Jack Layman, 2008-12
Wide Receiver, Cornerback

Jack played wide receiver and cornerback for the Christ Prep Patriots for 4 years. In 2012 after graduating, Jack accepted a scholarship offer to play for MidAmerica Nazarene University, under head coach Jonathan Quinn. Jack pursued a degree in business Administration while at MNU and played wide receiver for two seasons under both Coach Quinn and wide receiver coach Sammy Parker, both former Kansas City Chiefs players. Upon returning for his 3rd season Jack chose to leave the MidAmerica Pioneer football team in 2014 after a dramatic coaching change that left an almost completely new coaching staff, from top to bottom.

After MNU Jack sold his lawn care company that he started when he was 16 years old.  Shortly after, he began working in the commercial roofing industry in Kansas City while taking two semesters of full time night classes to finish his remaining general education classes. After the school year of 2015, Jack moved to Lynchburg, Virginia and transferred to Liberty University where he is pursuing a double major in Marketing/professional selling and HR management. Upon graduation in 2017, Jack plans to start his career in corporate sales and also hopes to one day start/own a company, after spending some time in the corporate world, to satisfy his entrepreneurial spirit.

Jack looks back on Christ Prep football with only fond memories. Remembering the challenges, both physical and mental, that playing presented. These challenges brought obstacles that had to be overcome, and they taught lessons that Jack still carries with him today. He also forged many wonderful relationships during his days as a Patriot that are still meaningful to this day. Jack says, “Football, specifically Christ Prep football, taught me to discipline myself, to train my mind to overcome my body and its’ desire to quit. The experience forced me out of my comfort zone in many ways, and the relationships forged and our commitment to each other helped him overcome and finish well.”  Jack still holds fast to the team verse, 2 Timothy 1:7, which he feels the Patriot program fully embodies.

Davis Finley,
 

After graduating from high school, I attended Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri where I received a B.A. in Biblical Studies. I attended SBU with little idea of what I wanted to pursue vocationally. Eventually, after taking a few Bible classes and having some conversations with friends and family, I felt compelled to pursue a degree in the Bible. During that time, my passion for the local church grew and the Lord placed on my heart a desire to teach people the Word.

After graduating from SBU, I returned to Kansas City to attend Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where I would pursue a Master of Divinity with an emphasis on Biblical languages. By God’s grace, I will graduate next May. I am currently a member at Redeemer Fellowship in Midtown Kansas City where I serve in a part-time staff position helping out with worship and coordinating many of our volunteers. In addition to my staff responsibilities, I am involved in pastoral development programs (training in preaching, pastoral care, etc.)

While I am unsure about what the future holds after I graduate from Midwestern, I hope to remain at Redeemer for the foreseeable future and continue to develop my ministry skills. Lord willing, I hope to someday be ordained and serve as a teaching and worship pastor.

My times with CPA football were some of the most beneficial of my young life. I entered the program my junior year of high school unsure of what I wanted to do beyond senior year, and was really just looking for a way to make new friends. I had no idea what kind of impact my two years playing football for CPA would have on me. Not only did I make lasting friendships, I grew as a leader and as a follower of Christ. CPA football taught me what it means to lead others through hard work and self-sacrifice, to die to myself for the benefit of others. It taught me the importance discipline, and of teamwork rooted in love. But most importantly, it matured me in my understanding of what it means to do everything to the glory of God. While my coaches instilled in us a love for football and a competitive spirit, they consistently pointed us to the fact that football in and of itself is not main purpose of Christ Prep football — glorifying God and a deeper communion with Christ is.

Matt Walje
 

Whether it’s around the city or around the world, former Christ Prep football players are working to make a difference. That is especially true for former free safety Matt Walje.

‘I work for an organization called Oceans Beyond Piracy, where I track incidents of piracy against ships off of Somalia, Nigeria, and in Southeast Asia,’ Walje explained. ‘We work to facilitate solutions to maritime crime by bringing together experts, navies, the shipping industry, and governments.’

Matt didn’t jump right into the ocean after high school. ‘I enlisted in the Marine Corps the Monday after I graduated high school and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan,’ he said. ‘I am also a Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps reserves.’

After graduating, Matt went on to play football at William Jewell in Liberty, Missouri. He enjoyed his time as a Cardinal but missed the team focus of the high school program. ‘In college you have less leadership focus, or at least my program did, and each individual is more responsible for their own success or failure,’ he said. ‘College football is also more of a job; we would spend hours a day lifting, in meetings, watching film and practicing. It consumes your life for most of the year.’

Walje said his time as a Patriot helped him learn a lot about life. ‘Over the four years that I played for the Patriots, I grew as a man and as a Christian. I was led by the older players when I was younger, and learned to lead as I got older,’ he said. He recalls walking into the gym for his first workout as an 8th grader and being motivated by the seniors. ‘

‘I remember showing up one night at a little gym with what looked like asbestos sprayed on the ceiling the winter of my eighth grade year. That was my first workout session with the team,’ he explained. ‘I was tall, skinny, and completely uncoordinated. I remember looking at the seniors and thinking that I was completely out of my league, and I was. I had to work hard, develop discipline, and discovered how to play football and give my body as an act of worship.’