Trail Life USA Blog

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.

Matt Gidney Nov 09, 2026

In The News, Trail Life USA, Boy Scout Alternative, Leadership, Masculinity, Troop, Raising Godly Boys, Rescue Boys

Trail Life Troops Grow Churches by Reaching Boys, Men, and Families

Matt Gidney Oct 26, 2026

Trail Life USA, Leadership, Raising Godly Boys

Shoulder to Shoulder: How God Used Trail Life to Transform a Father and Son

Jaydee used to love it when he heard Christians talking about their beliefs around him. Not because he agreed, but because he loved a good debate. “I was one of those people that was just like, ‘Oh, you think God's real? Let's debate. Let's debate this right now. I'm going to change your mind…

Matt Gidney Sep 28, 2026

Trail Life USA, Boy Scout Alternative, Leadership, Masculinity, Troop, Raising Godly Boys

Conviction to Stay

When Evan first walked into a Trail Life meeting, he was 11 years old and looking for something different. It was late 2020. Covid had disrupted nearly everything, school had become a difficult environment, and his after-school situation offered little stability.

Matt Gidney Aug 19, 2026

Mentoring, Trail Life USA, Leadership, Masculinity, Troop, Raising Godly Boys

Come Hail or High Water: Fortitude at 11,000 Feet

When you study the lives of America's founders—men like George Washington or John Paul Jones—you discover they were not born with extraordinary courage. They became courageous because they were tested.

Matt Gidney Aug 17, 2026

Trail Life USA, Leadership, Masculinity, Raising Godly Boys, Rescue Boys

Boys Still Need Wild Places

Long before boyhood was crowded by glowing screens, fenced yards, packed calendars, and climate-controlled comfort, America gave boys rivers to paddle, mountains to climb, caves to crawl through, forests to explore, and campfires around which to dream.

Matt Gidney Aug 05, 2026

Parenting, Trail Life USA, Let Boys be Boys, Boy Scout Alternative, Leadership, Troop Adventures, Masculinity, Troop, Raising Godly Boys

Mission Accomplished: High Adventure on the Boundary Waters

Dawn came quietly to the Boundary Waters. Fog hovered low over the lake as Trailmen eased out of their tents and toward the shoreline. Tin mugs steamed in the cool air. Headlamps flicked on as damp maps were unfolded and routes were traced with cold fingers. Boots were wet. The gear was heavy. The…

Matt Gidney Jul 31, 2026

Trail Life USA, Let Boys be Boys, Boy Scout Alternative, Troop Adventures, Masculinity

Pedaling with Purpose: A Troop’s 290-Mile Trek Across Missouri

Much of what follows is told in the Troop’s own words, drawn directly from the daily adventure log they kept along the trail. These entries appear in italics below. Ever crossed an entire state outside of a car or plane? That’s exactly what the Trailmen from Troop OK-0103 decided to do this summer.…

Matt Gidney Jul 13, 2026

Mentoring, Trail Life USA, Leadership, Troop Adventures, Masculinity, Troop, Raising Godly Boys

Sons of Liberty, Sons of Legacy: Titus—Protector

“When I first met Titus, I think he probably would have rather poked himself in the eye with an ice pick than stand up and talk to people,” Darren, a Trail Life leader in Denton, Texas, recalls.

Matt Gidney Jul 09, 2026

Parenting, Trail Life USA, Boy Scout Alternative, Leadership, Masculinity, Raising Godly Boys, Rescue Boys

We No Longer Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident

What ever happened to common sense? What happened to those truths we all held to be self-evident?