For more than 25 years George has served both professional athletes and college students with Athletes in Action. As chapel coordinator to the Yankees and Giants, George leads team Bible studies, serves as personal chaplain for several players and their families, oversees the in-season chapel services, and organizes sports outreaches around the New York metropolitan area. As Area Director, he also provides leadership to six other AIA couples serving local professional and college sports teams. Prior to his current responsibilities, George fulfilled similar duties for six years with the New York Mets and Jets teams.

George received an undergraduate degree in business administration from American University and a masters degree in biblical studies from the International School of Theology.

George and Cyndy began vocational Christian work with Athletes in Action after graduation from college. They served in the college campus ministry (of AIA) for 14 years before switching over to the professional sports ministry division. They are the proud parents of four grown daughters, Kelly, Emily, Mary and Allison. They also have four grandchildren Grace, Miguel, Mya and Robbie.

Email: gmcgovern@athletesinactionnyc.org

Willie spent his teenage years living with relatives, friends and on the streets of Brooklyn. He turned to drug use early on and continued destructive habits into his young adult years. In 1972, at the age of eighteen, he married his wife Nancy and continued to abuse drugs until Palm Sunday, 1981 when he became a Christian. In 1996 he and his wife felt called into full-time, inner city ministry. William began working with teenagers in a sports ministry through which hundreds of young people turned to Christ. Willie also serves as program director for Urban Impact and as a New York City EMS Chaplain.

Email: walfonso@athletesinactionnyc.org

John grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, loving and competing in sports. A student leader for Athletes in Action while attending and playing football at the University of Dayton, Ohio, John joined AIA staff upon graduation in 1987.

He served as campus director for AIA at Miami (OH) University where he met and married Missy, his wife, in 1988. John and Missy moved to Chicago where John earned his Masters of Divinity Degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. From 1993-2000, John served as the chaplain for the Chicago Bears (NFL) and Chicago Fire (MLS).

In 2000, John and MIssy moved their family (Jackson, Jenna and Derek) to Kazakhstan to develop and train national athletes in sport ministry. In 2003, the Maurers moved to New Jersey where John currently serves as the campus director for AIA at Rutgers University where he and Missy continue to minister to athletes, coaches, staff and their families.

Email: jmaurer@athletesinactionnyc.org

The success of the basketball tournaments revealed a dearth of discipleship partners for the teens making spiritual commitments, so Woody and several colleagues have now created Street 2 Street University, an initiative to equip youth workers with ministry skills and theological training.

Woody’s entire adult life has been devoted to helping young people in crisis. Prior to his work with Athletes in Action, Woody served on the staff of Student Venture, a high school ministry. Woody and his family moved to New York City in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Woody is a graduate of Tennessee Temple University (B.A., Broadcasting.) He lives in Hawthorne, NJ with his wife, Renee, and together they have 3 children, Abbey, Allison and Will, “the Thrill.”

Email: wwoodfin@athletesinactionnyc.org