A BLAZING SUMMER...

 

SEPTEMBER 2015 -- The summer months came in with a flash and left with a bang. As we transition from September to October--and with it, summer to fall--we couldn't be happier about how the warm weather months panned out for DLE and our growing clientele.

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In June, we saw Akeem Davis wrap up Mini Camp with the Redskins. The following day, he got on a plane and met us down in his hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, where we managed his Inaugural AD47 Football Leadership Academy. AD47 was months in the making, and provided 53 Laurel-area school kids, aged 8-12, with a free one-day clinic focusing on academics, athletics, and the importance of healthy lifestyles. In formulating Akeem's first year camp, we applied for (and received) sanctioning from the NFL Foundation in partnership with USA Football and the FUNdamentals program. Kids were taught safe, proper techniques related to basic football movements. Apart from the football, element, we interwove four key elements (or pillars) of leadership and citizenship, which Akeem addressed during each water and snack break. From selling sponsorship, to booking TV, radio, digital and print media coverage, to organizing and producing a VIP launch reception, to designing and distributing a trophy to each child, we covered every element of AD47 and are so proud of how it turned out!

 

From Laurel, we flew to Eugene, Oregon, for the USATF Outdoor National Championships and a series of sponsor meetings. American 400m runner Kind Butler ran a strong 400m all they way through a stacked US field. 



In July, we saw Olympic swimmer Andrew Gemmell win a silver medal in the 1500m at the Pan American Games, in Toronto. Later that month, all 32 NFL teams reported for the start of Training Camp. As practice turned to scrimmages, and eventually the four pre-season games, the intensity increased as teams worked to cut down to the 53-man roster.

 

In August we crossed the #1YearToGo mark to Rio 2016. We were in studio with two-time Olympian Daba Modibo Keita for segments with FOX and ABC. The next day, we got on a plane and flew to San Antonio for USA Swimming National Championships, where we saw two-time Olympian Kate Ziegler bring home a medal in the women's relay. 

 

As August drew to a close, we welcomed Ziegler and Winter Olympian Tucker West into DC for a few days. We brought both athletes to the White House for a strategic planning meeting for national leadership engagement. The following morning, Ziegler and West made a surprise appearance at NBC's Back to School Backpack drive, delighting the kids and viewers at home. Prior to returning to Lake Placid for training, we took Tucker for a surprise troop visit with the USO as well as some meetings on Capitol Hill.

 

As the temperature gradually drops and the leaves start to fall, we proudly look back at these and other moments from Summer 2015...and we can't wait for Fall 2015!