Share Your Boat with a Veteran Tournament

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The idea for this veteran’s tournament started when two of our anglers and a coach went to Lake Springfield to practice the day before the 2016 state championship. When they arrived, they learned that there was a veteran’s tournament that day and offered to take out any veteran that didn’t have a boat to fish on. Before they could launch the boat, they learned that there was one veteran in need of a partner with a boat. There stood a man named Bill with an old fishing pole and a small box of tackle waiting for someone to share their boat and a few hours of their time. Through that unexpected chain of events, they gave back to a man that sacrificed so much to this great nation, but the true gift was given to our boys. They shared so much more than boat space and tackle that day. They shared stories and time with someone that doesn’t often feel gratitude for the sacrifices he made many years ago, and they helped that man win first place in the veteran’s tournament that day. Suddenly the opportunity to fish in the state championship paled in comparison to the experience they shared that day and the idea to host a tournament for veterans was born. Stories of that day spread throughout the team and all members rallied behind the idea to host a veteran’s tournament.