Pray Like a Champion Today
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Description
Pray Like a Champion Today takes you inside the heart of Notre Dame football—where faith, tradition, and teamwork collide. Before every game, as the Fighting Irish take a knee shoulder to shoulder praying the Our Father, their chaplain, Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, leads them in a rallying cry: “Our Lady, Queen of Victory!” The thunderous response—“Pray for us!”—echoes through Notre Dame Stadium, setting the tone for more than just the game.
Now, Fr. Nate invites you beyond the sidelines for an exclusive look at the faith-filled moments that make Notre Dame football truly special. With vivid storytelling, full-color photos, and links to highlight videos, he shares behind-the-scenes experiences that have deepened his faith—and offers inspiration for you to grow as a Christian too.
As both a football chaplain and a professor, Fr. Nate does far more than pray before kickoff—he supports the players, coaches, and staff in their personal and spiritual journeys. Whether he’s continuing the century-old tradition of handing out holy medals, praying with injured athletes, or officiating weddings for former players, he embodies what it means to be a champion of faith.
Through these pages, you’ll:
- Join the players’ walk to the stadium, where a roaring crowd and the Notre Dame band create an electrifying atmosphere.
- Step inside practices and the training facility, where the team embraces the motto: “Choose hard” and pursues “team glory.”
- Discover how faith is embedded in every aspect of the program, from game-day rituals to personal moments of reflection.
For die-hard Irish fans and casual football followers alike, this book is more than a sports story—it’s an invitation to see how God moves in unexpected places. Whether on the field or in our personal lives, we’re all called to pray, persevere, and play like champions today.
Product Details
- Pages: 160
- Trim size: 5.5 x 8.5 inches
- ISBN: 9781646804252
- Imprint: Ave Maria Press
Description
Pray Like a Champion Today takes you inside the heart of Notre Dame football—where faith, tradition, and teamwork collide. Before every game, as the Fighting Irish take a knee shoulder to shoulder praying the Our Father, their chaplain, Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, leads them in a rallying cry: “Our Lady, Queen of Victory!” The thunderous response—“Pray for us!”—echoes through Notre Dame Stadium, setting the tone for more than just the game.
Now, Fr. Nate invites you beyond the sidelines for an exclusive look at the faith-filled moments that make Notre Dame football truly special. With vivid storytelling, full-color photos, and links to highlight videos, he shares behind-the-scenes experiences that have deepened his faith—and offers inspiration for you to grow as a Christian too.
As both a football chaplain and a professor, Fr. Nate does far more than pray before kickoff—he supports the players, coaches, and staff in their personal and spiritual journeys. Whether he’s continuing the century-old tradition of handing out holy medals, praying with injured athletes, or officiating weddings for former players, he embodies what it means to be a champion of faith.
Through these pages, you’ll:
- Join the players’ walk to the stadium, where a roaring crowd and the Notre Dame band create an electrifying atmosphere.
- Step inside practices and the training facility, where the team embraces the motto: “Choose hard” and pursues “team glory.”
- Discover how faith is embedded in every aspect of the program, from game-day rituals to personal moments of reflection.
For die-hard Irish fans and casual football followers alike, this book is more than a sports story—it’s an invitation to see how God moves in unexpected places. Whether on the field or in our personal lives, we’re all called to pray, persevere, and play like champions today.
Product Details
- Pages: 160
- Trim size: 5.5 x 8.5 inches
- ISBN: 9781646804252
- Imprint: Ave Maria Press
Customer Reviews
- KGKaren G.Verified BuyerYesterdayRated 5 out of 5 starsLove this book!
Fr. Nate masterfully ties the teachings of Christ to our everyday experiences and interactions through anecdotes and conversations with Notre Dame players and coaches . Chapters are short, easily read, and offer a prayer suggestion at the end. A chapter is a great way to start or end your day with reflection and prayer. Thank you Fr. Nate for bringing prayer to people where they are!
AMAve Maria Press37 seconds agoWe're so thrilled you're loving Pray Like a Champion Today, Karen! It's wonderful to hear how Fr. Nate's approach of connecting Christ's teachings to everyday life through those meaningful Notre Dame stories is resonating with you. We love that you're finding the short chapters and prayer suggestions to be such a perfect way to bookend your days with reflection and prayer. Your insight about Fr. Nate "bringing prayer to people where they are" really captures the heart of what makes this book so special. Thank you for the fantastic 5-star review!
- JPJoann P.Verified BuyerYesterdayRated 5 out of 5 starsPray Like a Champion Today
Wonderful book - great format of chapters. Most inspired by the prayer suggestions at the end of each chapter.
AMAve Maria Press20 seconds agoWe're so happy to hear that you found Pray Like a Champion Today to be such a wonderful resource, Joann! It's fantastic that the chapter format worked so well for you, and we love that the prayer suggestions at the end of each chapter were particularly inspiring. Those practical prayer elements are designed to help readers put the insights into action, so it's wonderful to know they resonated with you. Thank you for the fantastic 5-star review!
- LCLewis C. P.Verified Buyer1 week agoRated 5 out of 5 starsFr. Nate's Personality Shines Through his Book!
Fr. Nate's "Pray Like A Champion" brings the reader not just to the sidelines of the Notre Dame football team, but into how Fr. Nate lovingly views the world. His humor, story-telling ability, and kindness is on full display in this book.
- BDBrian D.Verified Buyer1 week agoRated 5 out of 5 starsPray Like a Champion Today
I found that I appreciated Fr. Wells book upon second reading. I thought it was strictly about ND football personalities and those associated with the program. Fr. Wells inclusion of non-Nd examples(such as his friends and the refs) made his inspirational examples more powerful. His use of scripture and examples was also very illuminating. I hope Fr. Wells is still collecting examples and looks to put out another edition in a couple years.
AMAve Maria Press1 week agoWe're so thrilled to hear how much you appreciated Pray Like a Champion Today on your second reading, Brian! It's wonderful that Fr. Wells' inclusion of non-ND examples like his friends and the refs made the inspirational stories even more powerful for you - what a great insight about how those broader examples enhance the book's impact. We love that you found his use of scripture and examples so illuminating, and we share your hope that Fr. Wells continues collecting more stories for a future edition! Thank you for the fantastic review!
- ABANNE B.Verified Buyer2 weeks agoRated 5 out of 5 starsPray
This book was insightful and uplifting. I especially enjoyed the QR codes that took me to interesting events and talks.
AMAve Maria Press2 weeks agoWe're so thrilled to hear how insightful and uplifting you found Pray Like a Champion Today, Anne! It's wonderful that you enjoyed the QR codes and the additional events and talks they provided - what a great way to enhance the reading experience with those interactive elements. Thank you for the fantastic review!
- DHDonald H.Verified Buyer3 weeks agoRated 5 out of 5 starsPray Like A Champion Today
A terrific read! It’s like Father Nate is sitting there just talking to you! When
I finished reading it, my first thought was I just wanted to sit down and read it again!
Congratulations on an excellent job well done!
AMAve Maria Press3 weeks agoWe're so thrilled to hear that Father Nate's conversational style really connected with you, Donald! It's wonderful that the book felt so engaging you wanted to dive right back in. Thank you for the glowing review and congratulations!
- SYStan Y.Verified Reviewer4 weeks agoRated 5 out of 5 starsShare This Book!
After hearing Fr Nate speak about his book on the Evangelization & Culture podcast, I bought several copies to share with friends who coach and work with college students! Fr. Nate’s passion for the Lord connects family, sports, and college to Faith. Share this book!
