Dalvin Cook Speaks at Cross Training Champions Banquet

Dalvin Cook, a great man doing great man things!

Hello fellow Skoloholics! First things first. THANK YOU to my wife and our friend Kendra (she’s the Director of Operations Cross Training) for somehow getting these tickets for us. My son, Eli, and I had the pleasure of attending a banquet last night which raised money for the local Cross Training ministry here in Bismarck. The banquet featured none other than Dalvin Cook as guest speaker!

Side Story: I remember the draft party at my house in 2017. Our friend Lynette and I were banging the drum hard for the Vikings to draft Cook, although we didn’t expect him to be available. We were hoping the Vikings would move up to draft Cook, and they listened! The Vikings moved up in the second round to select Cook, and we were ecstatic. We knew of his childhood story, all that he’d overcome, and we REALLY wanted him in purple. (If any of the Vikings’ front office are reading this, and are looking for scouts, I’m sure we could both be available.) 🙂

Cross Training Ministry

The ministry of Cross Training uses the passion young people have for sports and helps them discovery their identity in Christ. Through summer camps, weekly discipleship groups, international missions and more, Cross Training uses the platform of sports to share Christ, disciple leaders and serve impoverished families around the world. 

Based in Bismarck, North Dakota Cross Training Ministries has been operating for nearly three decades. During that time, Cross Training has ministered to tens of thousands of young people and families. The ministry currently has five functioning platforms by which execute the mission of using sports for evangelism and discipleship:

1.Summer Camps (www.crosstrainingcamp.com) 
2.High School & College Discipleship groups
3.International Missions (www.crosstrainingcamp.com/missions/)
4.Compassion Ministry Outreach (www.bagswithoutborders.org) 
5. I play for Him Online Community (www.iplay4him.com) 

If any of you are interested in donating to this wonderful organization, you can help support the cause of Cross Training at www.crosstrainingcamp.com/donate.

Dalvin Cook

I left this event with a newfound respect and admiration for Dalvin Cook, who is not only a great football player, but a great human being. Growing up in the middle of Miami, he overcame enormous obstacles in life. He used football as a means to avoid the pitfalls that eventually took the lives of many of his childhood friends to become one of the best running backs in the NFL. Cook shared how playgrounds, which most of us think of as a safe place for children, were where he saw a lot of bad things that children shouldn’t be exposed to. For those of us who have not experienced this, it was eye-opening. His story of faith, perseverance, and hope is inspirational.

Dalvin Cook expressed his love for his mom and dad and shared how they have given him the strength and mental focus it took to use football as a means to not only move beyond his neighborhood in Miami, but to thrive, and be able to provide a better life for his family. He has used his status and success to become a source of hope for the children growing up in his old neighborhood now, and throughout the country. Many of us can thankfully not comprehend the struggles that children endure while growing up in some parts of the bigger cities. Hearing stories like Dalvin’s makes me eternally grateful for growing up in small town North Dakota.

The Vikings Amazing 2022 Season – Faith is the Key

Dalvin Cook also spoke about the current state of the Vikings. He attributed much of their success to the new culture that has been ushered in by new head coach Kevin O’Connell, and to the renewed sense of brotherhood within the locker room. He said there are many players of faith on the team, and they’ve grown much closer this year. Many players on the team share his faith, but some fellow believers he mentioned by name are Kirk Cousins, Adam Thielen, and especially C.J. Ham. Cook shared how Ham was the first one to show up at his house to ask how he was doing after Cook’s father passed away 2 years ago. This is the side of football of which we as fans rarely get a glimpse.

Summary

Hearing Dalvin Cook speak, I listened to a humble, sincere, and faithful man who just happens to be one of the best running backs on this planet. Such a great person, and someone I am proud to cheer for every week. I’ve been cheering for the Vikings for over 40 years now, and it’s guys like Dalvin Cook who keep my fandom going strong. Again, a billion thanks to Kendra and my wife Heidi for getting us into the event. I’m not sure I’ve seen my son’s eyes as wide as I did last night, we had such a great time. SKOL!!!!!!!!!!