thedrifter
01-17-07, 06:42 PM
Armed Forces Soccer Teams Compete in Jacksonville
Last Update: 1/17/2007 5:12:03 PM
Posted By: Ali Gorman
Teams from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are competing in the Armed Forces Soccer Tournament to improve moral and build support.
They may not look like your typical soldiers, blocking friendly opponents on a soccer field, instead of roadside bombs in Baghdad. But these active duty soccer players also have a mission. "You know this is a great morale booster basically," said one player Navy air crewman Jason Tinch.
Select players from the Army, Navy, Air force, Marines and Coast Guard are in Jacksonville this week competing in the Armed Forces Tournament. And for many of them it couldn't come at a better time. "Many of these guys have been in Iraq for several deployments and Afghanistan and it's a time for them to relax and to get away," said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Joe Ponseti who is coaching the Navy/Coast Guard team.
For marine officer Karl Schlegel, he's just back from serving seven months in Fallujah where he lost seven commrades. "Being there and coming back - it's kind of one of those things you take for granted- what you have now and you make every minute count," he said.
So they're all making every minute count while proudly representing their service, but still they say the fun is bittersweet as they remember their commrades fighting on another field thousands of miles away.
"We're here for them. I pray for them every day and hopefully everything works out for everybody over there," said Tinch. "It's all about the guy on your right and left-I'm out there to support them and they would do the same for me," added Schlegel.
The tournament will last through Monday. Then an all-star team will be chosen to compete against other military teams in Brazil.
Ellie
Last Update: 1/17/2007 5:12:03 PM
Posted By: Ali Gorman
Teams from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are competing in the Armed Forces Soccer Tournament to improve moral and build support.
They may not look like your typical soldiers, blocking friendly opponents on a soccer field, instead of roadside bombs in Baghdad. But these active duty soccer players also have a mission. "You know this is a great morale booster basically," said one player Navy air crewman Jason Tinch.
Select players from the Army, Navy, Air force, Marines and Coast Guard are in Jacksonville this week competing in the Armed Forces Tournament. And for many of them it couldn't come at a better time. "Many of these guys have been in Iraq for several deployments and Afghanistan and it's a time for them to relax and to get away," said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Joe Ponseti who is coaching the Navy/Coast Guard team.
For marine officer Karl Schlegel, he's just back from serving seven months in Fallujah where he lost seven commrades. "Being there and coming back - it's kind of one of those things you take for granted- what you have now and you make every minute count," he said.
So they're all making every minute count while proudly representing their service, but still they say the fun is bittersweet as they remember their commrades fighting on another field thousands of miles away.
"We're here for them. I pray for them every day and hopefully everything works out for everybody over there," said Tinch. "It's all about the guy on your right and left-I'm out there to support them and they would do the same for me," added Schlegel.
The tournament will last through Monday. Then an all-star team will be chosen to compete against other military teams in Brazil.
Ellie