The question people often ask: “What does Alodia mean? “
When Norman Schippers decided to leave behind his successful consulting career and build an organization that develops the next generation of leaders through sports, he sought a name that would serve each day as a reminder of our commitment to help kids stay on the right path. Norman believes sports are about more than playing games; they also serve as a classroom for providing skills and education to utilize throughout your life.
As Norman tested different name options, a friend suggested Alodia. “It has an interesting sound,” he replied, “but what does it have to do with our mission to touch the lives of youth?” The friend explained that St. Alodia was a young Spanish woman who lived in the ninth century. She and her sister were imprisoned by their stepfather and beheaded for refusing to deny their faith. Today, St. Alodia is the patron saint of runaways – children who have lost all hope of discovering a path to the future. The meaning associated with St. Alodia is “great power; great courage.”
Alodia Sports Academy believes all youth – regardless of socio-economic status, background or faith – deserve the opportunity to have courage to pursue their dreams and realize the power that comes in the journey to do so. Alodia offers a safe environment where children can experience the joy of competition, learn the true meaning of sportsmanship and have confidence someone cares about them.
The first Alodia Sports Academy event was a Skill Instruction session on the night of October 22, 2008. While that was a random date based on completing all the necessary legal documents and accepting our initial registrations, it happens to be the feast day of St. Alodia.
