Team at Test: Sea Trials

"Members of the United States Naval Academy freshman class do sit-ups at the wet and sandy station during the annual Sea Trials training exercise at the U.S. Naval Academy on May 13, 2014 in Annapolis, Maryland. For 14 hours, the United States Naval Academy freshman class, also known as Plebes, worked as a team to complete many grueling physical and mental challenges that help prepare them for real-world experiences and reinforce leadership, bonds, trust, and teamwork."

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDESHOW

When most think of sport, they think of some sort of classic game including a ball. But at the core, sport by definition is more about teamwork, training and unity.

Beyond competitive physical activity, there is also a mental aspect to sport, which the freshman United States Naval Academy are familiar with. Also known as Plebes, the annual Sea Trials training exercise at the U.S. Naval Academy is a prime example that the freshman class are not only a team within their own company, but universally as midshipmen.

Covering the Sea Trials for Getty Images, I shot for a couple hours, of the 14 hours, that these midshipmen worked as together to complete many grueling competitive physical and mental challenges that help reinforce: leadership, bonds, trust, and teamwork. These governed challenges, which there is no score, or even winner determined, test their skills and help achieve a common goal that aims at improving their physical and cognitive abilities.

Their determination to be the best shines through as they try acheive greatness and standout from those that came before them. Of the challenges, they endured: a two-mile regimental run, ground fights, water tactics, aquatics challenges, and survival skills, amongst many others.

Pain, sweat and suffering only create bonds that at the end of the grueling day bring the plebes together as one team.