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Strength acquired through the army is being instilled into Killeen’s next generation

Posted at 8:50 PM, Nov 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-21 06:51:10-05

Mental fortitude, something our United States military is known for, is being instilled into a certain group of children in Killeen.

During an ambush while serving in the Army overseas in Iraq, Neal Saunders realized his life’s purpose.

Growing up, Saunders always wanted to “change the world” though it was never truly clear how he was to actually achieve that dream. He had always excelled in sports, and eventually became a D1 athlete, but it wasn’t until his time spent in combat for our nation that his dream started to come to fruition.

In a particular instance in combat during an ambush, Saunders recounts realizing the great importance of teamwork, something he had learned years ago during his time spent in sports. His love for sports then began to grow once again, and it was during that time he realized that his mission in life was to instill both mental and physical strength into the next generation through sports.

Saunders returned to Killeen after his time spent overseas and decided to open Soldier Up, a sports facility in Killeen that concentrates on strength both inside and out.

In what could be mistaken for just a simple practice facility and weight room, much more is at play. The guiding principles behind the entire facility is based in instilling mental and physical fortitude into the next generation through sports.

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