By Eden Morris | Reporter
For the Baylor Songleaders, game day starts with time spent together in prayer and community.
Pearland senior and captain Lindsey Witson took the field Saturday at McLane Stadium with long-time friend and teammate, Plano senior chaplain Summer Sexton.
The Baylor Songleaders spend a lot of time practicing and performing, but the team also spends quality time together.
“We open the Word together – even outside of practice – to build community,” Sexton said. “We want everybody [on the team] to share what they’re learning about Christ.”
Witson said the team does more than just hold Bible studies together.
“The chaplains will pass around [a] sticky note, and we won’t put our names on them. We will write prayer requests, and then we all pick up a sticky note and pray for that person throughout the week,” Witson said.
Baylor’s mission is to educate their students “by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.” This sentiment carries across many avenues of Baylor’s campus, including the Songleader team.
Sexton said she and Witson are thankful for a university that allows them to lead with their faith.
“It’s been such a blessing, and it is specific to Baylor — the fact that we have something to encourage [each other] in like this,” Sexton said.
Witson said that she is thankful for the community she has found in her team during the past four years.
“The seniors and juniors on [the team] were some of my biggest role models, and I have taken a lot of the things I’ve learned from them and have been transferring that to the girls on the team now,” Witson said.
Sexton said she has been similarly impacted by older Songleaders.
“My freshman year, older Songleader girls encouraged me, and now I find passion in being that for someone else,” Sexton said.
Sexton said that it is easier to lead in an environment that is full of grace, understanding, support and encouragement.
“I think in high school, a lot of girls’ experiences with dance was competitive culture. We really try to encourage a positive environment here. We want to build each other up as a team and encourage each other in our walks with Christ,” Sexton said.
