By Mike Rothwell, Board Member/Director of Community Partners for Father’s Club

“Hey, you should come check out the Father’s Club Workout on Saturday mornings. It has really been a game changer for so many. We work out together, develop relationships, and encourage one another along the journey.”

“Sounds great. How do I get plugged in?”

“Well, it’s quite simple really. First off, it’s totally free. All you do is show up. We meet at 7:00 am for an outdoor workout, and then we grab a quick coffee afterwards. For some reason, it helps men get their day started right and prepares them to be leaders at home, at work and within the community.”

“Wait a second. Did you say outdoors at 7:00 am on a Saturday? No way dude. That is way too early on the one day I get to sleep in each week. Plus, you know it’s February in Kansas City. It is freezing cold outside. I’m too old to get up that early. I need my sleep man. I’m not in shape. I need to lose some weight before I come out to work out and embarrass myself in front of other dudes.”

Sound familiar?

The Father’s Club exists to create ways for dads to be intentional in engaging with kids, other dads, and the greater community they are called to serve. Often, dads find themselves lost and lonely in the pursuit of validation. One way we can battle this cultural tendency is to be stronger together. To live life in community with one another.

So in 2022, we launched a new Saturday Morning Workout for men to create intentionality around battling the cultural tendency of isolation. Now, on Saturday mornings, at 7:00 am, every dad (sons included-good luck) are invited to join us, do something challenging together, and lock arms in the battle.

We launched on January 8, 2022 at the Blue Valley Riding Neighborhood Pool. We meet at this location and head over to the Blue Valley High School Football Field. The culture of the workout is to spend 15 minutes warming up with an emphasis on flexibility, 30 minutes of a boot camp style workout, and finish up with 15 minutes of abdominal work and stretching.

We hold true to the fact that proper form is vital to ensuring we remain free from injury.

As a result, there is no shame in modification or fitness level. We will leave no man behind, and we will leave no man where we found them. 

No matter who you are, or where you are in the journey, you are welcome every Saturday morning. So let’s give this away to all men in our community, and invite them out for a lower impact workout where they will feel welcome and encouraged to come back out and get a little bit better than the week before. 

– Mike Rothwell, Director of Community Partners for Father’s Club

By Doug McIntyre, Chapter Chair of Blue Valley North

From the first day of school to Home Coming at Blue Valley North High School, Father’s Club has been making student’s days in 2021.

Partnering with the Administration, Father’s Club kicked off the school year with a surprise picnic for the students  outside with yard games, cookies, and Dad DJ crushing the tunes.

Home Coming festivities and the Parade were back this year and so was The Father’s Club… building on traditions.

In addition to building the bon fire, managing parking lot safety, this year saw Matt Roening, Matt Textor, and Chris Whigham host our first ever Father’s Club parade entry with Big Red and Little Red. In years past, two student clubs, GSA and the Diversity Club didn’t have the resources to host their own float. Father’s club partnered with RideNow Powersports to make their day.

I want to say thank you to Father’s Club for making my day yesterday. I am so grateful of you all for putting that big of a smile on so many kids faces. It was definitely a wonderful day!
– Sheryl Stein, Club sponsor

By John Hinman, Board Member for Father’s Club

Randy Bratton was born in Starkville, MS, then raised in and around Memphis, TN, is a lover of country music, has a trace of red neck running thru his veins, is a man with good old southern roots, has a massive servant heart, is a great husband and family man, and of course is a diehard Mississippi State fan. Being a fan of MSU he has died hard often, but this year he witnessed their first National Championship, in any sport, in baseball. It was great watching his excitement basking in the glory of this accomplishment.

Randy is married to Marlo and they have three kids Rhodes, Allie and Abby.

After growing up and spending most of his life in the Memphis area, Randy and Marlo decided it was time for a change and moved their family to the Kansas City area in 2013 and we met shortly after and became close friends. Randy and his family have been a true blessing to this community from the day they arrived. Randy is one of those special people that everyone needs to know. Randy is fueled by his faith, family, friendships and community. He is always willing to jump in and help out wherever needed. His positive spirit brings out the best in everyone around him. He is always available, willing to serve, willing to give a friend a hand, is compassionate, and loves to have a good time.

Father’s Club Founding Member

Randy is one of the founding nine members of The Father’s Club and has put in many hours to help this organization grow. Randy serves this organization as a board member and is the director of campus growth. Randy has played a significant role, leading the charge, spreading the mission of this organization resulting in 14 campus high school chapters since the inception of The Father’s Club in August of 2018. Randy is the epitome of the saying “pick up a shovel and dig a hole”. Randy simply gets it done.

We are so thankful to have Randy on the leadership team. Personally, I’m proud to be able to call this man brother and friend. He has truly enriched my life during the years we have known each other.

Do YOU want to get involved in Father’s Club? Start right here!

