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Over ten years of foundation.
One Mission.

Play As One Academy exists because kids need more than skills,

they need mentors who care about who they're becoming.

Sports Field Marking

It started on a football field in Escondido.

Ten years ago, Jon Goodman started Play As One with a simple conviction — kids need mentors who care about more than the score. What began as an afterschool sports ministry has grown into something broader: a whole-child academy serving families across Sports, Arts, Vocation, and Education. The name has grown. The mission hasn't changed.

What We're About

Families struggle to find programs that teach skills but also align with their values. Play As One Academy offers Christ-centered mentorship in Sports, Arts, Vocation, and Education so your child grows in skill, faith, and confidence.

Our Mission

To capture and transform the hearts of children, their families, and their community through Sports, Arts, Vocation, and Education.

Core Values

Work Hard

Work unto the Lord - Pursue excellence in all things 
1 Corinthians 15:58 

Live Pure

Live life in God’s pure design for families. Discipleship in the home and in the community by creating “kairos” moments.
Matthew 5:8

 

Lead with Courage

Valor is courage under distress. Exercise God’s gifts and talents he has given you in our homes and our community.
Joshua 1:9

 

Honor Jesus

Living the lives God has given us to love him and love others with the heart of Jesus in the ways of Jesus.  Honoring God by living like Christ in our homes and community. Transformation of souls as our primary purpose, not just transactional relationships or transmitting skills.
Luke 10:27

16K+

Kids Served

2K+

Coaches + Volunteers

75K+

People Reached

10+

Years of Impact

Articles of Faith

The Bible

We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is inspired by God, so that it is correct in the original texts and completely protected by God so that it is a trustworthy guideline for every age and for every life. (Mat.18: 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21)

God

We believe in one God that eternally exists and reveals Himself in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - having each the same nature, attributes, and perfections, worthy of the same worship and confidence. (Mat. 3:16-17, 28:19; John 1:1-2, 14, 10:30, 14:15-17; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 13:14)

Creation

We believe in God as the absolute and sole creator and maintainer of the universe. Creation happened by God’s command from nothing and not through an evolutionary process. (John 1:3, 10; Acts 17:24-25; Genesis 1:1)

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ was completely God in the flesh and completely a man, that He was born of a virgin, and that He lived a sinless life. We believe He taught and performed mighty works, with wonders and signs exactly as revealed in the four gospels.

We believe that He was crucified, shed His blood, and died to pay the penalty for our sins and was raised bodily from the dead on the third day. Forty days later, He went to heaven to God the Father's right hand where He is head of the church and intercedes for believers. From there He is coming again personally, bodily, and visibly to this earth to setup His millennial Kingdom. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Hebrews 1:1-2, 7:25; Luke 1:30-35; Ephesians 4:8; John 1:1-5, 10-14, 14:3; Colossians 2:9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 1:3,11; Revelation 20:4)

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and is God, possessing all the divine attributes. The Holy Spirit shows us that sin is wrong, gives us hope, lives within our soul, baptizes, and immediately confirms all believers when they are saved, filling them with the goal of becoming like Jesus in all that Jesus did and asked us to do. (John 3:5, 16:7-11; Acts 5:3-4; Eph. 1:13, 4:30, 5:18; 1 Cor. 6:19, 12:13)

Salvation

We believe that salvation is a gift of God and is received by all people through personal faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for our sins. We believe that people are justified by grace through faith apart from works and that all true believers, once saved, are kept secure in Christ forever. (Acts 13:38-39; Romans 4:5, 6:23, 8:1, 38-39; John 10:27-29; Ephesians 2:8-9)

Sex and Gender

We believe that God creates people in His image as two distinct sexes, male and female, and that the intended sex of an individual is determined by such individual’s biological sex at birth. We believe biological sex and gender are congruent. (Genesis 1:27, Matthew 19:4, Mark 10:6)

New Creation

We believe that a Christian should walk in holiness and not sinfully, with the goal of obeying and imitating our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As a new creation walking with the Holy Spirit, Christians learn to grow in faith, in obedience to Scripture, in prayer, in fellowship with other Christians, and in a life of service.

We believe that the Christian will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and have his life evaluated according to his deeds. (Galatians 5:16-26; Hebrews 10:25, 11:6, 12:1-2; Eph. 4:20-24, 6:18; John 17:17; Romans 8:29; 1 Cor. 3:10-152 Cor. 5:10)

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Making an eternal difference in the lives of kids.

We're looking for coaches, teachers, and mentors who want to build the next generation.

