OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe in Jesus Christ – that He is the Son of God, that He died for our sins, and that God raised Him from the dead. We believe He is the only way to the Father, the only truth that does not move, and the only foundation worth building a life on. This is not one option among many. This is the foundation of everything we do.

We believe that faith is not a feeling – it is a decision, lived out daily in surrender, obedience, and pursuit of Jesus Christ. We are not perfect men. We are men who fall short, who need grace, and who keep showing up anyway. We believe the Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit – our truth, our weapon, and our guide through every battle life brings. We believe that no man was meant to walk this road alone, and that brotherhood, accountability, and honesty are not optional – they are how faith becomes real.

Everyone who serves with Strapped must share this faith. Not perfection – but belief. Belief that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He conquered death, and that a life surrendered to Him is the only life worth living. We will serve anyone – regardless of where they are in their faith journey – with grace, humility, and no judgment. But those who lead, serve, and build alongside this ministry must be walking that road themselves, living it out, and pointing every step back to Jesus Christ.

JAKE’S STORY

Strapped became something real in 2019 when my cousin and I ran the Twin Cities Marathon wearing 20-pound weight vests. We called it Strapped because we were literally strapping on the weight, and we built it around a simple mindset — Never Die Easy. Don’t quit. Keep going. We made some shirts, sold them around the race, and gave everything to a military charity.

At the time, it was just something we did. I didn’t fully understand what it would become. My life has always been built around hockey. The game shaped me — the discipline, the grind, the brotherhood, the lessons you only learn by being in it with other guys. I’ve lived it as a player, a coach, and now as a father. Hockey has always been more than a game to me. It’s where I learned how to show up, how to compete, and how to be part of something bigger than myself.

But life doesn’t stay on the surface. In the fall of 2024, my son was in a UTV accident at our family farm. He was facing the possibility of losing his leg below the knee. What followed was something I can only describe as the grace and power of Jesus Christ. Instead of losing his leg, he lost two toes. Today, he’s back — living life, playing hockey, and doing what he loves. It was a miracle. In the middle of that, someone commented on the Strapped shirt I was wearing and said they loved the message — don’t quit, keep fighting. It hit me differently this time. I went back to the room and started digging into what “Strapped” really meant. What I found wasn’t just a definition. It was a reflection of my walk with Jesus. I am lacking. I fall short. I deal with sin, pride, and things I don’t always get right. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is where I turn.

I’ve learned that the only way forward is to be grounded in the Word of God — the Sword of the Spirit — the only truth that doesn’t move. I’ve learned that I need brotherhood, accountability, and other men in my life who are pursuing Jesus and willing to walk through the hard stuff together. I’ve learned that this life is not about having it figured out, it’s about showing up daily, surrendering, and preparing for the day I stand before God. I’m not there. I’m in it. I’m pursuing Jesus the same way I pursued the game — relentlessly, imperfectly, and with everything I’ve got. Some days I get it right. A lot of days I don’t. But I’m not walking away from it.

Strapped is not me teaching something I’ve mastered. It’s me saying I need this — the brotherhood, the accountability, the truth — just as much as anyone else. This is about building a team of men inside the hockey community who are done doing life alone. Men who love the game, who love their families, and who know there has to be more. Men who are willing to show up, be real, and pursue Jesus together.

My life, my family, and everything tied to this is because of Jesus Christ. Not because I’ve earned it, and not because I deserve it — but because of His grace. There is one truth. One way. One foundation. Jesus Christ. Everything else — the experiences, the struggles, the failures, the growth — that’s all part of the journey. And none of us walk it the same way. But we don’t have to walk it alone. I don’t have this figured out. I’m not trying to build something about me. I’m trying to stay in the fight, stay in the Word, stay close to Jesus, and stay surrounded by men who are doing the same.

That’s what Strapped is. A brotherhood.
A pursuit.
A life lived for Jesus — together.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BILL BUTTERS

President and
Spiritual Advisor

STEVE LARSON

Vice President and
Director of Hockey

DEEDEE LARSON

Secretary and
Governance Lead

JAY WITTA

Title TBD

OUR CONTENT TEAM

TRIPINE CREATIVE, INC.

JAY WITTA

Founder & Art Director

BEN MOSIER

Art Director

BELLA BOWMAN

Senior Graphic Designer

BROOKS WITTA

Video & Photography

OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe in Jesus Christ – that He is the Son of God, that He died for our sins, and that God raised Him from the dead. We believe He is the only way to the Father, the only truth that does not move, and the only foundation worth building a life on. This is not one option among many. This is the foundation of everything we do.

We believe that faith is not a feeling – it is a decision, lived out daily in surrender, obedience, and pursuit of Jesus Christ. We are not perfect men. We are men who fall short, who need grace, and who keep showing up anyway. We believe the Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit – our truth, our weapon, and our guide through every battle life brings. We believe that no man was meant to walk this road alone, and that brotherhood, accountability, and honesty are not optional – they are how faith becomes real.

