Matt Gidney

Matt Gidney
Matt Gidney taught English at Covenant College and the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. He currently serves as the communications and compliance coordinator for Trail Life USA. He lives in Travelers Rest, South Carolina with his wife and 3 children.

Recent Posts

Matt Gidney

Leadership Masculinity History

Action Rooted in Conviction: The Story of Quinn Webb

Quinn was almost home when he saw her. A car sat disabled on the shoulder, hood raised. A young woman stood in front of it, shoulders tight. She looked flustered—clearly having a rough day.
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Matt Gidney

Parenting Masculinity

Prepared for the Unthinkable: How a Father’s First Aid Training Saved His Son’s Life

Richard Braly is a new Trail Life Registered Adult volunteer and the father of a six-year-old Trailman. Like many Trail Life leaders, Richard was a Boy Scout, froma Tiger Cub all the way into adulthood. As a teenager, he worked as a counselor at multiple BSA summer camps in Texas and Oklahoma. Those positions required ...
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Matt Gidney

Mentoring Parenting Service Leadership Masculinity History

Sons of Liberty, Sons of Legacy: Christopher Gadsden — Conviction

“My sentiments for the American cause, from the Stamp Act downward, have never changed… I am still of opinion that it is the cause of liberty and of human nature.” — Christopher Gadsden
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Matt Gidney

Mentoring Parenting Let Boys be Boys Masculinity

Training Character: Teaching Skills to Build Boys Who Lead

Every parent knows the feeling—explaining, demonstrating, encouraging—and yet the lesson doesn’t quite stick. Whether it’s tying shoes, changing a tire, or learning to listen, boys often need more than words. That’s because boys don’t just learn with their ears—they learn with their hands.
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Matt Gidney

Mentoring Leadership Masculinity

Called Out of the Comfort Zone: A Trail Life Leader's Journey

The last night Jonathan Gordon spent with Trail Life Troop MS-0356 was bittersweet. As the Court of Honor ceremony came to a close, Jonathan knew this chapter was ending so another could begin. After more than three years of growth and brotherhood, he was stepping away—not to leave the mission behind, but to plant it ...
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Matt Gidney

Let Boys be Boys Troop Adventures Masculinity

From Sea Level to the Summit: How 18 Trailmen Discovered Faith and Brotherhood in Yosemite

The van wound through the tunnel, headlights bouncing off granite walls before bursting into the open air — and suddenly, there it was. Yosemite Valley stretched before them in all its glory: the sheer face of El Capitan to the left, the distant crown of Half Dome rising on the horizon.
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Matt Gidney

Mentoring Leadership Masculinity

The Father’s Fingerprints: How God is Working Through Trail Life at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

A Father’s Search When Ken became a father in 2011, he wanted to make sure he spent quality time with his son. Like many dads, he thought of the Boy Scouts. But as the organization shifted away from its foundations, he began looking for something different—something Christ-centered, something that would build not only ...
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Matt Gidney

Let Boys be Boys Troop Adventures Masculinity

Five Peaks in Five Days: Troop TX-0022 Conquers the Wheeler Peak Wilderness

Wheeler Peak Wilderness, Taos, NM – July 2025 On July 17, 2025, Trailmen of Troop TX-0022 stood on top of Wheeler Peak, New Mexico’s highest summit at 13,160 feet. But their story began long before the final summit. It began with a bold idea: a backpacking trip to conquer five rugged peaks above 11,000 feet in the ...
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Matt Gidney

Parenting Let Boys be Boys Leadership Troop Adventures

Blisters, Grit, and Grace: How One Trailman with Autism Became a Leader Worth Following

When 16-year-old Noah laced up his boots to summit Guadalupe Peak—the highest point in Texas—he was ready for the challenge. But by the time he descended, his feet were raw with blisters and his spirit was wavering.
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