UPPER CUMBERLAND FCA TEAM

Area Director - Upper Cumberland

Sheri Pharris has been part of Upper Cumberland FCA for more than two decades, beginning as an intern in January 2004 and joining staff full-time later that year. With a lifelong love for sports and a heart to share the hope of Jesus, Sheri is passionate about the way FCA reaches athletes and coaches in their daily lives. Having been shaped by FCA during her own middle and high school years, she counts it a privilege to invest in the next generation.

One of Sheri’s greatest joys in ministry is serving at camp and helping expand FCA’s camp ministry across Tennessee and within the Upper Cumberland. She is currently encouraged by 2 Corinthians 9:8, a reminder that God generously provides everything we need, strength, courage, wisdom, and resources, to do what He has called us to do and to share abundantly with others.

Sheri grew up in Elizabethton, TN, where she played basketball and volleyball before attending Tennessee Tech. She originally planned to become an engineer and design rollercoasters, an unexpected path that ultimately led her to Cookeville and, eventually, to her dream job with FCA. She and her husband, Adam, have been married since 2008 and are raising three wonderful kids: Preston, Millie, and Betsy.

Outside of ministry, Sheri loves cheering on her children in all their activities, playing recreational volleyball, and exploring new places with her family. She currently serves the Central Area, including Putnam and Smith counties, while also providing leadership and support to the entire Upper Cumberland staff team.

If you’d like to pray for Sheri, she asks that you pray for wisdom and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit as she leads staff and boards during a season of exciting growth, and as FCA continues working toward reaching every coach and athlete in the Upper Cumberland.

Metro Director - South Area

Jeff Lacy has been serving with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for 10 years. His “why” is simple and unwavering: to make an impact for the Kingdom by investing in coaches and athletes across the Upper Cumberland.

A Sparta native, Jeff grew up playing football, basketball, and baseball, later going on to play football at Vanderbilt University. His ministry experience includes serving on the FCA Board in Murfreesboro, acting as Vice Chair of the Deacon Board at First Baptist Murfreesboro, and serving on the leadership board at Calvary Baptist in Murfreesboro. Jeff’s family includes his parents, who still live in Sparta, and he honors the memory of his younger sister who passed away in 2018.

One of Jeff’s favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11, a reminder of God’s plans and promises, truths that continue to guide his ministry and personal life.

Outside of FCA, Jeff enjoys cruising and camping. He currently serves the South Area of the Upper Cumberland, supporting multiple schools, coaches, and huddles.

If you’d like to pray for Jeff, he asks that   you pray he will finish well in every area of ministry and clearly discern God’s next assignment for his life.

Area Representative - East

Rodney Hayes has been serving with FCA for five years, driven by a simple but powerful desire: to see lives transformed by the love of Jesus. His heart for people and passion for discipleship shape everything he does in ministry. Rodney loves building relationships with coaches, athletes, and community members, listening to their stories and witnessing firsthand how God is changing hearts and minds across the Upper Cumberland.

One of Rodney’s favorite Scriptures is 1 Corinthians 9:22: “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” This verse resonates deeply with him because it reflects the character of Jesus, who meets people exactly where they are. Rodney believes the Lord reveals new aspects of His nature in every circumstance, peace, protection, healing, strength, and calls His followers to be conduits of that same love and grace in the lives of others.

Rodney and his wife have been married for 11 years and are raising three energetic children (ages 7, 4, and 1). Together, they’ve spent 14 years in ministry, serving in youth ministry, missions, and even helping start a church in Zambia. Before ministry, Rodney played high school baseball and, according to him, was “an all-around stud.”

When he’s not serving through FCA, Rodney enjoys life on his family’s farm—raising cattle, caring for livestock, and creating new adventures with his family.

Rodney currently serves student-athletes and coaches in Cumberland and Fentress counties.

If you’d like to pray for Rodney, he asks that you pray FCA’s ministry stays fully centered on Jesus—that it would never be about building an organization, but about bringing a real expression of “on earth as it is in Heaven” into local schools, teams, and communities.

Area Representative - North

Kevin King has been serving with FCA for 2.5 years, but his connection to the ministry goes back much further. After years of volunteering as a Huddle Coach at Jackson County High School, Kevin felt the Lord calling him to join FCA staff and serve God through the local schools in a deeper way.

Kevin’s favorite part of ministry is the fellowship he gets to share with both coaches and students, walking alongside them, encouraging them, and pointing them to Christ. One of his favorite verses is Philippians 4:13, a daily reminder that he needs God’s strength in every moment. “God is sooo good!” Kevin says, and that truth fuels his ministry.

A Cookeville native and Tennessee Tech graduate, Kevin spent 31 years as a teacher and 28 years as Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Football Coach at Jackson County High School. During that time, he also faithfully served as an FCA Huddle Coach, investing in student-athletes both on and off the field.

Outside of ministry, Kevin enjoys traveling to sporting events and staying involved in his local church.

Kevin currently serves schools across Jackson, Overton, Clay, and Pickett counties. He asks for prayer as he continues growing in Christ and ministering in the schools he serves. He also invites prayer for God to raise up more Character Coaches in Jackson County.

