thedrifter
12-16-05, 02:34 PM
Cup captured: Recruit trainers take trophy as annual competition ends
MCRD San Diego
Story by Staff Sgt. Scott Dunn
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO (Dec. 16, 2005) -- Recruit Training Regiment took home the depot's 2005 Commanding General's Cup Dec. 9 despite a cohesive Coast Guard pack triumphing and Headquarters and Service Battalion placing second in the cup's finale.
About 200 Marines, sailors, Coast Guardsmen and civilians met at the boathouse and marina to see four teams face six challenges: an egg toss, the Dizzy Izzy, cooperative push-ups, kayaking, a tug-of-war, and a 600-yard relay.
After scoring big throughout the year in several athletic competitions - eight first-place showings and eight second-place showings in 18 events - RTR entered the field with a hefty lead in overall cup standings and was able to claim the trophy simply by showing up. First places in basketball, softball, bowling and the Saint Patrick's Day fun run gave RTR the high ground.
Second place in the '05 season, however, was a toss up between H&S and Coast Guard - advantage H&S. Crouching in last place, the 12th Marine Corps Recruiting District entered as small-fry competition poised to disrupt the final outcome.
Before the meet kicked off, leaders assembled their teams and gave pre-game speeches. A tongue-in-cheek Col. Robert O. Sinclair, RTR commanding officer, told a huddle of drill instructors and officers, "All I care about is winning."
Sinclair tried to follow his leadership with a winning example when he and Sgt. Maj. Randall Carter, regimental sergeant major, competed in the first event. Team commanders paired up and tossed eggs; District was first to spill yolk; then Coast Guard broke next and too was eliminated.
The tosses became progressively farther and more difficult. Sinclair and opponent Col. Matthew D. Redfern, H&S Bn. commanding officer, each dropped several passes, and a forgiving sod spared elimination until Sinclair's egg broke in his hand. H&S won, and a sportsmanly Redfern accepted a gooey handshake from Sinclair.
A front-running H&S extended its lead by placing first and third in the next event. In the Dizzy Izzy relay race, competitors dizzied themselves using a bat as a pivot before racing off and stumbling like toddlers.
H&S lost momentum and Coast Guard picked it up during a push-up contest in which four teammates assumed the standard position but at right angles, all in the same rotary direction, and with each person suspending his feet on a teammate's back. District placed first in the push-up contest, but Coast Guard scored second- and third-place points.
With a prevalent cheering section, Coast Guard continued its surge, racing neck and neck with RTR in the kayak relay and winning first and third in that event. The Coast Guardsmen flexed the most might by sweeping all comers in the following tug-o-war heats.
"Events like (the field meet) bring everybody together," said Sgt. Demetris A. Hye, whose sprinting in a six-man, there-and-back relay race kept H&S in second place. "Some of these are Marines in the company we don't even know, but we pull for them anyway because we strive for a common goal."
Coast Guard won the field meet, which concluded with depot commanding general Brig. Gen. John M. Paxton Jr. presenting checks and hardware to the CG's Cup winning units. RTR went home with the CG's Cup and a $300 check from Marine Corps Community Services.
Brig. Gen. Paxton also recognized Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Misty Durham as the CG's Cup Female Athlete of the Year and RTR's Gunnery Sgt. Chris Balcazar as the Male Athlete of the Year.
Lance Cpl. Dorian Gardner contributed to this report.
Ellie
MCRD San Diego
Story by Staff Sgt. Scott Dunn
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO (Dec. 16, 2005) -- Recruit Training Regiment took home the depot's 2005 Commanding General's Cup Dec. 9 despite a cohesive Coast Guard pack triumphing and Headquarters and Service Battalion placing second in the cup's finale.
About 200 Marines, sailors, Coast Guardsmen and civilians met at the boathouse and marina to see four teams face six challenges: an egg toss, the Dizzy Izzy, cooperative push-ups, kayaking, a tug-of-war, and a 600-yard relay.
After scoring big throughout the year in several athletic competitions - eight first-place showings and eight second-place showings in 18 events - RTR entered the field with a hefty lead in overall cup standings and was able to claim the trophy simply by showing up. First places in basketball, softball, bowling and the Saint Patrick's Day fun run gave RTR the high ground.
Second place in the '05 season, however, was a toss up between H&S and Coast Guard - advantage H&S. Crouching in last place, the 12th Marine Corps Recruiting District entered as small-fry competition poised to disrupt the final outcome.
Before the meet kicked off, leaders assembled their teams and gave pre-game speeches. A tongue-in-cheek Col. Robert O. Sinclair, RTR commanding officer, told a huddle of drill instructors and officers, "All I care about is winning."
Sinclair tried to follow his leadership with a winning example when he and Sgt. Maj. Randall Carter, regimental sergeant major, competed in the first event. Team commanders paired up and tossed eggs; District was first to spill yolk; then Coast Guard broke next and too was eliminated.
The tosses became progressively farther and more difficult. Sinclair and opponent Col. Matthew D. Redfern, H&S Bn. commanding officer, each dropped several passes, and a forgiving sod spared elimination until Sinclair's egg broke in his hand. H&S won, and a sportsmanly Redfern accepted a gooey handshake from Sinclair.
A front-running H&S extended its lead by placing first and third in the next event. In the Dizzy Izzy relay race, competitors dizzied themselves using a bat as a pivot before racing off and stumbling like toddlers.
H&S lost momentum and Coast Guard picked it up during a push-up contest in which four teammates assumed the standard position but at right angles, all in the same rotary direction, and with each person suspending his feet on a teammate's back. District placed first in the push-up contest, but Coast Guard scored second- and third-place points.
With a prevalent cheering section, Coast Guard continued its surge, racing neck and neck with RTR in the kayak relay and winning first and third in that event. The Coast Guardsmen flexed the most might by sweeping all comers in the following tug-o-war heats.
"Events like (the field meet) bring everybody together," said Sgt. Demetris A. Hye, whose sprinting in a six-man, there-and-back relay race kept H&S in second place. "Some of these are Marines in the company we don't even know, but we pull for them anyway because we strive for a common goal."
Coast Guard won the field meet, which concluded with depot commanding general Brig. Gen. John M. Paxton Jr. presenting checks and hardware to the CG's Cup winning units. RTR went home with the CG's Cup and a $300 check from Marine Corps Community Services.
Brig. Gen. Paxton also recognized Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Misty Durham as the CG's Cup Female Athlete of the Year and RTR's Gunnery Sgt. Chris Balcazar as the Male Athlete of the Year.
Lance Cpl. Dorian Gardner contributed to this report.
Ellie