Marking a decade of partnership with Citizen Potawatomi Nation,
the Day of Champions
Football Camp expanded its offerings this year to include a wider
range of participants. For the first time, a dual-sport camp was held
with football instruction for boys and softball instruction for girls.
The camp was a huge success this year, commented
Sarah Lawerance, CPN Fitness Instructor and coordinator of the camps.
We had 150 campers ranging in age from 5-13, with 75 percent
of those being Native American.
The camp was hosted by Citizen Potawatomi Nation and Day of
Champions Inc., which was founded by former collegiate football
coach Ken Heupel and son, Josh, the 2000 national champion from
the University of Oklahoma and current offensive coordinator at
Utah State University.
Last year around 90 campers participated, and with each year
the numbers continue to grow. The first day of camp consists of
drills, instruction and small games led by collegiate and professional
coaches. On day two, campers are allowed to bring a parent or guardian
to participate with them in the days drills. Sixty adults
participated this year, including 10 members of the 2015 Potawatomi
Leadership Program class.
Another facet of the #14 Foundation partnership with CPN is
the annual golf tournament at FireLake Golf Course. According to
Lawerance, the tournament is the only fundraiser the foundation
undertakes specific to leadership development.
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Coach
Jake Breske leads the softball instruction, a first for the
Day of Champions Camp.
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Its vital to the work that is done in meeting the
needs of the children the foundation serves, explained Lawerance.
The funds raised from the tournament help pay for scholarships
for children to attend camps focused on academic improvement, including
math and science camps and academic year tutoring.
We hold the tournament at FireLake Golf Course because
of the great relationship between the foundation and the Citizen
Potawatomi Nation, said Lawerance. Josh Heupels
14 Foundation and CPN have a shared vision of serving the needs
of Oklahomas youth.
Each year a celebrity golfer plays a hole with each of the 38
teams signed up for the tournament this year. This year two celebrities
graced the tournament. University of Oklahoma alum and current fullback
for the San Francisco 49ers Trey Millard took to the links, while
former LPGA tour member Anya Alvarez took part in the tournament
with Team Joe Dorman.
If you would like to learn more about the #14 Foundation or
the Day of Champions Football and Softball Camps, please contact
Sarah Lawerance at 14foundationgolf@gmail.com.
If you would like to learn more about hosting a fundraising tournament
or event at FireLake
Golf Course or FireLake
Ballfields, please visit their websites at www.
FireLakeGolf.com or www.TheBallfieldsatFireLake.com.
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