We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Zach Vogel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zach, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Identity Sports is exactly the organization that I wish I had when I was a kid battling through pain, performance, and purpose. My dream was to be a Major League Baseball player. But when a heart condition at age eight nearly ended my dream and my life, I was left not only physically broken but spiritually lost. My entire identity had been wrapped in the sport. I battled depression, anxiety, and deep anger. But through healing—both physically through a state of the art surgery and dedicating my life to Christ, I came to understand that my worth wasn’t in baseball, but in belonging to Christ. That truth changed everything. Through overcoming the condition, I was able to go back to playing baseball in high school and earn a college scholarship to play baseball. God took that personal pain and gave it purpose through Identity Sports: a ministry built to help athletes and sports fans all over the world discover the same freedom I found—that your identity is not found in things of this world but as a child of God. Through our podcasts, live events, and social platforms, we’re lifting up the name of Jesus and sharing stories of transformation from professional athletes to show that who you are is not what you do — it’s whose you are.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m currently the Executive Director of Identity Sports, a nonprofit organization that uses the power of sports to share the gospel. While I didn’t start this organization, I’m incredibly grateful to be carrying the torch forward. Identity Sports was originally founded in 2006 by Hugh Illsley under the name Tales From The Tour — a ministry rooted in gathering PGA TOUR professionals to share their testimonies. We have had guests such as Scottie Scheffler, Ted Scott, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, Tom Lehman, and many many more. What began as a small group of golfers sharing their faith stories has grown into a broader platform that now reaches athletes and fans across multiple sports and countries.

Since stepping into the leadership role, I’ve been blessed to help guide our rebrand to Identity Sports, which reflects our deeper mission: helping athletes and sports fans find their true identity — not in what they do, but in who they are in Christ. As part of this new chapter, we’ve launched our social media presence, created the Identity Sports Podcast, and expanded our outreach beyond golf and baseball to include voices from the NFL, NHL, NBA, MMA, and more. Through these channels we have seen over 7 MILLION views across 65 countries in just under 2 years.

Our podcast and live events feature raw, real conversations with current and former pro athletes who share the highs and lows of their careers, their battles with identity, injuries, and how their relationship with Jesus has transformed their lives. It’s not just about sports — it’s about what happens when the game ends, and where true purpose is found.

We also host live storytelling events like Tales From The Tour and Tales From The Dugout, where athletes share their faith journeys in front of live audiences. These events create meaningful moments where fans can connect with athletes on a deeper level and hear the truth of the gospel through the stories of those they admire.

We also house devotionals on our website that are designed to encourage and challenge athletes in how to compete Biblically and what it means to be a christian athlete.

What sets us apart is our focus on identity — not performance. In a world that constantly says your value is in your stats, status, or success, we point people to a deeper truth: your identity is secure in Christ. That’s a message every athlete — and every fan — needs to hear.

What I’m most proud of is seeing lives impacted through our content and events. We regularly hear from listeners and attendees who say, “That story was exactly what I needed,” or “I’ve never heard an athlete talk so openly about faith and struggle.” That feedback reminds us why this work matters. Some of my favorites are when we hear about young athletes being impacted by these interviews where they become equipped with life lessons to know that they are not alone when they face lifes challenges.

If you’re just discovering us, here’s what I want you to know: We’re not just telling inspirational stories — we’re pointing people to Jesus. Whether you’re an athlete navigating pressure, a parent raising kids in sports, or a fan looking for hope, you’ll find something meaningful in our content.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building our social media audience has been a mix of intentional strategy, consistency, and a lot of learning along the way. I was able to use my digital marketing experience when I worked for an Arizona-Based digital advertising agency where we helped grow top franchises and small business clients online presence.

When I stepped into the role of Executive Director at Identity Sports, we were essentially starting from scratch in terms of social media. The organization had a strong legacy through in-person events like Tales From The Tour and Tales From The Dugout, but it hadn’t yet made the transition to digital platforms where so many people now engage with content daily. If you did not attend the events, you were not able to see the amazing testimonies of these athletes.

One of the first things we did was define our voice and mission for the online space: we wanted to create content that would encourage sports fans, challenge athletes in their faith, and ultimately point people to Jesus — not to us. That mission became our filter for every post, clip, and caption.

From there, we committed to consistency. We knew we weren’t going to go viral overnight, but if we kept showing up with real, powerful content — it would eventually resonate. We started by sharing short video clips from our live events featuring pro athletes talking about their struggles with identity, their walk with Christ, and their life beyond the sport. Those clips began to strike a chord with people, especially athletes and families who could relate to the pressure and performance-driven world of sports.

We also leaned into storytelling. We’re not just posting highlights or inspirational quotes — we’re sharing real moments of doubt, injury, redemption, and transformation. People are hungry for authenticity, and that’s what we try to deliver.

Over time, we began to see momentum build. Our social following started to grow and we started getting messages from people who said, “I’ve never heard an athlete talk like this before,” or sharing stories of how their kids were moved by what was shared. That kind of feedback reminded us that our audience wasn’t just growing — it was engaging.

For anyone just starting out on social media, here’s my advice:

Start with your “why.” Don’t chase trends or the algorithm as they are fleeting and ever-changing — lead with purpose. Know who you’re trying to reach and what message you’re bringing to the table.

Be consistent. You don’t have to post every day, but you do have to show up regularly and commit to the long game.

Focus on value over volume. One meaningful post that speaks to someone’s heart is worth more than ten forgettable ones.

Engage with your audience. Respond to comments. Say thank you, ask them what what resonated with them. Build relationships, not just followers.

Don’t get discouraged by slow growth or periods of time where performance feels stagnant. Most meaningful movements start small. Be faithful with what you have, and trust that impact is not always measured in numbers.

At the end of the day, our goal isn’t just to grow a social media platform — it’s to build a community of people and athletes who are being reminded of who they are in Christ. And that mission keeps us focused, no matter the performance.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe the biggest factor that has helped build our reputation within this space is a commitment to authenticity, professionalism and consistency. In the world of sports — especially faith-based sports content — people can quickly sense when something is forced or surface-level. From day one, our goal has been to create and lead with real stories, real struggles, and real faith.

What helped earn trust was showing up — not just online, but in real life. Whether it’s hosting live events like Tales From The Tour, sitting down for podcast conversations with athletes, or connecting one-on-one with supporters, We’ve tried to stay rooted in the mission and let the work speak for itself. Especially when dealing with athletes who volunteer their time. We want to be respectful of their time and stories and do our best to just provide a platform where they can share about what God is doing in their lives.

Another key factor was honoring the legacy that came before us. I wasn’t the founder of this ministry — Hugh Illsley started Tales From The Tour back in 2006 along with establishing our amazing board. When I stepped into the role of executive director, we didn’t try to erase the past or reinvent the wheel; we simply built upon the foundation. The rebrand to Identity Sports was about expanding the mission — reaching more sports, creating more digital content, and inviting more people into the story. I think that respect for the foundation, coupled with a clear vision for growth, gave our team and supporters confidence in the direction we were heading.

At the end of the day, we have tried to be faithful with what God has placed in our hands as a ministry — and I believe that faithfulness, paired with transparency and a clear sense of purpose, is what has helped build our reputation over time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.identitysports.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/identitysports_official/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWktkmJjRG3wuX9IRqVnBsQ
• Other: Podcast:

  https://www.identitysports.com/podcast/