Joe Kennedy

In a 6-3 decision last year, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a high school football coach’s right to take a knee in quiet prayer after football games. On Sunday, that former coach, Joe Kennedy, will share his story from 1-3 p.m. at The Link, located at the corner of Absaroka and Second streets in Powell.

The free community-wide event and lunch, hosted by Grace Point in Powell, offers the opportunity for people to get to know Kennedy.

“Coach Kennedy’s story is compelling because of the increasing secularization in our nation by governmental authorities and other powerful entities,” said David Pool, senior pastor at Grace Point.

Many Christians and other faith-oriented people “feel the pressure to not practice their faith in public,” Pool said. The message in America, he said, seems to be that a person can practice their faith as long as it’s in private — like in their own home.

“But that is not freedom and that is not what the U.S. Constitution sets forth,” Pool said. “Coach Kennedy’s story is about an ordinary man who perseveringly stood up for these rights in a tactful, gracious, and resilient way. That’s something that we can all learn from.”

An 18-year Marine veteran, Kennedy was an assistant coach for the Bremerton High School varsity football team in Washington. After his first game in 2008, Coach Kennedy took a knee and quietly prayed for 15-20 seconds by himself. 

Kennedy continued praying after every game for seven years, with some student athletes joining him. In 2015, the school suspended the coach, kicking off an eight-year legal battle. Kennedy ultimately won in 2022, when the Supreme Court sided with him in a widely publicized decision.

“I know that people will be encouraged to hear his story and how he stood firm,” Pool said.

He added that he hopes people “will realize the freedoms that they have and be bold in winsomely living out those convictions in daily life, at work or in our schools and colleges.”

On Sept. 1, Kennedy returned to the Bremerton High School football field and knelt in prayer after the game. He resigned from his position shortly afterwards, citing multiple reasons, including taking care of an ailing family member.

“I believe I can best continue to advocate for constitutional freedom and religious liberty by working from outside the school system so that is what I will do,” Kennedy said in a press release last month. “I will continue to work to help people understand and embrace the historic ruling at the heart of our case.”

In addition to appearing at The Link from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Kennedy will speak at Grace Point’s 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. services. The church is located at 550 Kattenhorn Drive in Powell.

Jon and Marylois Gibson, who live in Clark, graciously offered to underwrite Kennedy’s visit to the area, Pool said. 

“And so, when the opportunity presented itself that he could speak in our church, we jumped on it,” he said.

For more information about Kennedy and his story, visit coachjoekennedy.com.