A strong competitive spirit — when channeled positively — can lead to personal and professional growth, improved performance and enhanced resilience. It can also motivate individuals to strive for excellence, embrace challenges and learn from setbacks.

That’s the thought behind the inaugural Battle in the Bluff: Tug of War Competition — the brainchild of Joe Gentry,  founder and owner of G.I. Joe’s Gym in Moss Bluff.

“My intention for Battle in the Bluff has always been to show off the competitive edge of people who love to work out, love to compete and it doesn’t contain a ball,” Gentry said. “Ultimately, people of all ages can do it. It’s a way to bring competitive people with like-minded competitive spirits and team building to our area.”

Gentry said the event will be set up in such a way that resembles the Roman Colosseum — spectators on bleachers will circle the stage where the participants compete and outside the “arena” will be food trucks, games, vendors, a DJ and sound stage, and a backdrop of military vehicles.

Lake Charles Police Department SWAT officers will also give demonstrations with their new robot dog.

“We have lots of military and law enforcement coming from all over to compete in this and the intent is we want people to get that competitive drive again,” Gentry said. “We are trying to build that competitive spirit up from young ages to where fitness becomes a part of their lives.”

The event is family-friendly with no alcohol allowed.

“This is strictly a fun, engaging event where parents can get their kids out of the house and go get them on the other end of a rope and pull against some other kids and build that competitive spirit,” he said.

Gentry said some people tend to be too afraid to try new things for fear of failure. Battle in the Bluff could change that.

“When you fail individually it feels different than failing as a team,” he said. “Winning as a team and failing as a team is completely different than individual failures. We want kids to be part of a team environment and we want them to win or lose as a team. It’s about the people around you, not about yourself.”

Derick Franus, a certified personal trainer and nutritionist at G.I. Joe’s Gym, said there will be five slots on each team. If individuals come alone they can be assigned to “plugger teams.”

“Honestly those will probably be the ones who come away with a best friend from this,” Franus said. “Everyone shows up, everyone goes through the struggle together. Win, lose or draw, you went through something with somebody. That’s what we want it to be.”

Franus said the day will feature “physical-based play rather than tablet-based play.”

“We’ll have the impossible mile. We’ll outline a little track and we’ll see who can survive doing lunges all around or burpee broad jumps. The ‘coliseum’ will be hosting the strength side of things but we want to showcase all of fitness.”

Gentry and Franus are both former military members.

“I enlisted in the Army National Guard and was called into active duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom III,” Gentry said. “I served two years on active duty in Iraq at the beginning of the war. I was an infantry solider right after the invasion.”

He was also in Baghdad when Iraq held its first free national election in decades on Jan. 30, 2005.

“I watched them walk out with their blue thumbs after voting,” he said proudly.

A staff sergeant, Gentry helped lead teams and troops into combat.

“When you’re in a combat zone, the private is more important than a lieutenant sometimes,” he said. “When a private walks up and says he sees something in the window, you listen. If a lieutenant is telling you to go in but the private is telling you there is a guy with a gun, you re-evaluate your decisions. That’s how important camaraderie is and the brotherhood is. You listen to the smallest, youngest, least-ranked person just as much as you listen to the lieutenant giving orders.”

Though his service is over, Gentry said he will remain a soldier for life.

“You carry that with you, everyday,” he said. “Every single day.”

Still in touch with his “brotherhood,” Gentry said there is nothing that can replace the feeling of a buddy having your back in a combat environment.

“There’s no words,” he said. “We’re all trying not to die and we do everything we possibly can to watch each others’ backs so that doesn’t happen.”

Franus is a former firefighter and trained combat medic.

Both said they hope Battle in the Bluff will help participants build a similar camaraderie with their teammates.

“Failure has a lot to do with people getting better in life,” Gentry said. “If you don’t face failure, then it’s going to be a very rough life. The younger that we can start kids in that competitive spirit and learning it’s not about them, it’s about the team the better off our society will be.”

Egos must be pushed aside.

“The right tackle is just as important as the quarterback,” Gentry said. “If a right tackle thinks he should be the quarterback and not the right tackle, then things are going to go wrong.”

Battle in the Bluff is open to middle school-aged children and up.

There will divisions for students, businesses, law enforcement and military, and weight class.

Participants will compete against like-minded, equally sized people, Franus assured.

It’s free for all teams to enter and each team has the chance to win $500 for each competition. There will also be an award for best costume.

Battle in the Bluff is set for June 14 at the Moss Bluff Soccer Complex at 256 Jones Road behind Rouse’s supermarket. Team weigh-ins are at 9 a.m. and the competition will kick off at 11 a.m. Teams can register now at GIJoesGym.com.

Vendors can set up the night before. There are no fees to be a vendor.

“There’s plenty of festivals and fairs that you can go to where it’s all about food or it’s all about alcohol; it’s a good time but it’s more or less not building anything up,” Franus said. “What we’re trying to do is a celebration of strength and the competitive spirit.”

There will be face painting, bounce houses, a miniature tug of war, water slides and an inflatable ax throw for children attending.

There will be an admission fee of $10 per person. A portion of all the proceeds will go to the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Association.

“We just hope this catches on where people are not intimidated to come out and compete,” Gentry said. “The gym is more than just a mental outlet and a physical outlet. It really is something families can be part of.”