GOlympics Celebrates Team Spirit
On June 6, 2015, New Jersey Youth Ministry’s program, God’s Own (GO) hosted a mini sports event at Weasel Brook Park in Clifton New Jersey. They call it the GOlympics.
The goal is to create an environment where people can purely work together as a team and compete each other with good sportsmanship.
“With GOlympics, we try to get girls just as involved as the boys. It has been inspiring to witness in our own youth ministry, because the girls are just as excited as the boys,” said Youth Pastor Raymond Burns. “If sports are played with the right attitude, they can be attractive, regardless of skill level. GOlympics offers that for every person.”
GOlympics is a month-long sporting competition for middle and high school participants who are involved in youth ministry. Everyone is split into teams with two captains, (one boy and one girl). Then each team is given at least three weeks to form good team spirit, a team flag and team name, and practice the sports they will be playing. These sports included soccer, volleyball, ultimate Frisbee and kickball.
On the day of the game, all the teams with ran onto the field with high spirits. “My first ever GOlympics!” exclaimed Elizabeth LaGrotteria, one of the captains for Team A.D.D. (Amazing, Determined, Dedication). “I loved getting into our team spirit, screaming our hearts out and making random chants,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better group!”
At all times, more than one sport was going on. While Team Banana Bees versed Team Flaming Phoenix in Frisbee on one field, Team Purpletraitors were spiking volley balls against the Maroon Raccoons. The Antartican Shrimp cheered like crazy from the side lines for their team, as Team Black Knight proudly wore their cape-like flag. Neighbors and parents viewing from the sidelines could see all the teams giving their best.
“I am proud of our young Unificationists,” said Rev. Manoj Jacob, Pastor of the Clifton Family Church. “The GOlympics was well organized program. I could see that in the field.”
For the last hour of the event, teams playing for the high school teams chose their best players (MVPs) and played a final round of ultimate Frisbee.
The Most Valuable Players (MVPs) played an extra round of Frisbee
After dinner, GOlympic referees, Naomi Watanabe and Chang Mansur, announced the winners and gave out trophies for sports in middle and high school. They also gave trophies for best flag and best spirit, but that’s not the only thing the team will bring home…
“The thing I really loved about my team was our spirit,” said Yasuharu To, Shrimp Antartican player. “We always encouraged each and every team members to do more. We cheered for them in anything they went through, whether it was a mistake or a fulfillment. In the end, even though we didn’t get any awards, the fact that our team was always there for each other was what made my experience from these events very precious to me.”
Team A.D.D. won best team spirit
Team Blue Blood won best flag