GAMES
RANKINGS
Jackie Jessup
FBCA Magazine Feature: A Path to Ministry
JACKIE JESSUP HAS MANY TALENTS.
The senior starred on the Fort Bend Christian Academy volleyball, softball and track and field team over the past few years. At one point, Jessup even attempted swimming – which is what her mother competed in at the University of Houston – but eventually stuck to three sports.
Softball is the sport that has carried Jessup into a collegiate scholarship at Houston Baptist University with hopes of walking on to the track team as well. Along with being talented athletically, Jessup has also found a confidence in speaking in front of large groups about her faith and love of Christ. She wants to launch into a career of ministry.
"I want to do youth ministry and work with teenage girls," Jessup said. "When I was 12, I started helping my mom teach vacation bible school, so for the longest time I thought I wanted to be a teacher. The older I got, I realized I liked talking in front of large groups of people. I am confident in doing it.
"Obviously, my love for Christ has grown so much through these four years of high school, so just being able to be involved in a church and help teenage girls through silly things like gossiping and drama."
Sports have always been a big part of Jessup's life and in sports, just like life, there are ups and downs. Athletes are a group that Jessup would want to minister to as well, because having been in their shoes as a teenager she can relate to what they go through. The battle of self-worth is the main thing she would focus on.
"I feel like sports relate so much to life," Jessup said. "Sometimes life knocks you down and you feel like you're just not competing well at life in general. You will feel that it's affecting your self-worth but that's not true. We all have fallen short of the glory of God. Him dying for us means our self-worth does not waver. It's the same whether we hit the ball or don't. Whether we have a ton of friends in high school or one good friend or no friends, he is the same through all of that. "Just talking to athletes and young teenagers, that's the center of what I'd like to teach people about."
Another area that can be tough for a teenager – especially a girl – is social media. Jessup admitted there have been times that she has gotten off social media to give herself a break because about "70 percent" of it can be negative. But there is a positive side of social media, which she wants to harness the power of in the future of her ministry to others.
"I think there's a lot of good things with social media," Jessup said. "I think it's an awesome platform to reach out to people and show your personal information, like who you are and what you're accomplishing. It's a good platform for what I want to do in ministry. Reaching out and inserting passages into captions on Instagram or vlogs or blogs people do. I think it can be used for good."
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Cypress Ridge High School alumnus Kyle Gruller follows his pitch in a game against Cypress Creek High School. Gruller signed as an undrafted free agent with the Houston Astros after completing his collegiate career at Houston Baptist University and Wharton County Junior College.
Cy Ridge alum signs with Houston Astros following 2020 MLB Draft
June 24, 2020—Cypress Ridge High School alumnus Kyle Gruller signed with the Houston Astros as an undrafted free agent on June 18 following the conclusion of the 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
MLB revamped the draft due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the event from its typical 40 rounds to just five on June 10-11. The plan also allowed baseball teams to sign an unlimited number of undrafted players for up to $20,000 each. Gruller agreed to terms with the Astros on June 15 and signed three days later.
He's among 13 draftees and undrafted free agents signed to the Astros as of June 23.
"It's surreal and it's definitely an experience to know you're going to live your childhood dream of playing professional baseball," said Gruller, adding he received the news while eating breakfast. "The scout called me from the Astros and basically said he was going to offer me. I said 'Let's do it.' I've been a fan and it's the hometown team."
A 6-foot-3, right-handed pitcher, Gruller recently completed his collegiate career at Houston Baptist University. He posted a 2.40 ERA in two seasons and earned All-Southland Conference third team honors in 2019. Gruller played his first two seasons at Wharton County Junior College.
At Cypress Ridge, Gruller earned All-District 17-6A second team honors as a junior in 2015 and honorable mention in 2016.
"Our district has a ton of talent so I really tried to work hard and be the best," Gruller said. "I wasn't the biggest guy but I worked hard."