Photo By Anna Jefferson | Beloit College football team players and Navy Special Operations candidates hold a...... read more read more
BELOIT, Wis. - Transforming a civilian into a Navy SEAL requires both physical and mental toughness. Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Great Lakes Navy Special Operations Program Mentor Mark Allen, is bringing the Navy SEAL training experience with an extreme focus on leadership, communication, mental toughness, and accountability to civilians through the Navy SEAL challenge camp.
Beloit College football team members participated in the camp where they experienced Navy SEAL training exercises.
The Beloit College football team is focusing their 2025 season on improving their team-oriented mindset. During the camp, Allen worked to instill a selfless mindset in the players; one that perseveres through adversity to achieve a common team goal.
“To do this we put the team through some very chaotic and stressful situations in a calculated manner. Situations designed to stress the ability of team leaders and team communication plans. Situations that mirror the high level of stress you find at the top echelon of competitive sports,” Allen said. “The teams who practice in these stressful situations and learn hard lessons through that process are the teams that are prepared on gameday.”
The team did a series of exercises including log carries, calisthenics and visualization. In order to successfully complete each exercise, the athletes had to work in unison and rely on each other not to quit.
Jarred Torres, a quarterback for Beloit College, says his biggest takeaway was attention to detail.
“I realized a lot of us messed up when it was in one ear and out the other. Executing correctly when we get the instruction is something I want us to work on the most,” said Torres. “So, when we go out and execute on the field there’s no mess ups. The team that messes up the most is the one that loses.”
Tate Dobrinich, who also plays quarterback, says the exercises pushed him to be a better leader both on and off the field.
“This is really based on leadership and communication skills,” said Dobrinich. “Carrying that over onto the field, as a quarterback you’re supposed to have communication skills and leadership skills so I think this will help me with that.”
The exercises aimed to help the students grow as a team, however it came with both physical and mental challenges.
“With the log carry, it was evident that we were all doing it together. If I give up, then I’m giving up on the people that are giving it their all,” Torres said.
The athletes were grouped into teams of four or five and were tasked with lifting the 200-pound log overhead or lunging down the field. Each team had to move in unison. If one person was out of tempo, it distributed the weight unevenly, making the exercise more difficult.
“It surprised me to hear that one of the SEAL candidates said they do this [log carries] for hours when they actually do their training,” Torres said. “I have a new found respect for them and for what they do.”
Allen says the gratitude the student athletes and coaches had for the SEAL candidates was apparent during the camp.
“Community engagement is the singular most impactful touchpoint the Navy can provide to the general public in regards to recruiting efforts,” Allen said. “Anytime you can showcase the calibre of individuals who pursue a career in Navy Special Operations to the public it sends a great message to all who observe. And the Special Operations guys we brought in to participate performed really well. You could see the pride they had in being there and the pride they have in joining the Navy.”
Beloit College and Navy Special Operations plan to continue working together. As a thank you, the college opened up their campus gym to Navy Special Operations candidates, allowing them to train and prepare for their careers.
###
Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Great Lakes covers Northern Illinois, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Wisconsin and Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Headquartered in North Chicago, NTAG Great Lakes has 30 recruiting stations and employs more than 200 military and non-military personnel.
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2025 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 497033 |
| Location: | BELOIT, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, From Gridiron to Grit: Navy SEAL Challenge Camp Brings Elite Training to Beloit College Athletics, by Anna Jefferson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
