KAA Elite was held for the second year at camp during sessions 2 and 8. KAA Elite is a special camp that provides a structured, empowering and encouraging time for coaches and their teams. Darius’s team from Dallas was eager to come again this year, because of the team bonding that took place last year. Not only did it impact his team throughout the year, but it also had a personal impact on him.
“It really brought me closer to God. Some things I thought I couldn’t do I found that I could do here, and it helped me start caring about others on my team,” Darius shared. “I got a better experience with my team, and I left as a man of God and came back a man of God.”
Together, the team lifted weights, worked out on the field, scrimmaged, and did drills.
In addition to drills, 7 on 7 scrimmages, teams also go through some challenge courses that build stamina, mental and physical acuity, and maybe most importantly, trust in your teammates and God.
One such challenge is the Navy Seal Competition that features the quest to move a 35-lb rubber plate the length of the football field without allowing it to touch the ground. Sounds easy, right? Not so much. Members of each team must sit on the ground, passing it to the next. After the first in line hands off the plastic burden, he changes position to last, and it keeps rotating that way until the end zone is reached.
The weight is carried the entire challenge and cannot touch the ground. If it did, the team had to start over the challenge station where the lapse occurred. Following the plate exercise each team, had to run to two more stations to complete a 200-team push-up challenge, a 200-team squat challenge.
Once they conquered push-up and squat challenges, they ran back to the football field for the final challenge–to perfectly recite a scripture verse. Sounds easy, again, Right? Breath came a little harder by the time they reached the last challenge.
When Davonta first learned what the Navy Seal Competition would entail, he wasn’t sure he wanted to participate. It seemed overwhelming—too hard. There was no way he could finish it. “Then, when we were going through it, we realized we could do it as a team. We could get through it together.”
Davonta really liked working together and encouraging his teammates during KAA Elite.
Like, Darias he’s taking more home than just a team-bonding experience. “KAA helped make me think more about doing better and just bringing my relationship closer to Christ.”