Area Representative - Tennessee Tech

Luke Woodason is beginning his second year serving with FCA, and his passion for ministry is deeply rooted in his own journey as a former Tennessee Tech student-athlete.

Having experienced firsthand the pressure to find identity in performance, Luke is driven to help athletes discover that their true value and purpose are found in Christ, not in their sport. That “why” is what brought him back home to serve the campus that shaped him.

One of Luke’s favorite moments in ministry is watching a student realize that their identity is so much bigger than athletics. Recently, he has been especially drawn to the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19, a reminder that when someone is willing to take bold steps to get closer to Jesus, transformation follows. It’s a picture of the heart change he longs to see in the athletes he serves.

Luke met his wife, Hayley, at Tennessee Tech while both were involved in FCA, and they married in 2016. They now have four children, Kenora, Mitty, Sunny, and Elwood, and love cheering on the Golden Eagles together. Luke holds a Bachelor’s in Education from Tennessee Tech and a Master’s in Ministry Leadership from Southeastern University. His background includes years of pastoral leadership in middle school, high school, and young adult ministries, as well as several years working in church technology consulting.

Outside of ministry, Luke enjoys attending Tech sporting events with his family. He currently serves the Tennessee Tech campus through FCA. Wings Up!

If you’d like to pray for Luke, he asks for prayer that student-athletes at Tech would have open hearts to discover their true identity in Christ, and for wisdom and endurance as he walks alongside them in that journey.

Area Representative - Tennessee Tech

Riley Black has been serving with FCA for five months, but his journey with the ministry started years ago as a college athlete. After experiencing firsthand how FCA builds community and transforms lives, Riley felt called to join the FCA team to help impact collegiate athletes for the Kingdom. “Being part of lives changing for Christ has given me so much joy,” he says.

Riley’s favorite part of serving is walking alongside student–athletes, building relationships, doing life with them, and watching hearts slowly open to the love of Jesus. His life verse is Galatians 2:20, which reminds him daily that his purpose is to let Christ live through him.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, Riley comes from a strong, Christ-centered family and is the middle of three siblings. A lifelong baseball player, he competed at Lee University before finishing his college career at Tennessee Tech. He earned his undergraduate degree in Human Development with a business emphasis and a coaching minor, then completed a master’s degree in Strategic Leadership at Tennessee Tech. Riley led FCA as a student–athlete at both Lee and Tech before officially joining the UC-FCA staff in 2024.

Outside of ministry, Riley enjoys staying active, working out, spending time with friends, and playing guitar and drums, especially when he gets the chance to worship and jam. He currently serves at Tennessee Tech and loves investing in the campus community.

If you’d like to pray for him, he asks that you pray for athletes whose hearts have been hardened toward God, and that they would experience His love and be drawn into relationship with Him.

Media and Communications Coordinator

Stephanie Shearer has been serving with FCA for three years, but her connection to the ministry began long before that. After being deeply impacted by FCA as a high school and college student, and experiencing life change at an FCA camp, the Lord made it abundantly clear that this is where He was calling her to serve. Saying “yes” to FCA meant stepping into a ministry she already loved and believed in, and she’s grateful every day to participate in the work God is doing across the Upper Cumberland.

Her favorite part of serving with FCA is getting to walk alongside students, coaches, and fellow staff members as they grow in their faith and influence. One of Stephanie’s favorite scriptures is Matthew 3:17, where God declares His pleasure in Jesus before His ministry begins. This reminder, that our identity is rooted in being God’s children, not in what we accomplish, shapes both her life and her ministry.

Stephanie grew up in Pegram, Tennessee, actively involved in church, FCA, and multiple sports. She continued to serve in ministry throughout college, including as an intern with a local youth group. After graduating, she married her husband, Blake, and together they have two children, Taylor (16) and Jackson (13). Over the years, Stephanie has served in a wide range of ministry roles, from coordinating MOPS to helping launch a Mother’s Day Out program to serving on her church staff for seven years in administration. When the opportunity arose to join FCA staff, she sensed the Lord’s leading and joyfully stepped into her current role.

Outside of ministry, Stephanie and Blake coach middle school cross country, and she loves supporting her kids in their sports and activities. She also enjoys reading, photography, and graphic design whenever she finds spare time.

Stephanie serves all 12 counties of the Upper Cumberland area. She welcomes prayers that she would continue to remain obedient and sensitive to wherever the Lord leads her in this season of ministry.

Are You Called to Serve in Upper Cumberland FCA?

God is moving in the Upper Cumberland, and we are prayerfully searching for men and women who feel called to join Him in the work. If you have a heart for students and coaches, a passion for discipleship, and a desire to make an eternal impact through the world of sports, we’d love to talk with you.

FCA staff members don’t just hold positions, they live out a mission. Whether you’re gifted in leadership, evangelism, administration, or relational ministry, there is a place for you to serve, grow, and help transform lives with the gospel.
If you feel the Lord stirring your heart toward FCA, we invite you to explore opportunities to join our team.