Pray Like a Champion Today: Sacred Stories from the Sidelines of Notre Dame Football

by Fr. Nate Wills CSC, Marcus Freeman (Foreword)

Pray Like a Champion Today takes you inside the heart of Notre Dame football—where faith, tradition, and teamwork collide. Before every game, as the Fighting Irish take a knee shoulder to shoulder praying the Our Father, their chaplain, Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, leads them in a rallying “Our Lady, Queen of Victory!” The thunderous response—“Pray for us!”—echoes through Notre Dame Stadium, setting the tone for more than just the game.

Now, Fr. Nate invites you beyond the sidelines for an exclusive look at the faith-filled moments that make Notre Dame football truly special. With vivid storytelling, full-color photos, and links to highlight videos, he shares behind-the-scenes experiences that have deepened his faith—and offers inspiration for you to grow as a Christian too.

As both a football chaplain and a professor, Fr. Nate does far more than pray before kickoff—he supports the players, coaches, and staff in their personal and spiritual journeys. Whether he’s continuing the century-old tradition of handing out holy medals, praying with injured athletes, or officiating weddings for former players, he embodies what it means to be a champion of faith.

Through these pages, you’

Join the players’ walk to the stadium, where a roaring crowd and the Notre Dame band create an electrifying atmosphere.Step inside practices and the training facility, where the team embraces the “Choose hard” and pursues “team glory.”Discover how faith is embedded in every aspect of the program, from game-day rituals to personal moments of reflection.
 For die-hard Irish fans and casual football followers alike, this book is more than a sports story—it’s an invitation to see how God moves in unexpected places. Whether on the field or in our personal lives, we’re all called to pray, persevere, and play like champions today.

Genres: Football, Sports

160 pages, Paperback

Published August 22, 2025

Reviews

[Chad Volmert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of short stories from Fr Nate Willis, CSC priest at the University of Notre Dame and chaplain for the football team.

Each story is thought provoking and Fr. Nate does a good job connecting it to our faith. He pulls lessons out of these stories, explains how it relates to God while often reciting scripture, and then applying it to the readers life.

Usually I’m not very good at reading books with short stories because I usually end up forgetting most of them. Reflecting on this book, I can pull out multiple examples off the top of my head. It is memorable for me which I think says a lot about Fr. Nate’s writing and relatability of the stories.

A very interesting and fun read. 4/5 stars (above average).

[Stephen Halstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Father Nate Wills, the team chaplain for Notre Dame football. Each chapter was about a different devotional or message that he gave to the team. Although I’m not a Catholic, I enjoyed learning about the Holy Medals given each game that feature a saint or angel from the past.

Great devotional book for a quick read!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

To many (and especially those not associated with the University of Notre Dame) the connection between football and religion might seem like a stretch. But as Fr. Nate Wills shares in Pray Like a Champion Today, the football field (and the practice field, the weight room, and so on) is a perfect place to both encounter and build the kingdom of God. Fr. Nate shares his journey to date as the team’s chaplain with the enthusiasm, self-deprecating wit, and gentle grace that those of us lucky enough to know him personally have experienced in the flesh.

Even as an alum, I learned a lot about the traditions of a football program that builds and shapes the character of its players as much, if not more, than their athletic prowess. I was fascinated by the history behind the religious medals given each match and impressed (but not surprised) by Fr. Nate’s ability to connect each medal to a virtue or practice incredibly relevant to my own life. Reading each chapter, I felt like I was listening to one of his homilies, and I finished each feeling moved and inspired—exactly how you hope to feel at the end of a meaningful Mass or prayer.

I appreciated both the call to prayer at the end of each chapter as well as the multimedia resources included throughout the book. Combined with the concise chapters and conversational tone, the sum total is a volume that will delight fans of football and of Notre Dame of all ages.

In the opening pages, Fr. Nate retells his appointment to the chaplain position as a surprising event, but for those of us who have known him, it was anything but a surprise. This book, with its warmth, depth, and faith, is testament to how well suited he is to the role and how much the program has benefited from his presence and teaching.

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Father Nate Wills’ Pray Like a Champion Today takes you on a journey through faith and life as a Chaplin for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football team. This is a quick read, but it leaves you with a lot to think about. I was initially interested in this book as a Notre Dame Football fan. As I read the pages, I was drawn in by the easy and straight forward way Father Nate was able to talk about faith. He was able to draw comparisons between things he saw both on and off the field to the Catholic Faith and the teaching of Jesus.

The book is broken down into short chapters that recall a situation Father Nate observed, mostly as his time as Chaplin for the team. He then goes on to explain how the situation applies to his faith. Father Nate’s comparisons are spot on, and he does an excellent job of explaining the faith side. He has a conversional approach which allows you to process and reflect on what he is saying.

