Two players with the National Football League trained with Israeli soldiers last week as part of an introduction to the country’s military drills.
Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson and free-agent cornerback Josh Norman trained with Israel Defense Forces soldiers’ on March 5 at the Wingate Institute in Netanya. They completed obstacle courses, took lessons in Krav Maga and received a briefing by IDF soldiers on threats facing Israel from areas including the Gaza Strip, Syria and Lebanon.
The athletes also learned how IDF combat soldiers prepare for battle.
Their trip to Israel was part of a collaboration with RoboActive #2069, an Israeli high school group that participates in the International FIRST Robotics Competition. Peterson hosted two robotics teams at his personal gym before meeting the group of Israeli students at a 2017 robotics competition in Houston, Texas, reported Fox News.
“It’s amazing to get in there and train with these guys because they are at the top of their game at being in combat,” said Norman.
Peterson added, “To go through some of the training and see the focus that it takes, the mental toughness ... it just gives you a different appreciation for the training they do on a daily basis.”
Both athletes said that they would like to return to Israel to continue their philanthropic efforts, according to Fox News.
