Former Special Forces personnel were on campus yet again during the weekend of September 26 to complete phase three of The Program with the Colorado men’s basketball team. Since 2012, head coach Tad Boyle has used The Program to strengthen his team’s chemistry and leadership before the season begins.
The Program offers many services, but is primarily known for “Judgment Day” and the three stages that accompany it. It begins with Log Pole Judgment Day in year one, followed by Combat Mindset Judgment Day in year two where players are introduced to the “House of Pain.” The final installment in year three is Small Boat Judgment Day.
Each year the same primary lessons that embody The Program are preached, but the challenges and specific focus change.
“That’s something I like about The Program is they switch it up each year so it’s not the same thing,” Boyle said. “It is physically taxing and mentally draining and shared adversity, so there are plenty of common themes. But they are different exercises and different challenges each year.”
The Buffs were greeted by a familiar face in Sam Cila who was on hand for Combat Mindset Judgment Day a year ago. A retired U.S. Army staff sergeant, Cila has been a lead instructor of The Program since 2008 after serving combat tours in Iraq where he earned a Purple Heart after losing an arm in action.
