Sport, Chaplaincy, and Accountability: Negotiating the Expectations of Ministry

Chaplains who serve in elite sports settings frequently enjoy significant levels of organizational access. Indeed, in comparison to others within this context, the accountability structures surrounding sports chaplains are often relatively ambiguous. Drawing on a small-scale, qualitative study of chaplaincy within the US National Football League (NFL) and the English Premier League (EPL), this paper reveals the kinds of accountability mechanisms in place for a cohort of sports chaplains and the inconsistencies which they experienced in this area of their work. Findings illustrate the level of ambiguity which routinely accompanied respondents’ roles, and the freedoms which this afforded them. The paper concludes by suggesting that if sports chaplaincy is to achieve its potential in terms of the level of spiritual and pastoral care on offer, elite sports organizations and governing bodies should evaluate the work of their chaplains in a more formal and consistent manner.