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

The Father’s Club is all about guys showing up. Being intentional is what we are all about. Well, the men of F3 KC are a great resource partner for the Father’s Club. Why? Because they exist to invigorate male community leadership. They do this by planting, growing and serving small workout groups for men. So it was a perfect marriage for the Father’s Club and F3 to partner together and create a Pickleball Group for dudes.

In the spring of 2023, Ryan Kapple, the fearless and talkative leader who launched the Olathe East Chapter for the Father’s Club was called to create this Wednesday morning pickleball group. In pure Kapple fashion, he named the area of operation (AO as they call it in the F3 world) Pickleballz. And so it began in the spring of 2023 with four dudes and has grown to sixteen men on a consistent basis.

Pickleballz Pickleballz

So why is this important to share you might ask?

By using the fastest growing game in America as a platform to encourage guys to show up, Pickleballz is slowly taking shape and developing into a rock star community of men from all walks of life.

Let’s be honest about the Father’s Club. Isn’t this what we are all about? Encouraging guys to show up and live authentically in community with one another. This is exactly how we are created to live. There is no “on your own” in this life. We need a band of brothers to lock arms with as we go into the battles of life each and every day. This group of men encourages one another, shares in each other’s burdens, and simply shows up for the guys next to them. Sure, we have a blast and talk a bunch of trash. But we do all of this with love and humility.

Pickleballz Pickleballz

Join Us!

So come on out and see for yourself what this pickleball craze is all about. Currently we meet every Wednesday from 6am – 7am at Switzer Park. Afterwards, those who are able meet up for coffee at Scooters.

If Wednesdays are not your jam, or this is too far south, do not fear. Recently we launched a westside Pickleballz at Bois D’Arc Park at 87th and Lackman in Lenexa. They meet from 6:15am to 7:15am.

Our hope is that more Pickleballz venues will pop up next spring in Lee’s Summit, Olathe, and Shawnee Mission. If you are interested in launching a Pickleballz venue in your area, please contact Mike Rothwell (913.907.6329) or Ryan Kapple (913.548.9825) for more information.

Pickleballz Pickleballz

I want to circle back to why this is all so important.

Pickleballz is fun and we have a number of good laughs every Wednesday and Thursday morning. However, getting guys to show up and do life together is only the beginning. In the end, we are dads, husbands, and leaders in this great community. When dads show up in an intentional manner, it really matters.

So no matter where you are in life, consider doing something simple this week. Just show up. It doesn’t have to be for Pickleballz or a Father’s CLub event. Just take your kid to lunch. Ask a friend to meet you for coffee. Go on a walk with your spouse. No agenda. Just be intentional. Then do it again the next week. See what happens.

Right Here. Right Now. You Matter.

Pickleballz Pickleballz

 

Here is an encouraging new song about Fatherhood that may motivate you on your journey.

 

F3-SoccerF3 Soccer Saturdays-Saturdays-02

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

The Father’s Club’s mission is so simple. Sometimes it seems foolish that even the small little things matter. Often I wonder how impactful it really is to pass out a Chick Fil A sandwich and a fist bump to students as they enter their school building. Does it really matter to ask another dad to grab coffee and talk about the battles of life and fatherhood? Do our teachers and administrators really think we are making a difference by showing up at school and handing out fruit snacks and engaging in conversation with students?  

The answer is YES! The little moments of intentionality really do matter. It’s hard to explain, but when a Dad shows up, impact happens. And that is what we do. We encourage Dads to be intentional and simply show up. First at home, and then in the communities they serve.

In the summer of 2023, the Father’s Club locked arms with F3 Kansas City. (One of our four key community resources.) We decided to try out a new concept called Soccer Saturdays. It was simple.  Just the way we like it.

Soccer Saturdays

F3 Soccer SaturdaysOne Saturday a month, Dads from the KC Metro were invited to play soccer. Dads just showed up and played. Dads invited their sons to join them for some fun. The hardest part was convincing your child to get up at 7am to go play soccer with Dad. To seal the deal for the father-son experience was an amazing breakfast afterwards together at Price Chopper.  Yes, Price Chopper has an amazing, affordable breakfast.

Early on it was just a bunch of men showing up for a good time and some great fellowship. As the summer went on, more and more dads heard about what was happening. More and more young men started to show up alongside their fathers. By the end of the summer, we had 48 dudes playing soccer and held a classic Fathers vs Sons match. To be fair, the fathers snagged a few young adults to assist in making the playing field a bit more fair. We even had moms, fans and the high school band coming out to witness this beautiful game of Dads vs Kids.

As you would expect, the Dads prevailed victorious on a last second goal.  

We are more than encouraged by the strengthened relationships being built amongst fathers and sons in our community. We are so thankful for the leadership our friends at F3 Kansas City provide to make moments like this possible. We encourage all men to come check out Soccer Saturdays. We have several dates on the books for the remainder of the year.

Mark your calendars now and come check it out for yourself!

We look forward to seeing you on the pitch. Right Here.  Right Now.  You Matter.

