THE GRIND

The Grind, Presented by Bank of Clarendon: (Re)United: 803 United combines countywide talent for 7-on-7 success

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During the school year, rivalries rule.

In Sumter, public schools - Sumter High, Crestwood and Lakewood - want to own the county title. Private schools feature classic matchups like Wilson Hall vs. Laurence Manning every season. The same can be said at the middle school level where schools like Alice Drive and Bates fight for bragging rights.

Each sport's season is over for many student-athletes when their playoff run comes to an end. From football in the fall, some move on to play basketball, wrestle or maybe hold off until the spring for something like track or baseball.

But some still have the itch for endzones and interceptions.

In Sumter, those athletes call Ivan Sanders.

This spring, Sanders teamed up with coaches and student-athletes from across the county to form a new organization, 803 United, which fields teams for three age groups, 18U, 15U and 13U. The labels of Sumter High and Crestwood are shed, and local athletes come together under one banner.

"A lot of traditional 7-on-7 teams incorporate talent from different parts of the state. We decided to do 803 United to harness the talent here," Sanders said.

Paris Tindal coaches defensive backs at Crestwood but jumped at the opportunity to coach other local talent with 803 United.

"I tell people all the time that I don't coach school color; I coach kids," Tindal said. "I don't care what school they go to; I want to see these kids succeed."

That unified atmosphere is special for Sanders, who coached many of the 803 United players in their earlier days with the Sumter Spartans.

"A lot of these kids played together until they were in middle school or high school. Just to see them back together, that's a wonderful thing," Sanders said. "They've got that Sumter bond, and that's what fuels us when we play these juggernaut teams."

During the fall, many of these student-athletes are on opposite sides of the biggest rivalries in the county. That all goes away in the spring and summer.

"(I liked the) idea of the schools coming together as a whole and playing together as brothers," said Javion Martin, who quarterbacks the 18U team for 803 and serves as Crestwood's signal caller in the fall.

Fellow Knight Dashon Scriven added, "It's a brotherhood. It's a family. We were friends at first, and we came together and became family."

That love will remain strong off the field, but once the fall season begins, hugs will turn back into tackles.

"We come here, and we're brothers competing together," said Darius Williams, who plays for Sumter High during the fall. "When we go to tackle, I have to put that competitiveness on you, not with you. I'm striving to win.

"At the end of the day, we're still brothers."

SETTING THE BAR HIGH

Sanders said he formed the organization because he felt like Sumter County has the talent to compete against the nation's best.

He was right.

803 took part in a slew of tournaments this spring and summer, starting with Southern's Finest in Lexington. The 15U team found instant success, winning the championship of that opening tournament. The championship set a high bar out of the gate and eventually taught important lessons to the players.

"Don't get too big on yourself," said Pate Merchant of his biggest takeaway from the season. "Even though we did so good so fast, it can go wrong, like it did the next tournament. We didn't lose in that first tournament and lost the first game in the second tournament. That's what happens when you think you're all that."

Merchant and the 15U squad bounced back after that slide. The lesson helped drive the consistent success of the 15U team, which competed for championships in nearly every tournament this season.

The 18U team didn't have the immediate spark of the 15U team. They struggled in the opening tournament as several players were unavailable in Lexington. They eventually found their groove and joined the 15U and 13U teams as regular contenders for tournament championships.

In June, all the pieces fell into place.

All three teams traveled to Atlanta on the second weekend in June to take part in the BEA 7-on-7 National Championships. They came home with three championships.

The 13U team opened with a loss but swept the rest of the field for their title. The 15U team had just one tie, winning the rest of their games to put 803 United at 2-2 on championships. The 18U team sealed the sweep with an undefeated run through their pool and bracket.

For Sanders, the three titles helped teach one final lesson to the players and coaches. All season, the 803 staff took a page out of Philadelphia 76er Joel Embiid's book and simply said, "Trust the process." Finally, the results spoke for themselves.

"We had tournaments where we were finishing second or third. We were in the mix on championship Sunday, but we could never get over the hump," Sanders said. "In the last tournament of the season, we come away with championships. I think that taught not just the players lessons, but us as coaches to trust the process."

MORE THAN THE GAME

Winning wasn't the only major takeaway from the stellar first season.

One of the highlights was a trip to Myrle Beach to take part in the Next Level Greats Tournament, one of the largest 7-on-7 competitions in in the country. Several current and former NFL players coach teams that took part in the tournament, including former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Several 803 players had the chance to catch passes from the former MVP, who had high praise for the program.

"He came up to me and started the conversation by asking where we were from because our teams were so competitive," Sanders said. "These kids got to see these guys up close and personal. It was an experience that these kids haven't seen in their lifetime."

The experience in Myrtle Beach also shines a light on one of the biggest impacts of the first season for 803 United.

"It gives kids a chance to see things they don't normally see," Tindal said. "This gives them the chance to go all over and see other things more than football. It gives them a chance to see that there are things outside of Sumter."

Those road trips also bring the players and coaches closer together than your typical high school team.

"I think it's a little more intimate. We travel, we spend nights together, and I think that really has a profound effect on the kids," Sanders said. "We've gone to Georgia several times; we've gone as far as Tennessee and actually had an invite from Boston, but we didn't go."

The additional season also provides time for more learning on and off the field. Willie Martin serves as the offensive coordinator for Crestwood and said he was thrilled to have an additional season to help further the lives of local youths.

"It really feels great to do something for our community," Martin said. "I take pride in being a role model for kids. I like changing kids' lives for the better. That's why I continue to do it."

Sanders knows the impact coaches have on student-athletes. On top of being a coach, Sanders is a licensed psychotherapist, so he's concerned about much more than just his players' success on the field.

"I enjoy talking to the kids about life, helping them enhance their life skills. Coaching is one vehicle to do this," Sanders said. "Coaches have a different impact on kids. They look to us as fathers. They look to us as someone teaching them the game of football. They come to us when, sometimes, they don't feel like they can go to anyone else. They feel comfortable with us.

"That's a Godsend for a lot of kids and definitely for me."

That mantra of focusing on athletes on and off the field permeates the program.

"We don't focus more on winning; we focus more on being a family, wanting to be around each other, wanting to put the work in and having a good work ethic," Tindal said. "When you focus on those types of things, loving one another and appreciating the grind, the wins are going to come."

Everyone at 803 United thinks the wins are going to keep coming, too.

"This is just the beginning," Sanders said. "We're already making preparations to make next year even better. We set the bar pretty high with three national championships. That's a statement in itself of our preparation. We really get the kids prepared. When they get prepared, they're comfortable and that contributes to success."