One of the coolest aspects of the book are the QR Codes throughout that you can use to access bonus content. There is a QR Code for each chapter that brings you to a video or instagram post that ties into the chapter. I have not seen this in a book before, and I think it is an excellent idea. I guess it is not surprising as Father Nate’s day job is teaching others how to use technology in Catholic Education.

My Fandom of Notre Dame Football brought me to this book, but I left with a better understanding of my faith. I also left with a lot of great stories about the Notre Dame Football team. You don’t need to be a fan of Notre Dame or football to get something out of this book. Thank You to NetGalley, Ave Maria Press, and Father Nate Wills for a free advanced reader copy for an honest review.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw that this book, “Pray Like a Champion Today”, by Fr. Nate Wills, Chaplain of the Notre Dame football team, was due to be released and knew I had to read it ASAP! I was lucky enough to be sent an early copy through Net Galley, and thoroughly enjoyed this read. I am a big fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and this book was an excellent inside look into the football program. Through a unique perspective as the team Chaplain, Fr. Wills talks about how he was first offered the position, details stories throughout the various seasons that he has been part of the team, and heartwarming interactions with coaches, players, family members, and members of the Notre Dame community. Particularly, I enjoyed the interwoven stories about religion and Bible passages throughout. I would not consider myself an overly religious person, though I was raised Catholic, but I found that these stories complemented his points and specific moments that happened within the football season well. He doesn’t beat you over the head with religion, but it is welcome. I will absolutely be purchasing a copy for my own bookshelves soon, and recommend this shorter read wholeheartedly! Thank you to Net Galley, Ave Maria Press, and Fr. Nate Wills for the opportunity to read this book.

[Elizabeth Greenop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fr. Nate Wills, CSC does a remarkable job bringing together the beauty of prayer and the fun of football. The two seemed like it might be difficult to link, as someone who only recently got into football as a sport within the last year, but Fr. Wills brings them together like a champion--they are not so far apart as I originally thought! He writes in such a way that it is easy to comprehend and it is so approachable, both for novices to prayer and to football. He brings in beautiful personal experiences and humorous antidotes; I honestly couldn't get enough. There are prayer prompts at the end of each chapter, encouraging the reader to prayer for a specific intention(s) and possibly an action (like telling your loved ones you are so grateful for them).


He includes some fun photographs from his time so far as the football Chaplin at ND and there are some great links/QR codes to watch videos or read articles relating to his topics. He. has a great use of Scripture in his reflections and I think this is a great tool to dive deeper into one's relationship with God, especially if they are a fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish!

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

While maybe a biased 5 stars, this book is more than just the words on the page. Fr. Nate gives such great insight into what Notre Dame is all about! I found myself smiling, crying, and in chills. I think most of all it has helped me think more about how I can encounter God in my daily life, especially as it’s been hard since stepping away from the place where I found God most often. He reminds us to appreciate what’s right in front of us and our friendships. I was especially touched by his messages on comparison and being grateful for where God has put us today (something I struggle with a lot in grad school). I recommend this book for anyone, Notre Dame affiliated or not. Love thee!

[Mike Azzalina · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a diehard ND fan, I heard Father Nate talk about his book on The Independent podcast. I knew that I had to have it. On my yearly trip to South Bend, I grabbed it.

What a fun and reflective read. I really enjoyed how he tied stories about his relationships with the university, its players and coaches to religious teachings. He gave insight into the program, its traditions, and so much more.

I’m excited to go back to the QR resources that he placed in each chapter.

[Autumn Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book for my dad for Christmas because he's a huge Notre Dame fan. I was also hoping it would inspire him to start going back to Mass. I read it before I gave it to him and I loved it! This was super motivational and encouraging. I might have to buy another copy for myself to keep on the shelf! If you read this, please pray for my dad!

[Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a fan of Notre Dame since I was six it was very insightful book. Fr. Wills ties aspects of New Testament to a variety of events associated with the team and his interactions as the team Chaplain. He ties stories to events surrounding the people and the team. It was very enjoyable.

[Kelly F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fr Nate’s storytelling translates beautifully to paper - humorous, inspirational, and insightful. Grateful for th ability to read these “lessons” and to know what an incredible job ND is doing to instill faith in its student athletes.

[Emily Herg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!!!! Especially after an ND loss. Go Irish! ☘️

[Abigail Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Still a lot of ink left.” ☘️🙏🏈

[Sammie Van Norstrand · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was lovely. Ain’t nothing better than God, Country, Notre Dame!! I love my team.