty close to one particular family in the Ukraine. The couple had a 7-month-old little boy and they both worked full time. He worked on cars and she was a child Psychologist with a degree from a local university. I asked them what their income was and was astonished at what she told me. They bring home about 105 Niven a month, equivalent to $50.00 American dollars. Their rent was $35.00 and they buy food with the rest. Now, we meet many homeless people and many homeless children who are beggars on the street, but I would expect an educated family in any country to make it. I was very surprised. We left there without most of our shoes, towels, and a lot of other things we take for granted.

One of the saddest things about our trip was the election that took place. Both Slovakia and Ukraine elected to bring back the communist parties effective August 1. Many of our missionaries will be sent out of the countries, because of the law that any church less than 500 years old is considered a cult. We spent a lot of hours with the Christians there praying for their cities. It's easy to say that it's their own fault for the elections, but after witnessing their lives, I have a new understanding of what communism is to them. When they got their freedom, they also got their crops poisoned and their homes taken away. They couldn't live from starvation and from being on the street. As an American, I can't even imagine this situation. I saw the influence the maffia had on the cities we were in. I saw the fear in the people's eyes of the upcoming changes. My heart broke for those people knowing I was returning to a country where freedom is a way of life.

I could tell you many stories of this trip to Europe, but I'd like to say why I believe it is important to use what God gave me. I have had many opportunities to travel abroad and experience other cultures. Basketball has been my tool. Basketball was my ticket to college, It was my ticket to visit and live in foreign countries, It was also my ticket to a profession where I get paid to do something I love to do. The opportunities for women in athletics expand every day. With the Title 9 laws and the gender equity issues we have adopted, girls are now exploring avenues that men have been for years. Turning on the television and seeing a woman's basketball game on ESPN is exciting. My goals in coaching are many but, some of the most important goals are to see young ladies I recruit walk across the stage after five years with a degree. I push the ones with the ability to look to the professional leagues or whatever their field is. I tell every young lady when I go into their home with their parents that if at all possible they will have the opportunity to travel to a foreign country to play basketball. They need to be cultured and see why they should use what they are blessed with to reach their maximum potential and share with others.

I would like to encourage the athletes in Haskell County and any of you reading this paper to set your goals high. Push yourself and work hard to pursue them. Most of all, believe in yourself and go get what you want. This experience was an exciting one and I'm thankful for the opportunity to share it with you. The hardest part was having to leave my daughter behind. I promised while I was there that I wasn't going again until she was old enough to go. I hope to take her when she is about four. We'll see if that is in the master plan.

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