Following is the list of high schools that currently have a Father’s Club Chapter:

1. Blue Valley
2. Blue Valley Southwest
3. Blue Valley West
4. Blue Valley North
5. Blue Valley Northwest
6. Shawnee Mission East
7. Shawnee Mission South
8. Olathe East
9. Olathe South
10. Olathe West
11. Gardner Edgerton
12. Springhill
13. Heritage Christian
14. Kansas City Christian Academy

By Todd Milner, Board Member/Director of Campus Development and Mike Rothwell, Board Member/Director of Community Partners

Shawnee Mission East

The 2021/2022 school year is in full operation at this point, and the Father’s Club has been honored to partner with three new schools, their administration, and the dads in those communities by locking arms and going to battle together. In 2021, we welcomed Shawnee Mission East, Heritage Christian Academy, and Olathe West. The total chapter count is now sixteen campuses and counting. The men of these schools are energized and ready to create simple ways for dads to be intentional with the kids, each other, and the communities in which they serve.

In the 2021/2022 school year we have many new chapters of the Father’s Club launching.

The past 18 months have been a challenge for all communities, students, and families. The Father’s Club has felt similar burdens as well. As a result, we’re not only opening and launching new chapters, but we’re also relaunching many of our existing chapters. 

Shawnee Mission East

It’s exciting to see the pent up demand of dads who are eager to #ShowUp for their kids, other dads, and their school communities. The energy is vibrant this fall all around the campuses our dads are serving. The momentum is contagious as the total headcount of dads engaging and stepping up is about to exceed 1,000!

So how does a new chapter get launched?

What does it take to have a successful chapter launch in our school? Like all thing’s dad, the key to the Father’s Club is to not overthink things and keep it simple. When the Father’s Club began in 2018 the mission was clear and focused around getting busy dads to be more engaged and intentional with their kiddos and in their schools. 

 Dads traditionally are busy with work, family, activities, life in general, and find their tank empty each night and by the end of the week. Often men wait for their significant others to lean in and tell them when to #ShowUp. We lacked intentionality. We lacked leadership in our schools and communities. Many times, we let others fill the void as we’re too busy!

Olathe West

Like our partners at F3 say, “We were suffering from Sad Clown Syndrome.” We go to work, come home, get sucked into our electronic devices, hope we did our best to provide for our family, participate in our kids’ activities, and try to go on a vacation each year. Then we rinse and repeat this course of action day in and day out, week in and week out until our tank is empty. 

While we are more connected than ever before in history, we still feel more disconnected than ever before. Do you ever ask yourself why is that? What can I do to change this cycle?

 The Father’s Club assists dads who are called to be leaders at home, at work and in their communities to be more engaged with their kids and their schools. In the battle for our time and talents, Father’s Club believes dads are stronger together and we help men understand they are not alone in the battles we face day in and day out. 

Every Father’s Club Chapter exists to create simple and intentional ways for dads to engage with their kids, other dads and within their community.

Olathe West

The Father’s Club is a turnkey opportunity to make it amazingly easy for Dads to join, get engaged and begin making an immediate impact.

HERE ARE THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS TO KICK OFF A VIBRANT NEW FATHER’S CLUB CHAPTER . . .

1. Identify a small group of men in your school community who have shared vision and desire to live life together in community with one another. We cannot overemphasize the importance of this step. The group may or may not exist today. But finding like minded men with a shared vision is mission critical. A Father’s Club Chapter’s success is dependent on a group of men committed to mission, purpose, and authenticity with one another.
2.  Next you need to engage with the administration at your school. Cast your vision to the principal and other members of the administration. These individuals are key stakeholders in the mission and allowing them to provide input and feedback is also mission critical. Our experience tells us that most administrators are more than excited to share in the Father’s Club vision and are longing for help and support from the dads in their school community.
3. Contact the development team at the Father’s Club. Visit www.fathersclub.org, Click on CONTACT. Send us an email. Our development team will connect with you directly and provide you with the entire playbook for a successful Father’s Club Chapter Launch.
4. Schedule your Chapter Launch Meeting
5.  Solidify a steering committee that will carry out the Father’s Club Mission at your school.
6.  Keep it Simple. Select a few simple things you can do for kids, dads, and your school community. Whatever, those few things are done with excellence, love & humility. As you grow and expand your reach amongst the community you can add more engagement opportunities

Heritage Christian Academy

Our newest chapters, Shawnee Mission East, Heritage Christian Academy, and Olathe West are notable examples of dads locking arms, being intentional and engaged. They have a shared vision and are ready to lean in and do the work to have a meaningful impact on their kids, dads, and their school community.

Our battle cry is simple. Right Here. Right Now, You Matter.

Every kid matters. Every Dad matters. Every school community matters. Don’t wait. Don’t overthink it. When you lock arms with another dad and make the decision to lean in together, amazing things will happen in your family, in your life and within your school.

So, if this mission hits home with you, you love your kids and you have a passion to serve others, you are a perfect fit to be part of one of our Father’s Club Chapters throughout the metro area.

Heritage Christian Academy