Chace Gadapee’s journey
Bethel University football player produced a podcast about the sport and life at college.
By Kenney Gatlin | Staff reporter
Chace Gadapee is a teenage kid who loves football and wants to help others succeed. He says football has paved the way for him to get away from the distractions that his school brought through the “clique violence” that he experienced throughout his youth in Florida.
The cliques, he said, were drug dealers and led to a lot of arrests. Football was a tool he used to make it out the struggle and grind throughout the process life has ahead for him.
“Football is what runs anything and everything, it’s a lifestyle that saves people,” Gadapee said.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is an organization that humbled Gadapee’s life. This program encourages young athletes to help other kids and incorporate the Bible in their lives.
A tough and emotional moment happened to Gadapee when his friend died. It caused him to struggle with life and view God and reality differently. Then football led him to Bethel University. He said he created some connections because of hard work and perseverance that he showed in his high school.
At Bethel, he says he has seen a new light in podcasting. It has helped him build his relationship stronger with God. It took a process, but Gadapee realized the love and the stronghold God has by connecting to Bethel.
“Bethel has brought me from a dark place in my life to a high place,” Gadapee said.
“Chace is a good friend. Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know there always there. When you meet someone with an open heart, keep them around, they will change your life”. — Phillip Norris. freshman defensive tackle
After Gadapee got settled in Bethel he made two podcasts called “Let’s Talk about It” and “Downfield shot.” “Let’s Talk about It” discusses football and the life at Bethel. The other talks about football at the college level and the NFL. Gadapee’s goal is to cover all areas of football and also create a way to connect viewers to the podcast.
“Chace is a great young man that wants to make a difference, he shows that with his work-ethic on the field and his persistence to help others off the field.”| Danny Munoz football captain
The football team at Bethel is a brotherhood of trust where you can build lifetime friendships, he said.
“Chace is a good friend,” freshman defensive tackle Phillip Norris said. “Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know there always there. When you meet someone with an open heart, keep them around, they will change your life.”
Gadapee’s studies English education and psychology.
“It would be super sick to go to a high school and have an impact on high school level kids,” Gadapee said.
Gadapee wants to inspire and help the youth in struggling school systems. The biggest tools that helped Gadapee are football and making podcasts, he says.
“Chace is a great young man that wants to make a difference,” senior teammate Danny Munoz said. “He shows that with his work-ethic on the field and his persistence to help others off the field.”
Bio Box of Chace Gadapee
Major: Comm Arts 5–12/Lit Ed (English education) with a minor in psychology
Hobbies: Football, podcasting, hanging out with friends
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite food: Pizza
