Top team: The team from Revere Middle School is the reigning Corporate Challenge champion after winning the 2019 competition.
Once upon a time, there was a popular community event that attracted hundreds of participants to enjoy a day in the sun, while raising money for charity. Then an unfortunate pandemic swept the globe, sending office workers home, shuttering retail stores and restaurants and making “social distancing,” “the new normal,” and “work from home” the new buzzwords.
As the effects of the pandemic have subsided and more workers are returning to the office, Westchase District’s Corporate Challenge will return on Friday, October 14. “We are excited to bring Corporate Challenge back for its 24th year,” said Sherry Fox, vice president of communications for Westchase District. “We recognize that not everyone is ready to return to competition, but with almost 60% of office workers returning in Houston and about 90% of crowds having returned to public sporting events, we figure the Corporate Challenge will appeal to that nexus of individuals.”
Teams compete in athletic events like the Briefcase Relay.
Since the omicron variant was still spreading earlier this year, Westchase District staff decided to postpone Corporate Challenge until October, instead of its usual April date. According to weather data, the average temperature in Houston in April is 76 degrees, while the average high in October is 79 degrees. “We may not get much relief from the temperatures, but I think it will be a great time to bring back Corporate Challenge,” said Fox.
Participants ready
“Our team is excited about the return of Corporate Challenge,” said Beth Holman, marketing manager of Tri-Tech Engineering & Surveying. “We’ve participated for many years and have missed the opportunity to have fun and meet others in the community. We’re just waiting for the District to tell us what the events will be so we can start practicing. Just kidding…we never practice. But we always have a good time.”
Competitors can expect that Corporate Challenge will look much like it did pre-2020. There will be a morning competition and an afternoon competition. Each team will be made up of four to six people and must be coed. All teams will participate in six different athletic events, which could include soccer, dodge ball and kickball. The top team in each event and the top three teams overall will be recognized. The high performing team of the day will receive the Corporate Challenge traveling trophy to display at their office.
“As everyone who has ever participated in Corporate Challenge knows, the event is not about the athletics; it’s about having fun, meeting other business professionals and hanging out with your colleagues,” said Fox. It’s also about raising money for charity, as all proceeds benefit the Westchase District Community Fund and Quillian Center’s summer day camps.
For more information, visit westchasedistrict.com/challenge or email sfox@westchasedistrict.com.
