Mitch & Sarah Marmelstein
“While bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” — 1 Timothy 4:8 (ESV)
As competitors, we love the rigor and discipline of physical training. It has taken us to the highest levels of our respective sports. However, Christ has called us to be spiritual trainers just as much as athletic coaches. Whether serving in our local community or as sports missionaries worldwide, our goal is simple: to create a culture of athletic excellence and Christ-like character. We are dedicated to using the universal language of sports to make disciples and see Jesus Christ glorified.
Sarah's Story
From Chasing Gold to Chasing God
Sarah’s love for volleyball began at just three years old in Phoenix, Arizona, passing the ball in the driveway with her father. That early passion blossomed into an all-consuming obsession that defined her youth, leading to three high school state championships and a collegiate career at LMU and UCLA. It was at UCLA where she truly learned the value of servant leadership and a “we before me” mentality, helping guide the Bruins to two NCAA National Championships. With her talent and humility combined, Sarah set her sights on the ultimate pinnacle of her sport: the Olympic Games.
At 24 years old, Sarah stamped her ticket to the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, realizing a dream she had relentlessly pursued since childhood. During the Games, a simple but profound pre-match gift of a handmade bracelet from Kenyan competitor Gaudencia challenged Sarah’s fiercely competitive “war” mindset, showing her that sport could be viewed with pure joy and gratitude. Despite this eye-opening moment, finishing 9th in Tokyo left her feeling surprisingly empty and unfulfilled. The Olympic stage she had idolized for years suddenly felt like the deepest valley, leaving her questioning her life’s purpose as she boarded the plane back to Los Angeles.
It was during that 40,000-foot flight home, grappling with debilitating anxiety in the airplane restroom, that Sarah experienced a life-changing “Come to Jesus” moment. Crying out for help, she immediately felt a wave of calm and clarity, realizing that her identity and ultimate purpose were rooted in Jesus, not in her athletic achievements. Officially trading her lifelong pursuit of chasing gold for chasing God, she now uses her sport as a bridge to serve a greater kingdom.
Today, she is pouring her elite experience into the next generation of athletes in her role as the Assistant Coach for the TCU Beach Volleyball team. Her passion for the game is matched only by her love for Jesus Christ and a deep desire to mentor, encourage, and lead young women in life and faith.
Mitch's Story
From Physical to Spiritual Trainer
Mitch’s athletic journey began with a deep passion for basketball, eventually leading him to Grove City College where he earned a degree in Exercise Science in 2015. His ultimate dream was to become an international basketball missionary. After graduating, he prayed for God to help him reach this goal and made a commitment, growing his hair out until God opened a door for a professional contract. Three years later, in 2018—with hair so long he was starting to look a bit like Jesus Himself—he finally landed in Mendoza, Argentina, as a point guard for Atletico Club San Martin, affectionately known by the locals as “Los Chacareros” (vineyard workers).
However, severe knee cartilage deterioration suddenly forced him to hang up his jersey. Sidelined and grappling with the loss of his athletic identity, Mitch entered a painful season of waiting where God began to strip away the idol of basketball and introduce a much deeper calling for his life.
During that time of injury, he received a promise from God through Genesis 28:15: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.” Trusting that he would return to Argentina one day, God began to call him as a pastor, placing it on his heart to return and start a house discipleship group called “Chacareros de Cristo” (Vineyard Workers of Christ). He returned to South America to pursue this ministry, and only after he had been there for six months was he unexpectedly invited to play basketball again. Initially hesitant, he decided to step out in faith on the court and, to his absolute shock, discovered that his knee was 100% healed—praise the Lord!
He went on to play for two more years following his miraculous healing. While he had built a successful career in basketball and back home as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, God was calling him to transition from being a personal trainer to a spiritual trainer, committing wholeheartedly to making disciples for Jesus. He officially retired from basketball in 2023 when he met an even greater love: Sarah.
Today, Mitch is living out this calling in Fort Worth, Texas, serving full-time in Central American Missionary work with CANOPI and as a Pastor for the NewSong House Church Collective. Alongside his pastoral duties, he encourages and challenges readers through his blog, La Fe en Acción: de la mente a la materia, and is set to graduate this December with a Master of Divinity from Wesley Seminary. Even with a packed ministry schedule, he hasn’t left the gym behind. Early in the mornings at the Diamond Hill Community Center boxing gym, Mitch pours into the next generation of young men, teaching them the discipline of the sport while using the ring as a space to mentor, encourage, and share the life-transforming truth of Jesus Christ.
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