Soccer Saturday Dates For The Remainder of 2023

When: The following Saturdays from 7am-8am (Breakfast Postgame at Price Chopper)

  • 9/30/23
  • 10/14/23
  • 11/18/23
  • 12/16/23

Where: All the Soccer Saturday games are at the Blue Valley High School football field.
Directions: Google Maps

We hope to see you there!

By Randy Bratton, Board Member/Director of Campus Growth for Father’s Club

2023 Mission Cup Golf Tournament: Call to Action! 2023 Mission Cup Golf Tournament: Call to Action!

It’s that crazy time of the year where we’re coming and going through airports, at the lake or the pool, and enjoying BBQs with family and friends. The first week in September may seem like a long way off, but it’s right around the corner!

SIGN UP FOR THE MISSION CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT HERE

The Father’s Club has one annual fundraiser… the Mission Cup golf tournament. This year, it’s on Friday, September 8th with our after party and auction the next night on Saturday, September 9th at Chicken and Pickle.

We want to keep doing important work for our Kids, Dads, and Community! Please consider supporting the Mission Cup by sponsoring or fielding a team this year. We’ve always had tremendous support from KC business sponsors in the past, and we’d love to have your company’s support this year! You can find ALL the details at fathersclub.org/golf. On behalf of all of our great dads and volunteers, thank you!

SIGN UP FOR THE MISSION CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT HERE

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

The Father’s Club is a dad-led, grassroots effort creating simple ways for dads to be intentional with their kids, with other dads and within their community.

The Father's Club 2023 Mission Cup Golf Tournament

SIGN UP FOR THE MISSION CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT HERE TODAY!

Since August 2018,  Father’s Club has:

  • Launched 28 high school and middle school chapters in the metro KC-area
  • Registered over 1,700 dads with Father’s Club
  • Handed out over 15,000 breakfast items to kids
  • Gotten over 130 dads certified in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training
  • Father’s Club was recently honored by both the Blue Valley School District Board and the Lee’s Summit School Board for our partnership efforts.
  • and many, many other initiatives

SIGN UP FOR THE MISSION CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT HERE TODAY!

The Mission Cup Golf Tournament

The Father's Club 2023 Mission Cup Golf TournamentEvery year, our one big fundraiser is our Mission Cup golf tournament, where 100% of funds raised go to benefit Father’s Club.

Mission Cup has been supported with participation and sponsorship in past years by some great KC fathers & companies!

This year, the tournament will be held on Friday, September 8. Then, on Saturday night September 9 we will hold our Mission Cup Party & Auction for players and spouses at the Chicken N Pickle in Overland Park.  

Now is the time to recruit your team and register to play. If you don’t play golf, that is cool. Please come celebrate with us at the Mission Cup Party & Auction.

To register your team or buy a ticket to the Mission Cup Party JUST CLICK HERE

We are still seeking more amazing sponsors and auction items. If you are interested in partnering with us in our mission please email randy.bratton@fathersclub.org.  

Father’s Club is having an impact, and the KC community is taking notice.

The Father's Club 2023 Mission Cup Golf TournamentYou can learn more about Father’s Club and Mission Cup below:

Father’s Club, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Thank you for your consideration, and please reach out to Randy with any questions!

Father's Club Date Night: The Brightest It's Ever BeenBy Todd Milner, Board Member/Director of Campus Development for Father’s Club

The Father’s Club is honored to sponsor a ‘Pop Up’ performance of The Brightest It’s Ever Been, written by Kayli Slayden and produced by Will Gurley. We are grateful to have seen the original production- we knew there must be a repeat performance for more people to take in this experience.

This story follows Jamie, an anxious teenage girl, as she navigates the challenges and opportunities found on any given day. You will join her in moments that bring questions within, prompting thoughts on how to move forward. Reminding us that we are stronger together in this pursuit we know as life.

The Brightest It’s Ever Been will inform and inspire as we get a glimpse into Jamie’s story.

Please get your tickets for this limited showing of The Brightest It’s Ever Been. Seats are only $10 for what will be a memorable production.

Click here to get your tickets!

In the video below, you will hear from Kayli as she shares her why and purpose for the story.

Join us, make it a date, and bring others for a time to encourage and remind us that we are always #StrongerTogether and that You Are Not Alone!

Get your tickets here!

* Be advised there are very intense scenes depicting self-harm and suicidal ideation that may not be suitable for all audiences; viewer discretion is strongly advised.

By Randy Bratton, Board Member/Director of Campus Growth for Father’s Club

The Mission CupSome of you guys may not know it, but the Mission Cup is Father’s Club one BIG fundraiser per year. Last year, we raised over $50,000 with a couple of backup QB’s and reserves (no complaints, because it’s fun.) This year, we are looking for some all-stars to help us blow through our fundraising goal of $100,000. Crazy, I know, but if we get a couple ‘Mahomes’ or ‘Kelces’ on board we’ll beat and exceed that number!

Father’s Club has been blessed with hundreds of dads from all walks of life, and we appreciate you all! Some of you have massive professional networks of companies and business owners that are just waiting to be asked to support a good cause.