The Team

Jon Goodman

Founder / CEO

Jon Goodman is a follower of Jesus, husband, father of four, and founder of Play as One. Since 2014, he has been dedicated to helping young people and families grow through Christ-centered mentorship and community.

Gene Smith

Chief Operating Officer

Serving Jesus for 10+ years at Play as One. Father of 2 kids. Husband of 1. Prov. 3:5

Tracey Preciado

Chief Financial Officer

Tracey is a God-fearing follower of Jesus. She is married and has four amazing children.

Jo Ann Goodman

Executive Administrator

Blessed to be the wife of our founder, mother of four and eternally grateful for my Savior's love, salvation and transformation in my life and passionately pray that He uses my life and this ministry to help others know Him.

Becky Dean

Arts Director

Mother to four incredible kids. Passionate about helping children grow in confidence, character, and faith. Honored by the opportunity to use my talents to serve God and our community.

Erik Beck

Education Director

Gratefully married to Kelly Beck for 20 years, and am the proud father of two creative and wonder-filled children. I have had the honor and pleasure of working with kids in the role of classroom teacher, curriculum developer, education director, and homeschool father.

Bill Attinger

Club Sports Director

Bill is a follower of Christ, devoted husband, and grateful father of three. As a former foster child, he is passionate about helping children discover their God given purpose and creating opportunities for families to thrive. With more than 25 years of coaching experience, he is committed to inspiring the next generation to grow in skill, faith, and confidence in Christ.

Dave Roberts

Rec Sports Director

A servant's heart for Jesus, loving husband, and father to two amazing daughters. Above all, I am passionate about serving Jesus in every area of my life by striving to live out my faith each day.

Eddie Tonne

Sports Operations Coordinator

The Lord has given Eddie a soft spot for the youth in his heart and has empowered him to best connect with their interests. Eddie's biggest goal is to watch students grow more in confidence for who they are and that is only possible when they are brought closer into contact with who created them.

Lawson Moore

Director of IT

Husband, father of three. Inspired by Judges 2:10 and its call to ensure the next generation knows the Lord and remembers what He has done, Lawson is passionate about using technology to strengthen ministries, equip families, and support opportunities that help young people grow in faith and character.

The Board

Jeff Felix
Board President

Jeff brings 30+ yrs of educational leadership to PAO, having served as Superintendent of Coronado Unified & named San Diego County's Superintendent of the Year.

Ken Thomas
Vice President

Ken is President of Nations Surety Insurance Services, a trusted name in commercial insurance & surety bonding built through decades of service to Escondido.

Kenny Winter
Board Treasurer

Kenny serves as PAO's Board Treasurer, bringing his career as a financial planner to help steward the org's finances with the same care he gives his own clients' futures.

Larry Michel
Board Secretary

Larry served Escondido for years as a USC-trained orthodontist, known for his integrity & care for patients. Larry has spearheaded PAO initiatives like Live Scan to help ensure PAO is a safe place for kids.


Bridget Olson
Board Member

Bridget has built her career advocating fiercely for people navigating life's hardest moments, & brings that same relentless care & clarity to her advocacy for PAO's mission.

Jon Goodman
Board Member

Jon is the founder & CEO of Play As One Academy, the visionary who planted a seed in 2014 that's grown into a movement now reaching 16,000+ kids & families, coaching the hearts of a generation across Escondido.

Freddy Keiaho
Board Member

Freddy brings the heart of a Super Bowl champion to PAO, using the discipline & brotherhood he learned winning it all with the Colts to pour into the next generation of young athletes.

Gene Smith
Board Member

Gene spent 23 yrs building Hunter Industries into a global leader, & now brings that same relentless drive for excellence & growth to help PAO reach further into the community it loves.

Michael de Neve
Board Member

Michael stands in the classroom every day at Del Dios Middle, giving PAO an irreplaceable window into the real lives, struggles, & dreams of the very kids the org exists to serve.

Matt Pound
Board Member

Matt's built a career & a name across North County's construction industry, & brings that same reputation for trust & hard work to open doors & build bridges for PAO throughout the region.

Emmet Lee
Board Member

Dr. Emmet Lee gives his life to healing as a physician w/ Palomar Health, & gives his heart to Escondido's youth as a coach & director in PAO's basketball program — proof that mentorship happens both on and off the court.

Steve Friar
Board Member

Steve brings the discipline of leading billion-dollar federal construction programs at Hensel Phelps to PAO's board, helping build the same kind of lasting foundation for Escondido's kids that he builds for the nation's most critical facilities.

Becky Dean
Board Member

Becky has built her career meeting kids exactly where they are atand help them learn to love the gift of Art the God has given us.

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