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Academy 04 Girls scale Mount Olympus challenge

By James Shaw, 09/24/18, 11:00AM MDT

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7 Elite Academy’s 04 Girls soccer team scaled one of the highest mountains in Utah during a gruelling team-building exercise.

The under-15 youngsters took on Mount Olympus – which stands 9,030 ft above the valley floor at its highest point – as part of a two-day challenge.

The group of ten players is coached by Shaylee Wilson and she was delighted with their resilience throughout the tough climbing and camping exercise.

She said: “I can’t say how proud I am of this group after they took on the challenge of Mount Olympus and completed one of the toughest climbs in Utah.

“Every time one of the group seemed to be struggling or looked like they were falling behind, the entire team pulled together and helped each other.

“Growing together as a team isn’t just about what the players can do on the pitch. It’s about how they develop as good people off the pitch.

“Sophie Gay, voted as team captain by her teammates, designed this project as a team-building exercise for the girls and they certainly proved that team-work is just as important in real life as it is during a soccer game.”

The girls who took part were: Sophia Gay, Justine Saxton, Cortnee Johnson, Dakota Merino, Cortney Cobabe, Paige Runia, Eliza Pauni, Ella Feinauer, Whitney Garn, and Brianna Frey.

Anthony Godfrey, Global Technical Director at 7 Elite Academy, was impressed to see the team pull together during such testing conditions.

He said: “When Shaylee told me that her 04 girls team was climbing Mount Olympus as a team building exercise I was delighted.

“I knew this challenge was going to take the girls truly out of their comfort zones and that this is something we as coaches at 7EA focus on doing with our players in the pursuit of unlocking new development levels within themselves.

“Speaking to Shaylee once the girls had completed the climb, she said there where many moments where some girl’s where close to reaching breaking point but yet managed to finished what they had started.

“In many ways this was music to my ears as I have no doubt over the last 2 days these girls would of found something within their character that they didn’t even know existed and being put through a challenge like this can only enhance mental strength and social skills that will only contribute to their performance on the field, in the classroom and in life in general.

“I am extremely proud of the girls and they are an absolute credit to their parents, to Shaylee (their coach) and to 7 Elite Academy. They have proved to be an example to so many but especially to the younger players at the Club. Well done girls.”