Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Houx | Sgt. 1st Class Jason Wootten, Task Force 38 plans noncommissioned officer in charge,...... read more read more
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — A group of Task Force 38 National Guard Soldiers came together during their deployment at Joint Base Balad to share their love for sports and continue their civilian hobbies. They spent their free time working as the Task Force 38 softball team and faced off against different units at the softball field here.
Looking for a constructive event to fill time outside of the office, Master Sgt. Bill Sanders, senior supply sergeant for Task Force 38, responded to a softball league announcement shortly after arriving in country. He worked with his fellow Soldiers in the unit to gather players and create a team.
"It beats sitting in your room in your free time, and the competition is fun," said Sanders of Muncie, Ind.
Demonstrating their teamwork, Sanders said he and the other players shifted between multiple field positions to meet the needs of the team throughout the four seasons in which the unit participated.
"We played people wherever they wanted to play and were comfortable to play that day. It has never been all that serious," he said. "It was just fun."
For Capt. Megan Eldred, Task Force 38 intelligence shift officer in charge, playing softball was fun and an outlet from deployed life. She played softball since the age of six and was happy to be a part of one of the few team sports she enjoyed while deployed here.
"I'm happy Task Force 38 has a softball team," said Eldred, Mooresville, Ind., resident. "It's a good way to get rid of stress."
She said along with having fun, the game was about getting away from the work environment and creating a bond with other Soldiers in the unit.
"It's a chance to get out of the office and have some camaraderie with something not involving the military," said Eldred.
Due to separate work locations and shifts, Sgt. Maj. Mike Espinda, Task Force 38 operations sergeant major, said playing softball provided the chance to build relations and expand camaraderie with Soldiers in the unit he might otherwise rarely see.
"You get the chance to get to know new people," said Espinda, a Shelbyville, Ind., resident. "You have people playing that you don't usually work with throughout the week."
Through playing together in the multiple seasons, Espinda said the Task Force 38 softball team learned each other's strengths and weaknesses, and worked to create the best team possible. Because of their friendships and ability to work together, the softball team ensured a fun experience for everyone and ended their final season with the team's best league record.
"I enjoyed playing the game, I enjoyed being with friends within the unit, and I enjoy building the team," said Espinda.
The team's coach and Task Force 38 brigade aviation maintenance special project and construction noncommissioned officer in charge, Sgt. 1st Class Barry Pemberton, said the softball league's benefits expanded past the unit friendships and teamwork it help develop.
"You get to play with other teams, find out where they work and how they can help you," said Pemberton of Franklin, Ind.
While the softball team was a recreational activity to fill free time, participants gained a stronger camaraderie with Soldiers in Task Force 38, new friends in different units throughout JBB, stress relief, and a break from every day operations. As proof of their teamwork, the Task Force 38 softball team ended their final season of their deployment with a winning record.
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2010 09:54 |
| Story ID: | 47383 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 77 |
This work, Softball builds teamwork on, off field, by SFC Elizabeth Houx, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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