thedrifter
10-07-05, 06:23 AM
WTI Marines feel at home at Station Fitness Center
MCAS Yuma
Story by Lance Cpl. Dustin M. Rawls
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Oct. 6, 2005) -- Weapons and Tactics Instructor course Marines have many responsibilities while training in Yuma. The most important task on hand for these visiting Marines is, of course, honing their operational skills for deployment. Secondary responsibilities to this preparation are maintaining physical fitness and strengthening camaraderie with fellow Marines. Many WTI Marines have a found a way to kill two birds with one stone at the Station Fitness Center, and station Marines are supporting their efforts.
WTI Marines can be found daily at the Station Fitness Center lifting weights, participating in fitness classes and competing with station Marines in racquetball and basketball.
“A Marine’s a Marine no matter what base he’s at,” said Atonda Livingston, station varsity basketball team guard. “It shows the strength of our brotherhood when we can train at other bases, be welcomed by total strangers and get along while competing.”
There’s usually quite a tough crowd of ballers at the indoor basketball courts at the station gym Saturday and Sunday afternoons. For visiting Marine Chris Levine, it was home sweet home.
“I always play at the gym where I’m stationed -- during lunch, after work and on the weekends,” he said. “I’m glad there was such a crowd today. I always take advantage of opportunities to compete. Also, there’s not a whole lot for us to do while we’re training here, so being able to use the gym facility helps me to have a good time and relieve some stress.”
Livingston said he’s always quick to welcome visiting Marines to “his” court for their benefit and his own.
“It’s a positive thing,” Livingston said. “This base is small and there’s not much for them to do while they are here. They can come to the courts and compete with Marines who are stationed here. We’re always playing anyway, so it’s good for us to have new players to compete against.”
Levine, a native of Phoenix, said he was grateful for the warm welcome he received by station Marines and he respects the way they play ball.
“They welcomed me to their home court, which is good,” he said. “I would’ve played either way, but it’s more fun when everyone can get along and enjoy the friendly competition.
“I like the way people actually play hard during these pick-up games,” he added. “A lot times, you find guys not trying very hard, and that’s not the way I like to play ball.”
It should be every station Marine’s mission to make visiting Marines feel as at home as possible, said Livingston.
“We welcome them and let them in on the system of how things go here,” he said. “Each court can have different rules and ways of doing things. If we don’t teach them while they’re here, they might feel uncomfortable during their stay. We don’t need that.”
Livingston, who has been the visiting Marine a time or two himself, did add that although he and fellow station varsity team players welcome visitors, they do their best to make sure the visitors know whose court it is.
“When I go to different bases, I have to prove myself, and when these Marines come here, they have to prove themselves as well,” Livingston explained. “You can’t just walk onto the court without any skills and expect to be respected as a player.
“There’s always going to be a little pressure to make sure you bring your ‘A’ game when those guys are here,” he said. “Some of them might play for other bases’ varsity teams. A lot of us play on our varsity team, so we have to represent for Yuma.”
Joel Lyden, visiting Marine, said weight lifters have also been welcomed to Yuma and having access to the gym is helping him to get the most out of his time here.
“It’s been good,” said Joel Lyden, a native of La Crosse, Wis. “It’s kind of hard to make it during the weekend because the gym closes so early, but it’s been a great opportunity to keep my workouts going during WTI. Everybody has been really cool though. The Marines here have been very welcoming, and the personnel have been very helpful. Feeling more at home definitely helps make this training evolution go smoother.
“This is the only thing a lot of us have while we’re here,” he added. “We don’t have cars, we don’t know people in the community and we really don’t have that much free time. The gym is a great place to spend the free time we do have.”
Many say, “home is where you hang your hat,” but during this WTI evolution, home, for many visiting Marines, is where they lift their weights and shoot their hoops. Station Marines welcoming WTI Marines this way and helping them feel a little more at home shouldn’t sound strange to many because it’s a display of the age-old Marine Corps tradition of Marines looking out for their fellow Marines.
