FORT BENNING, Ga.- Soldiers of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division will take on the Columbus Lions in a game of flag football at Essenbagger Field, located on Kelley Hill, Nov. 27.
The Sledgehammer Brigade will host a Turkey Bowl flag football tournament starting at 7:30 a.m. with the winner playing the indoor football team at 12:30 p.m.
Coach Jason Gibson, head coach of the Columbus Lions, said the team looks forward to taking on Sledgehammer Soldiers on their home field. The Lions’ coach also said he looks forward to meeting Soldiers and experiencing the camaraderie.
Gibson and the players visited Fort Benning in May and participated in an early morning physical fitness session with tankers from the brigade. The session included warm up drills, singing cadences during a 2-mile run and sprints alongside the Soldiers. Wednesday will be the team’s first time competing against Soldiers.
The team is excited to be playing against Soldiers. This is the first time we’ve done something like this, Gibson said.
The Sledgehammer Brigade’s 203rd Brigade Support Battalion is fielding one of the six teams vying for the opportunity to play against the Lions. Staff Sgt. Rodsom Wint, coach of the Eagle Battalion’s team, has coached flag football for the last 10 years. He admits size and strength may lead a team to victory during a regular football game when players wear a helmet and pads, but flag football adds another dimension.
“Flag football is about two things, spacing and fineness. If you can take advantage of these things, you’ll play better than someone who is stronger,” said Wint.
The Lions may have an advantage in terms of talent on the field, but knowledge of the game is also important added Gibson.
“Flag football is about who understands how to play flag football. Flag football isn’t really about who has the best athletes. It never has been,”
Gibson made it known that even though his players look forward to the camaraderie, they fully intend to walk away victorious.
“It’s going to be fun, and interesting. If you line up to play a game with my players, they’re going to play to win. They’re not just going to line up to have fun.”
Wint knows he may not have the biggest, strongest and fastest players on the field, but win, lose or draw, they are determined to have a good time.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to play with who we have, and we’re going to try to win. But most importantly, we’re going to have fun doing it,” said Wint.
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2013 16:26 |
| Story ID: | 117174 |
| Location: | COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
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This work, Sledgehammer Brigade preps to take on Columbus Lions, by LTC Ellis Gales, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
