What Are the Patriot Games? A Simple Guide to America’s New Youth Competition

The Big Idea: A National Contest for Teens

Imagine a TV show where one boy and one girl from every single state—plus territories and tribal nations—get flown to a special campus in Ohio. They compete in obstacle courses, play games like dodgeball, and share why they love their country.

Important Point: This isn’t a movie. It’s a real event called the Patriot Games, backed by President Donald Trump, with $125,000 college scholarships for the winners.

How It Works: The Basics

Who Can Compete?

• Teens aged 14 to 17
• One male and one female representative per state/territory/tribal nation
• Selected through video applications

What Do They Win?

Where and When?

• Location: SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio (a sports boarding school)
• TV: Streaming live on ESPN, primetime special on ABC August 13
• Special Guest: President Trump plans to attend the finale

Meet the Competitors: Real Teens, Real Stories

Tylee Herrmann, 16 (Cherokee Nation Representative from Arizona)

"I feel like a lot of times right now, we feel disunified. I think we need something to bring us all together, because we’re the United States of America, and we need to be a little more united."

• Wants to attend Liberty University (evangelical Christian school in Virginia)
• Dreams of working in government—maybe even becoming President someday
• Faced backlash: Some friends stopped talking to her after she joined

Liam Nies, 17 (Ohio)

• Does a backflip every day and posts it on Instagram
• Lived in Belgium as a kid, moved back for middle school
• Learned about the games from Instagram influencer "Granny Bibbins"

Bobbi Vickers, 16 (Massachusetts Representative from California)

• Actually lives in California but represents Massachusetts
• Family ties to Massachusetts + loves the Boston Celtics

How Were They Chosen? The Application Process

The selection wasn’t just about athletic skills. Here’s what applicants had to do:

Step-by-Step Application Requirements:

1. Film a video answering:

   • Why do you want to compete?
   • How have sports shaped who you are?

2. List connections outside your home state (family, cultural, military, or community ties)

3. Declare biological sex on the application

   • Trump’s promise: "No men playing in women’s sports"
4. Background checks for tribal representatives (like Tylee’s Cherokee Nation verification)

What the Competitors Look Like: Demographics

Important Point: CNN’s review found patterns in who was selected:

• Many from military families or JROTC programs
• Several homeschooled students
• Large number attend private Christian schools
• Overwhelmingly White participants
• Some represent states they don’t live in:
  • Puerto Rico → Teen from Texas
  • New Jersey → Student at Texas private school
  • Massachusetts → Girl living in California

The Bigger Picture: Freedom 250 & America’s 250th Birthday

The Patriot Games are part of Freedom 250—a series of events celebrating America’s 250th birthday (2026).

Other Freedom 250 Events:

• UFC Fight Night on the White House lawn (with military flyover)
• Great American State Fair on the National Mall
• Massive July 4th fireworks in Washington, DC
• Freedom 250 IndyCar street race in downtown DC (coming soon)
• Presidential 1776 Award (civics competition in June — 1.63M viewers)

Why This Matters: Politics, Patriotism & Young People

The Gallup Poll Finding:

Only 14% of adults 18–34 say they’re "extremely proud" to be American (June 2026)

Expert Take:

"He has done more than any president that I can think of to try to graft sports onto his own identity."
— Michael L. Butterworth, University of Texas sports communication expert

The Controversy:

1. Previous contest (1776 Award) faced scoring disputes

   • Aangad Singh (son of Indian immigrants) may have been incorrectly scored
   • All three winners were White; one openly supported Trump
   • Sen. Chris Murphy questioned if immigrant background affected results

2. Patriot Games scoring confusion

   • Teens don’t understand how team events (like dodgeball) convert to individual points
   • "No two teams are equal… it’s a gamble" — Liam Nies
3. Political divide
   • Many contestants thank Trump personally in videos
   • Some linked to conservative groups (Turning Point USA, Club America)
   • Tylee’s response: "Patriotism doesn’t belong to a political party"

Summary: What You Need to Know

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

Is this like The Hunger Games?

No. The comparison comes from the "one boy, one girl per state" format and televised competition. But nobody gets hurt—it’s obstacle courses and games, not survival battles.

Do you have to be a super-athlete to get picked?

Not necessarily. Athletic skills help (backflips, parkour, sports), but the application focused heavily on patriotic essays, personal stories, and community connections.

Why do some kids represent states they don’t live in?

The application asked for "meaningful connections" outside your home state (family, cultural, military ties). Organizers used this to assign representatives.

Is this a government program or a private event?

It’s organized by Freedom 250, a Trump-backed group—not an official government agency. But it’s promoted by the administration and features presidential involvement.

What happens after the games?

Winners get scholarship money. Organizers hope it inspires patriotism and leadership in a generation where national pride is at record lows. Some contestants (like Tylee) already aim for political careers.

Final Thought: Whether you see the Patriot Games as a fun scholarship opportunity, a political spectacle, or something in between—it’s a real event happening right now with real teenagers navigating real consequences (like lost friendships) for participating. As Tylee said: "We’re the United States of America, and we need to be a little more united."