This July, we partnered with Mizzou Football and For Others to host our 5th annual Night of Champions event!
We coordinate this event in partnership with For Others, a foster care collective organization based in Franklin, Tennessee. For Others, previously known as Angel’s Armies, was founded by Chris Tomlin and his wife, Lauren, to find every child in the U. S. a safe and secure home.
Over the last five years, Night of Champions has become one of our favorite traditions! It is always so fun to see children experience this one-of-a-kind event.
For many Coyote Hill kiddos, Night of Champions is a night they look forward to throughout the year. Because of NCAA recruitment guidelines, only children entering third through eighth grade are eligible to participate. That meant that this year was the last year for some children who had participated since the beginning of this event!
Over 80 children did rotations of drills and games throughout the afternoon. Players were assigned to groups of children based on their position group. At the end of the afternoon, everyone ran through an obstacle course that ended with each child diving to catch a touchdown.
Afterwards, players, children, and parents ate dinner and had the opportunity to play on Faurot Field.
Every year, veteran Mizzou football players are able to recognize children they had been partnered with in the past.
We are so grateful for the excitement, energy, and commitment these players bring to this event. They consistently engaged the children in their groups with encouragement. Players are focused on putting a smile on children’s faces. Even when a child doesn’t catch the ball on the first try, they encourage them to try again. By the end of the evening, it’s hard not to smile when you see children grinning from ear to ear as they dive for a touchdown.
One of our favorite things about this event is how we can see children’s growth and development year after year as they are in a stable home environment. One child, Nathan*, has participated in Night of Champions for the last three years. In the early years, the noise, activity, and sensory stimulation were overwhelming for him, and he often struggled to stay engaged. But this year was different. Thanks to the stability and nurturing he’s received in his foster home, along with consistent support at school and in the community, Nathan was able to self-regulate and fully participate in every activity. His paired player stayed by his side all night, and a coach who has known him over the years was amazed, saying, “He’s doing such an awesome job!”
Moments like this are a testament to what children can achieve when they are surrounded by safety, consistency, and care.
*Name changed for confidentiality.
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