Jeannine Cavallaro’s experience as an athletic director and coach, as well as having lived and served internationally doing sports ministry, have all positioned her perfectly to answer God’s call to join FCA staff as the Massachusetts’ State Director. “I couldn’t imagine a better combination than uniting my love of sports with my love of Jesus to serve coaches and athletes here in Massachusetts,” says Cavallaro. “I love making authentic connections where I can learn from others and share my own experiences. FCA provides a platform to share the hope and purpose that Jesus gives and to encourage coaches and athletes to leverage their influence to make a difference in their own communities. My vision is to have an FCA presence in every  community of the state where coaches and athletes are being empowered to impact others for Jesus.”

Her first introduction to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes was as a high school athlete when she attended an FCA volleyball camp on scholarship given by an anonymous donor. At this camp, Jeannine first came to understand what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus and committed to live her life for Him. “I saw something I had never seen before, all of these athletes and coaches loved Jesus and wanted to live for Him; they had joy, purpose and a vibrancy that was undeniable. They instantly had my respect as great athletes and leaders, but it went a step further when I got to know who they were as people, and I saw Jesus in them,” said Cavallaro.

A 3-sport athlete, Cavallaro carried her passion for sports into coaching, something she knew she wanted to do since the ninth grade. She spent the two years prior to joining staff (2015-2016) with the Guatemala National Basketball Federation helping to develop a basketball and character development program for athletes ages 5-23 in Guatemala. Previous to that, she served as the Athletic Director and Head Boy’s Basketball Coach at Lexington Christian Academy (2011-2014), where she was named the 2014 EIL Conference Coach of the Year. She was the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Gordon College (2000-2010) – where she achieved her 100th career win in 2008; and was the Head Volleyball Coach at Melrose High School (1995-2000), as well as the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach and Sports Information Director at Gordon College (1994-2000).

In other roles, she has served as Vice President of Operations for World Championship Fighting (2007-2010) and Co-Athletic Director at Gordon College (2008-2009). In 2011, Cavallaro founded Hoop Skills Plus, which grew out of her interest to not only coach basketball but to combine character development with player and team development through clinics and camps.

Cavallaro has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology – Movement Science from Gordon College where she was a 1000-point scorer on the women’s varsity basketball team, and an All-Region women’s varsity volleyball player. She received her Master of Education degree from Boston University. A resident of Lynnfield, MA, Cavallaro attends Grace Chapel. When not playing or coaching sports, she enjoys reading, kayaking, and playing with her dogs Barkley and Ruby.