Tackling the finest of the FBI

Agents from the Norfolk branch of the FBI came to campus April 15 to face off with some of Virginia Wesleyan’s finest in the Extreme Challenge. Students from MBE 341 organized events in the Convocation Center, including an inflatable obstacle course, push-up counting, brain teasers and a relay race. Seven teams with three to six members on each competed for pins and T-shirts, while onlookers could have their photos taken with mock FBI IDs and placed into holders worn around the neck. Of course it wouldn’t have been complete without the free sunglasses.

Senior Justin Rice helped time the obstacle course.

“I had fun working with the FBI,” he said. “We wanted to work with them because everyone knows them. They’re well trained, and the agents who came out to do this are really fun people.”

Even though all of the agents competing volunteered to have fun, their training didn’t come easy.

“This is the fun version of what we have all trained with,” said Special Agent Morris Blueford. “When training agents, they have to run a timed 300 meters. They also have to go through a seven- week fitness and legal course.”

“We also have what’s called Hogan’s Alley,” said Special Agent Laura King. “It’s basically a mini-city that has everything like bank, theater, motel and even a crack house. Every scenario that could happen in the real world, they throw at us.”

The first event was the obstacle course. The competitors were suited up in Velcro vests and barreled through a 7-foot tube, over a wall of Velcro, through one hole and then another (they had to fight to see who got through first,) then through inflatable poles attached to the course.

Agents “holding back” students at the start, or students “openly bribing” the timers and judges of the course, added to the fun and excitement.

For a while it seemed like freshman Chelsey Barrett would be first for the Alpha Kappa Alpha team with a time of 9 seconds, but in the final race Special Agent Chris Hubbach beat her to the finish.

“It felt good doing this,” said Hubbach. “I’m glad I took time out and meet the students. I really enjoyed the camaraderie with everyone here.”

After the obstacle course, it was on to the push-ups. Whoever could do the most in one minute would be the winner. At first it seemed like junior Pat Fulgham would be the undisputed winner with 87 push-ups, but in the end, Special Agent Bill Godfrey beat him out with 94.

“I had a blast coming out and having fun,” said Godfrey. “I like the variety of challenges.”

The third event was the brain teasers. Each competitor had to figure out three different puzzles that only the judges had seen. The champion for this round was sophomore David Fisher.

“All I did was glance at it, figure it out, then show it to the judge,” said Fisher. “I honestly don’t know how it happened, but I still beat the FBI.”

The final event was the relay race. Set up on the track, members from each team had to run through six tires, dash to the first turn to a tricycle, and pedal past the next turn to the baseball bat, spin around seven times with the bat, then go back the same way.

Running through six tires could also be interpreted as jumping over, and pedaling a tricycle could mean running the whole way if one couldn’t get it working. The winner of the relay race was Special Agent Chris Hubbach.

“I like the relay race the best,” said Special Agent Mike Hubbard.

“Doing this with the college students was a great experience, especially because it got us out of the office,” he laughed.