Community Champions
Sport Fishing Championship proudly works alongside local organizations through its "Community Champions" program in order to showcase the goodwill efforts of so many people, and to leverage SFC's international media platform to create awareness for their efforts. It is our league's goal to leave a legacy in each of our championship communities. Below are a few examples of programs we're proud to have fostered and supported since founding in 2022.
Dominican Republic
During the CNSD White Marlin Tournament, SFC, CNSD directors, and representatives of Bluetide Puerto Rico (BTPR) met to discuss the 2022 Blue Economic initiatives and expansion during the SFC Season in the Caribbean waters. BTPR and its captain & crew traveled to Punta Cana aboard Blue Manta, the Innovative Research Vessel. This vessel is used for marine research, education, innovation, and the deployment of BTPR’s FAD program. Bluetide’s vision is to position the U.S. Caribbean as the international epicenter of eco-responsible innovation in blue economic development & coastal economic resilience for island territories, island states, island nations, and coastal states by 2030, and continue as such thereafter.
Louisiana
SFC worked with the education directors of Lafourche High School Marching Band and Grand Isle Students to bring a Guy Harvey Foundation (GHF) Conservation Camp to Grand Isle. During the tournament, students were brought to the marina where the Lafourche High School Marching band kicked off the LGCBC with a Louisiana-style parade to send the boats off for a weekend of fishing. The students then participated in a Conservation Camp, programmed by GHF and SFC. Students learned about the harmful waste humans leave in the ocean and how to be responsible anglers on and off the water. Students recorded their own “Say No to Plastics” campaign and submitted them to the GHF team to share for the most creative production. The following day, lower school students of Grand Isle participated in a Guy Harvey Marine Animals and Save Our Oceans Painting Activity. SFC and GHF continue to increase the visibility of conservation programs and foster unity with the tournaments and local community programs.
St. Augustine
SFC teamed up with the Florida Water Warriors to bring a special kids camp to the 50th annual NEFMA Bluewater Tournament in St. Augustine, FL. During the camp, the local community and children’s programs were invited to participate in a hands-on activity where they “took a look under the microscope” seeing the differences in water estuaries, fish scales and got to touch & feel marine animal shells.
Alabama
During the Gulf Coast Masters, SFC partnered with Mobile Big Game Fishing Club and its network of young anglers to participate in the Guy Harvey Marine Animals and Save Our Oceans inspired painting activity. While GCM were awarding for the top catches of the tournaments, kids were invited to paint like Dr. Guy Harvey and sign their own work of art!
Mississippi
As large as the MGCBC tournament is, so is the community involvement. SFC partnered with the Biloxi Boys & Girls Club to provide a Shark Talk program led by Jessica Harvey, daughter of world-renowned artist, conservationist, founder and chairman of the Guy Harvey Foundation. During this camp, Jessica led the group through with an informational and interactive program of Shark School. Jessica shared the uncommon myths and facts of about local sharks, their migratory patterns and eating habits! Students participated in a Q&A with Jessica and receive gift bags with GHF Magazines, stickers and more to take home with them.
New Jersey
Ecoventures, SFC and GHF collaborated on bringing the hands-on science lessons & went fishing! The group was instructed on the steps to rig a fishing line, tying a hook using a specific knot, adding a bobber to the line, and finally baiting the hook, appropriately! Then the students took their rods to the open water and caught & released their own fishes of the day.
New Jersey
Hanna Toft, a Cape May Native and teacher of natural sciences & technology at Cape May Tech, Hanna educates her students on the importance of hard-work and sustainability in a non-traditional classroom environment. SFC and @GaleForceTwins spent the day with Hannah on the back bay of Cape May. In the estuaries, the team learned clamming techniques including the “clam shuffle” and how important the estuaries are to the local community as well as the development of fish, including those featured in the tournament. With her involvement with the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of N.J, Hanna brought our team up close & personal to survey the Osprey nests. These are man-made platforms where ospreys can build their nests. The goal during this survey program is to collect any trash in the nest in order to remove any harmful materials that may be in their nests. Hanna and the team were able to band a young osprey in order to keep track of the growing population.
New Jersey
The @GaleForceTwins got the opportunity to represent Sport Fishing Championship and experience a day on the water with the U.S Coast Guard. The crew took out the US Coast Guard Response boat that would be used in scenarios to assist our sportfishing vessels out on the open water. The ladies had the opportunity to captain the Response boat and go through scenarios that could happen out on the water. While on the water, the team reviewed the processes, roles & responsibilities, and participated in actual training procedures such as “man overboard rescue mission” and towing procedures.
Massachusetts
SFC worked with the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club to provide an out of school learning experience that was centered around the enrichment of their STEAM programs, science and ocean conservation. This project based and exploratory conservation camp was focused on shark research and turtle egg awareness. The group viewed shark skin under a microscope, touched the jaws of life with a megalodon tooth, and created their own shark tooth necklaces to take home. The turtle activity walked them through how to identify the differences in turtle shells and where these turtles can be found, how they lay their eggs and the number of hatchlings that make it to the water.
Texas
TIFT’s mission statement is to provide a quality family-oriented fishing tournament for anglers of all ages. To kick-off Texas’ largest saltwater fishing tournament, TIFT developed Play Day that engages the local community and families participating in the tournament, promoting activities for conservation and sustainability efforts. SFC worked with the GHF to create a Guy Harvey Marine Animals and Save Our Oceans inspired painting activity within Play Day. Children painted on a life size canvas throughout the week of activities and the canvas was donated to the South Texas Health System Children’s Hospital to be added as mural in the halls