Ellie
MCAS Yuma
Story by Lance Cpl. Dustin M. Rawls
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Oct. 6, 2005) -- Weapons and Tactics Instructor course Marines have many responsibilities while training in Yuma. The most important task on hand for these visiting Marines is, of course, honing their operational skills for deployment. Secondary responsibilities to this preparation are maintaining physical fitness and strengthening camaraderie with fellow Marines. Many WTI Marines have a found a way to kill two birds with one stone at the Station Fitness Center, and station Marines are supporting their efforts.
WTI Marines can be found daily at the Station Fitness Center lifting weights, participating in fitness classes and competing with station Marines in racquetball and basketball.
“A Marine’s a Marine no matter what base he’s at,” said Atonda Livingston, station varsity basketball team guard. “It shows the strength of our brotherhood when we can train at other bases, be welcomed by total strangers and get along while competing.”
There’s usually quite a tough crowd of ballers at the indoor basketball courts at the station gym Saturday and Sunday afternoons. For visiting Marine Chris Levine, it was home sweet home.
“I always play at the gym where I’m stationed -- during lunch, after work and on the weekends,” he said. “I’m glad there was such a crowd today. I always take advantage of opportunities to compete. Also, there’s not a whole lot for us to do while we’re training here, so being able to use the gym facility helps me to have a good time and relieve some stress.”
Livingston said he’s always quick to welcome visiting Marines to “his” court for their benefit and his own.
“It’s a positive thing,” Livingston said. “This base is small and there’s not much for them to do while they are here. They can come to the courts and compete with Marines who are stationed here. We’re always playing anyway, so it’s good for us to have new players to compete against.”
Levine, a native of Phoenix, said he was grateful for the warm welcome he received by station Marines and he respects the way they play ball.
“They welcomed me to their home court, which is good,” he said. “I would’ve played either way, but it’s more fun when everyone can get along and enjoy the friendly competition.
“I like the way people actually play hard during these pick-up games,” he added. “A lot times, you find guys not trying very hard, and that’s not the way I like to play ball.”
It should be every station Marine’s mission to make visiting Marines feel as at home as possible, said Livingston.
“We welcome them and let them in on the system of how things go here,” he said. “Each court can have different rules and ways of doing things. If we don’t teach them while they’re here, they might feel uncomfortable during their stay. We don’t need that.”
Livingston, who has been the visiting Marine a time or two himself, did add that although he and fellow station varsity team players welcome visitors, they do their best to make sure the visitors know whose court it is.
“When I go to different bases, I have to prove myself, and when these Marines come here, they have to prove themselves as well,” Livingston explained. “You can’t just walk onto the court without any skills and expect to be respected as a player.
“There’s always going to be a little pressure to make sure you bring your ‘A’ game when those guys are here,” he said. “Some of them might play for other bases’ varsity teams. A lot of us play on our varsity team, so we have to represent for Yuma.”
Joel Lyden, visiting Marine, said weight lifters have also been welcomed to Yuma and having access to the gym is helping him to get the most out of his time here.
“It’s been good,” said Joel Lyden, a native of La Crosse, Wis. “It’s kind of hard to make it during the weekend because the gym closes so early, but it’s been a great opportunity to keep my workouts going during WTI. Everybody has been really cool though. The Marines here have been very welcoming, and the personnel have been very helpful. Feeling more at home definitely helps make this training evolution go smoother.
“This is the only thing a lot of us have while we’re here,” he added. “We don’t have cars, we don’t know people in the community and we really don’t have that much free time. The gym is a great place to spend the free time we do have.”
Many say, “home is where you hang your hat,” but during this WTI evolution, home, for many visiting Marines, is where they lift their weights and shoot their hoops. Station Marines welcoming WTI Marines this way and helping them feel a little more at home shouldn’t sound strange to many because it’s a display of the age-old Marine Corps tradition of Marines looking out for their fellow Marines.
Ellie