2022 Mission Cup 2022 Mission Cup 2022 Mission Cup

The Ask

So here comes the ASK… Will you set aside just a few hours over the next 6 months and join the 2023 Father’s Club Mission Cup team? Will you pick up the phone, or send an email to ask for corporate sponsorships? Would you be willing to ask for auction or raffle items?

If your school, community, or family has been impacted by the good work of Father’s Club, I’m asking you to give back with your time and talents. We will provide you with the talking points on all the ways Father’s Club is making a difference, and all the info you need to promote the tournament and the cause!

2022 Mission Cup 2022 Mission Cup 2022 Mission Cup

Next Step

To get started, simply click on this Sign Up Genius link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094AAEAB2BA6FDC61-mission

THANK YOU! We can’t do it without your help.

2022 Mission Cup

By Randy Bratton, Board Member/Director of Campus Growth for Father’s Club

Mission Cup 2022

To all of you families with recent graduates, congratulations! Best of luck as they move on to their next adventures! As the summer craziness begins, Father’s Club is already looking ahead to September 9th and the 13th Annual Mission Cup golf tournament. As we continue to expand, the Mission Cup is also growing. This year’s tournament will be on TWO courses on the same day, with about 200 golfers.

For the after party this year, we’re taking it to the next level… golf on Friday, and then on Saturday night September 10th, we will hold our Mission Cup Party & Auction for players and spouses at the brand new Chicken N Pickle on 135th St in Overland Park!

Supporting the Mission Cup

Over the past few years, Mission Cup has been supported with participation and sponsorship from such great Kansas City names as Country Club Bank, JE Dunn, Prime Capital Investment Advisors, Nexus 5 Group, KC Motor Co., Worldwide Express, 810 Radio, Nick and Jake’s, Kansas Speedway, The Roasterie, and many more. Father’s Club is having an impact, and the KC community is taking notice!

Father’s Club is all about strengthening the connection between dads and their kids, between dads and other dads, and ultimately building stronger, safer, and more caring communities. We’ve heard dozens of personal stories about the impact we’ve had so far.

So… here comes the big ask.

2022 Mission Cup HandoutFor all you dads reading this right now, will you take a moment to think about companies or individuals who may want to support us this year? Do you work for a company that is charitably-minded and loves to support causes in the KC community?

Our organization has been blessed with a ton of dads who have outstanding professional networks. Are you able to tap some of your connections on behalf of Father’s Club? You can see all of our sponsorship levels here.

If your company doesn’t want to be a sponsor or play in the Mission Cup, we’d love for them to provide items for our silent auction, raffle, or golfer bags.

On behalf of Father’s Club, we’d appreciate any level of participation!

Please reach out at randy.bratton@fathersclub.org or call me at (901) 647-6099 for more info, or to connect me to the right people in your organization.

Thanks in advance for your support, and we’ll see you at this year’s Mission Cup on September 9th!

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

Dads throughout the KC Metro, you will want to block time on your calendar for September 9th and 10th. The Mission Cup golf event is back in 2022 and will be better than ever. This year we will be playing on two different courses to accommodate the large number of golfers that will #ShowUp to support the Mission of The Father’s Club. Together, we are committed to creating simple ways for dads to be intentional with each other, kids and the communities we are called to serve.

The Golf will be a shotgun start at 8am on Friday, September 9th.

The classic After Party will be at Chicken N Pickle on Saturday, September 10th at 6pm.

CLICK HERE to see all the details and register to play.

We need your help in making the Mission Cup the biggest it’s ever been this year!  This is our primary fundraiser to support our operating budget. We have a goal of raising $50,000 to fund our operating budget and expand our mission to more dads throughout the region.

Mission Cup has been supported with participation and sponsorship from such great KC names as Country Club Bank, JE Dunn, Prime Capital Investment Advisors, Nexus 5 Group, 810 Radio, Nick and Jake’s, Kansas Speedway, The Roasterie, and many more. Father’s Club is having an impact, and the KC community is taking notice.   

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN HELP:

  • REGISTER TO PLAY
  • BE A SPONSOR
  • PROVIDE AUCTION and RAFFLE ITEMS
  • PROVIDER SWAG BAG ITEMS FOR PARTICIPANTS
  • RECRUIT A VOLUNTEER FOR TOURNAMENT & AFTER PARTY

PLEASE EMAIL RANDY BRATTON FOR MORE INFORMATION – randy.bratton@fathersclub.org

By Brad Holdhusen, CEO/Board Member/Chapter Chair for Father’s Club

Looking for a place to watch some March Madness rounds of the Sweet 16? Join us on March 24th at the Scissors & Scotch on the NW corner of Metcalf and 135th in Overland Park, KS. (Click here for directions.) The festivities will begin around 4:30pm.

There will be live music prior to the first tip-off and games will be shown on multiple TVs. If you haven’t been to a Father’s Club event at Scissors & Scotch previously, it’s a great atmosphere and an opportunity to connect with dads from all over the Kansas City community.

And don’t miss out on a chance to order Kennedy’s Special – the Smoked Ol’ Fashioned!

We hope you can join us… and if you’re looking for a new place for that fresh cut, Scissors & Scotch comes highly recommended by many Father’s Club members.

See you March 24th at 4:30pm!