Faith, Football & Leadership: Dustin Grimmett on Living for Christ Beyond the Huddle
Podcasts > Beyond the Huddle - Central Arkansas FCA
Thursday, September 3, 2026
What happens when faith and football come together?
In this episode of Central Arkansas FCA’s Beyond the Huddle, host Rick Maupin sits down with Dustin Grimmett, head football coach at Little Rock Christian Academy, for an honest conversation about faith, family, coaching, leadership, and the impact of living out the Gospel through sports.
Coach Grimmett shares the story of his faith journey—from placing his trust in Jesus as an eight-year-old, to discovering how God was working through difficult seasons of moving and transition, to meeting his future wife in seventh grade. He also talks about how football became more than a game and ultimately became a ministry opportunity.
Dustin explains his journey into coaching, his time as a player and coach in Arkansas, and how God led him back to Little Rock Christian Academy, where he now serves as head football coach. He discusses his philosophy of relational leadership and why coaches have an incredible opportunity to disciple and influence young men both on and off the field.
The conversation also highlights the powerful connection between FCA, faith, and sports, including the role FCA has played in connecting student-athletes' faith with their lives on the football field. Dustin shares about multiple student-athletes and coaches who publicly declared their faith through baptism in front of their teammates.
Throughout the conversation, Rick and Dustin discuss the importance of attitude, effort, accountability, teachability, discipleship, and trusting God even when we can't see what He is doing.
Most importantly, Coach Grimmett shares his desire to use every opportunity God gives him to glorify Christ and disciple young men.
In this episode:
- Dustin Grimmett's testimony and faith journey
- Growing up in Little Rock and Clinton, Arkansas
- How football became connected to Dustin's faith
- Meeting his wife, Casey, in seventh grade
- Dustin's journey into football coaching
- His path to becoming head coach at Little Rock Christian Academy
- FCA's impact on coaches and student-athletes
- Faith and sports as an integrated way of life
- Baptism and public declarations of faith
- Discipling young men through coaching
- Leadership, accountability, attitude, and effort
- The importance of being grateful and teachable
- Balancing coaching, ministry, marriage, and fatherhood
- Trusting God's plan even when the path is unclear
- Living for Christ beyond the football field
Whether you're a coach, athlete, parent, student, or simply someone seeking encouragement in your faith, this episode offers a powerful reminder: faith doesn't stop when the game starts. We are called to live for Christ wherever God has placed us.
Beyond the Huddle is a Central Arkansas FCA podcast focused on the intersection of faith, sports, leadership, and life.
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