If you go
To purchase a $75 ticket to attend the FCA Home Team Banquet, contact the FCA office at 706-764-1954. To learn more, send an email to lookoutmountainfca@fca.org.
Lookout Mountain Chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes Director Greg Spradlin is welcoming former University of Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason to speak at the FCA Home Team Banquet at the Colonnade March 1.
The event includes a silent auction at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the speaker.
“When Hutson Mason finished playing at Georgia, he shared with our regional director Dicky Clark that he would like to speak on behalf of FCA and how he was influenced on behalf of the ministry,” said Spradlin. “He had not even finished his course work at UGA before he said he wanted to speak. When most college coeds attempt to do other things, it’s good that he wants to do this.”
Mason played for the UGA Bulldogs from 2010 to 2015, serving as the starting quarterback in 2014-2015.
“Kathy Hines and Tom Suttles were the FCA team chaplains at UGA,” said Mason. “Both were a big influence on my life. I was very aware of what FCA provides to athletes.”
For his FCA speech, Mason said he’ll talk about his time at UGA and how his faith corresponds with his next step. Right now, he is trying to get his foot in the door to coach at the collegiate level. He served as the quarterback coach last fall at Colquitt High School in Moultrie, Ga.
“My first play of my college career, I threw a touchdown pass on,” said Mason. “I played in a few SEC Championship games. I broke the single-season completion record my senior year and we finished No. 9 in the country.”
He now holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from UGA.
“I’m in a transition process,” Mason said. “I am praying about where my next step will be in life now.”
Christianity has always been important to him, he said. He was raised in a Christian home with a Christian family.
“Anytime the church doors were open, I was in church,” he said. “I was very young when I gave my life to Christ. I would hear pastors talk about your destination. The most important thing to put a price tag on is your soul. You place your faith and trust in Jesus. My whole high school career, I assumed I was saved. When I got out of college, I was reading a book by Billy Graham called ‘Where I Am: Heaven Eternity and Our Life Beyond.’ One of the chapters talked about eternity. The Holy Spirit told me to start fresh. I knew I needed a fresh start.”
Mason and his wife, Catherine, now reside in Atlanta.
About the banquet
Spradlin will present the Annual FCA Con and Beth Kellerhals Award. It is presented annually to an individual, family, church or business that uniquely helps FCA fulfill its mission. He will also present the Tim Walthour College Scholarship to a local senior.
The banquet will be catered by Goetz Catering. A silent auction will feature two Georgia footballs and a helmet signed by former UGA coach Mark Richt, a Texas Tech pennant signed by Bobby Knight, a biography signed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a basketball signed by the Atlanta Hawks.
“The banquet highlights key local ministry stories,” Spradlin said. “It’s our largest fundraiser for our local FCA budget to service Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade and Walker counties. We also use it to bring in a high-profile athlete or coach for our local supporters to meet and hear their Christian athlete story. The main purpose [of FCA] is to have a safe place and platform for students and staff in our area schools for them to join and unite their faith with their sport and impact their campus.”
Lookout Mountain Chapter of FCA has huddles in 34 schools in the four counties, he said. FCA provides training, resources and direction to those leading FCA on their campus. FCA establishes Christian community leaders to serve as chaplains for various teams. Annually, FCA presents the “One Way 2 Play Drug Free” program to the huddles, to the teams and some school assemblies.