Coastal Homeschool Athletic Association: Cross Country & Hurricane 5K

By Katrice Williams

The Coastal Homeschool Athletic Association, Inc. (CHAA) held its first annual Hurricane 5K event on June 28, hosted by City Club at Lost Plantation. The goal of the event was to raise funds for CHAA's cross-country team.

About CHAA

Founded in 2010, CHAA is a Christian sports program for middle school and high school students who desire the opportunity to participate in sports, yet are home-educated or attend a school that lacks an athletic program. CHAA teams are called the Hurricanes. The nonprofit is led by parent volunteers, with a mission "built around the ideals of team unity, Christ-like character, and honor—on and off the field, including online."

Similar to traditional athletic programs, CHAA's student athletes have the opportunity to earn collegiate scholarships and varsity letters. The organization offers a variety of sports: baseball, basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, cheerleading, and cross country. Middle school student athletes may also participate in golf.

CHAA strives to promote high levels of student success by offering resources to ensure students have what they need to flourish. Student athletes can participate in homeschool programs such as Classical Conversations, a local Christian homeschool community that helps foster an enriching, Christ-centered learning atmosphere.

Families support their children's scholastic development by learning and growing together, with academic tutors available to assist students.

CHAA organizes a variety of events to ensure students benefit from memorable occasions that may not otherwise be available to them, including homecoming and prom activities, along with graduation-related events.

Dave Jungeberg has been part of the CHAA family for about four years. He has seen how the organization has tremendously benefited his own daughters, who participated in several of its sports.

"CHAA values students holistically and cares enough to hold them accountable. The organization really focuses on character and wants to develop students on multiple levels—excellence in both academics and athletics. They are invested in them and want to see them grow in all areas of their lives. The coaches I've worked with have been wonderful," Dave states.

Dave recalls when two of his daughters joined the program: "Having the opportunity to see the affirmation from their coaches and teammates, who celebrated their success, really impacted their self-confidence in a healthy way. They were part of a group of kids challenging themselves and working to gain skills to get better and be more competitive. The impact it has had on my daughters has been awesome."

Many coaches are parents with children currently or formerly in the program, so they are committed to the success of all the children and the organization as a whole.

Foundation of Faith

CHAA is governed by a board of directors that helps maintain the overall mission and vision of the organization. CHAA's success is attributed to its Christian foundation of faith rooted in Jesus Christ. Everyone who is part of the organization must be in complete alignment with the CHAA Statement of Faith, which is based on Scripture from the Word of God (The Holy Bible). Some parts of the statement include: "We believe in one, true God, perfect in all His attributes, eternally existing in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit... We believe in the Deity of The Lord Jesus Christ, His sinless life, miracles, atoning death through His shed Blood on the Cross, His bodily Resurrection from the dead, His Ascension into Heaven and His imminent Return in all power and glory... We believe that Salvation is a free gift, given to the sinner by Grace and received by personal faith in Jesus Christ..."

Cross Country

Last year marked the inception of CHAA's cross country team, which has been a great addition to the organization's sports lineup. Dave began coaching the cross-country team about a year ago.

"Cross-country is a particularly welcoming sport because it provides an opportunity for all students to compete. Some students will excel and compete at high levels, while others will challenge their own times and better themselves," Dave says.

Dave initially became interested in coaching cross country after noticing how interested one of his own daughters became in the sport. As an avid runner, it piqued his interest as well. 

"My daughter was interested, and I love to run. Cross country is accessible to most students. Everyone competes at the meets—there isn't a bench. There is room for students to compete and excel, but there is also a place for beginners to try to improve their personal times. It's fun to see the students' times improve throughout the course of the season," he says.

Dave has seen students join the team for various reasons. Some compete at high levels within the sport, while others are encouraged to join with a friend.

"It's enjoyable to see all the kids welcome and encourage each other and improve from level to level. It's incredibly rewarding watching the student athletes grow, develop, and achieve things they didn't think were possible at the beginning of the season," he says.

After becoming the cross-country coach, Dave met with parents regarding certain fees that would be incurred (equipment, insurance, etc.). He was driven to ensure that CHAA sports could be financially feasible for families.

"I wanted to make it more financially accessible for families. Some families have multiple kids, so fees can add up. In the homeschool community, there's no school to pay for insurance, entrance fees, and equipment. The families pay this themselves, so fundraisers are especially helpful," he states.

Hurricane 5K

Dave decided to spearhead a 5K initiative with the primary purpose of providing monetary support for the athletic program.

He is immensely grateful to City Club for hosting the event at Lost Plantation. The back nine of the golf course was completely shut down for the event, allowing participants to loop around the newly renovated golf cart path.

"It would be difficult to find a more beautiful location. They've been wonderful and helpful with some of the logistics, helping to make the event a success," he says.

The Hurricane 5K included a running race, rucking race, walk, and a one-mile fun run. Race T-shirts featuring the race logo and sponsors could be ordered. Participants poured in to take part in the event. It was a great success, largely due to all the support from the community. Dave appreciates the great group of committed volunteers.

"It's fun to invest in the kids together as a community. God blessed the race in a lot of ways, providing the right people, the right interests, and the right investments," he states.

Community Support
 

CHAA's overall success depends upon the generosity of sponsors, along with donations and fundraisers. Sponsors include City Club, Publix, Patriot Pros Roofing, Savannah Healthy Vending, Dunkin' Donuts, and Chick-fil-A (Rincon). Dave is grateful for all the kindness and unwavering support shown by benevolent sponsors and others who have supported CHAA.

"I've enjoyed the opportunity to get to know some of the business owners in the community better. There are a lot of amazing people in our community—those who invest, help network, promote, and support. That's a reward," he says.

Anyone who would like to become a sponsor or receive additional information about CHAA may visit www.coastalhomeschoolathletics.org.

Dave is looking forward to the continued success of the entire organization, and he is certainly looking forward to next year's 5K.

"It's fun to watch what God does," he says.