David Erickson

Grammar School PE Instructor & Athletics Director

BS Physical Education and Bible, University of Northwestern (MN)

Masters of Physical Education, Arizona State University

I grew up loving to be with friends and playing sports. At age 16, a friend asked me to play on his church’s basketball team. It was at a tournament with that team I heard the Gospel, and Jesus saved me! I was a new person. God gave me a love for His Word that still burns, and I began to see sports as chance to point people to Jesus, not me. Not surprisingly, I studied Physical Education and Bible at University of Northwestern (MN). During my university years, God graciously allowed me to serve with Sports Ambassadors, and I still get to serve with them to this day. We serve churches globally using sports as a tool to connect and share the Gospel with many who would go to a game or participate in a camp but never think of going to a church.

After university, I moved to Arizona and began teaching PE. I loved it and still do because my passion is to make disciples of Jesus in and through sports. There are so many unique and real-time teaching moments and opportunities to integrate Biblical principles and life lessons in sports. I’m so grateful because God has played this out through teaching PE, coaching, and serving as Athletic Director here in the US and abroad (Singapore and China).

My best friend, Tracy, and I have been married for 30 years. We have truly been on adventure with the Lord together. We have four grown children and three grandchildren. In fact, we have just returned to Arizona from Colorado to be near grandchildren and Tracy’s extended family. In learning about classical Christian education and Caritas, both of us are very excited about this chance God has opened for me to serve students and their families at Caritas.