Everyone who serves with Strapped must share this faith. Not perfection – but belief. Belief that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He conquered death, and that a life surrendered to Him is the only life worth living. We will serve anyone – regardless of where they are in their faith journey – with grace, humility, and no judgment. But those who lead, serve, and build alongside this ministry must be walking that road themselves, living it out, and pointing every step back to Jesus Christ.

JAKE’S STORY

Strapped became something real in 2019 when my cousin and I ran the Twin Cities Marathon wearing 20-pound weight vests. We called it Strapped because we were literally strapping on the weight, and we built it around a simple mindset — Never Die Easy. Don’t quit. Keep going. We made some shirts, sold them around the race, and gave everything to a military charity.

At the time, it was just something we did. I didn’t fully understand what it would become. My life has always been built around hockey. The game shaped me — the discipline, the grind, the brotherhood, the lessons you only learn by being in it with other guys. I’ve lived it as a player, a coach, and now as a father. Hockey has always been more than a game to me. It’s where I learned how to show up, how to compete, and how to be part of something bigger than myself.

But life doesn’t stay on the surface. In the fall of 2024, my son was in a UTV accident at our family farm. He was facing the possibility of losing his leg below the knee. What followed was something I can only describe as the grace and power of Jesus Christ. Instead of losing his leg, he lost two toes. Today, he’s back — living life, playing hockey, and doing what he loves. It was a miracle. In the middle of that, someone commented on the Strapped shirt I was wearing and said they loved the message — don’t quit, keep fighting. It hit me differently this time. I went back to the room and started digging into what “Strapped” really meant. What I found wasn’t just a definition. It was a reflection of my walk with Jesus. I am lacking. I fall short. I deal with sin, pride, and things I don’t always get right. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is where I turn.

I’ve learned that the only way forward is to be grounded in the Word of God — the Sword of the Spirit — the only truth that doesn’t move. I’ve learned that I need brotherhood, accountability, and other men in my life who are pursuing Jesus and willing to walk through the hard stuff together. I’ve learned that this life is not about having it figured out, it’s about showing up daily, surrendering, and preparing for the day I stand before God. I’m not there. I’m in it. I’m pursuing Jesus the same way I pursued the game — relentlessly, imperfectly, and with everything I’ve got. Some days I get it right. A lot of days I don’t. But I’m not walking away from it.

Strapped is not me teaching something I’ve mastered. It’s me saying I need this — the brotherhood, the accountability, the truth — just as much as anyone else. This is about building a team of men inside the hockey community who are done doing life alone. Men who love the game, who love their families, and who know there has to be more. Men who are willing to show up, be real, and pursue Jesus together.

My life, my family, and everything tied to this is because of Jesus Christ. Not because I’ve earned it, and not because I deserve it — but because of His grace. There is one truth. One way. One foundation. Jesus Christ. Everything else — the experiences, the struggles, the failures, the growth — that’s all part of the journey. And none of us walk it the same way. But we don’t have to walk it alone. I don’t have this figured out. I’m not trying to build something about me. I’m trying to stay in the fight, stay in the Word, stay close to Jesus, and stay surrounded by men who are doing the same.

That’s what Strapped is. A brotherhood.
A pursuit.
A life lived for Jesus — together.

OUR
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS

BILL BUTTERS

President and
Spiritual Advisor

STEVE LARSON

Vice President and
Director of Hockey

DEEDEE LARSON

Secretary and
Governance Lead

JAY WITTA

Title TBD

OUR CONTENT TEAM

TRIPINE CREATIVE, INC.

JAY WITTA

Founder & Art Director

BEN MOSIER

Art Director

BELLA BOWMAN

Senior Graphic Designer

BROOKS WITTA

Video & Photography

HELP BUILD THE STRAPPED BROTHERHOOD

WHAT WE’RE BUILDING

Strapped is building a Christ-centered brotherhood within the hockey community — where men are known, supported, and challenged to pursue Jesus together.
This work is happening in real life. Through college team chapels, one-on-one mentorship, small groups, and Bible studies, we are walking alongside players, coaches, and retired athletes as they navigate the game and life with faith at the center. For retired players, we’re building consistent brotherhood through workouts, community, and accountability. For coaches, we are developing seminars focused on leading teams in a way that honors Jesus — on and off the ice.

Everything we do is about showing up — together. Serving the hockey community with truth, building real relationships, and creating a place where men can grow in faith without judgment, knowing we are all in this pursuit side by side under Christ.

This takes a team.

When you give or wear Strapped, you’re stepping into that team — helping us expand this brotherhood, reach more men, and continue building something that lasts. This is not about a brand. This is about the mission.

Jesus is the Captain. We’re in it together.
Strap in. Step up. Be part of it.

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YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE

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