Photo By Rick Emert | FORT CARSON, Colo. — Fort Carson defenders close in on United States Air Force...... read more read more
By Walt Johnson
Mountaineer staff
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Youth football athletes from Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base and the United States Air Force Academy began the 2022 youth sports season Sept. 17, 2022, at Pershing Field on post.
Otis Forrest, Fort Carson youth sports director, said the young athletes from each of the military installations in Colorado Springs were beyond eager to get the season started.
Forrest said the athletes were given a three-week practice schedule to prepare for the season.
“It’s always great to begin a particular season of youth sports. We look forward to the sports and life education that our kids get from the great coaches,” said Forrest. “The kids, the coaches and the parents we have, we couldn’t have as successful a program as we have, and we are so thankful for them and what they contribute to the programs here.”
Joseph Greene is one of the coaches Forrest looks at when he mentions the positive impact they have on the program. Greene coaches one of the post youth football teams and it saw its first game of the season Saturday. Greene said opening day brought back some fond memories for him from his youth sport days.
“I remember when I was younger, and we we’re preparing for opening day; it was an exciting day. I remember having my uniform all prepared and ready to go. I was up very early and excited to be able to play sports that day,” said Greene. “On game day you just wanted to get out on the field and let everything go.
You didn’t know everything, but you knew that you had the opportunity to learn a few things, so it’s exciting just to be able to take part in sports at that time.”
Greene may have had a flashback to his youth as his sons got ready to play their first game of the season. He said his kids were ready to go at 6 a.m. and he had to remind them that the game wasn’t for another four hours. Greene said he was happy to see his kids eager to go out and play the game because of his coaching and parenting philosophy.
“I love the game of football first and foremost. And my biggest thing as a coach is to teach the players the fundamentals of the game, how to have respect for the game and how … I have respect for life in general,” said Greene. “I think sports plays a big role in the development of young people but it’s not all about being an athlete for me. It’s about being an athlete and being a good contributing human being with the rest of their life also.”
“That is what was instilled in me as a young man, and I want to pass that on to the next generation. I think it turned out well for me, so I think its worth doing for this generation also,” said Greene.
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.23.2022 14:37 |
| Story ID: | 429989 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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