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HALIFAX, Canada – No matter what country someone is from, a common unifier of all cultures is a shared love of sports. For some Sailors from USS Wasp, reaching out to fellow Sailors from other countries meant playing them in a basketball tournament in Halifax, Canada, June 26, as part of the Canadian Naval Centennial and International Fleet Review week festivities.
“The tournament was a chance to help foster a spirit of cooperation through competitive sports,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer (AW/SW) Darryl Burton, aviation ordnanceman, Wasp’s basketball head coach. “It was also a chance for our guys to just get out and enjoy themselves by playing their favorite game.”
The tournament featured players from Wasp, USS Gettysburg, USS Robert G. Bradley, and USCGC Escanaba playing together as “Team USA” against similarly unified teams from Great Britain and Denmark.
During the tournament, Team USA first defeated the British team 93-18, with the Brits then facing off against the Danish team and defeating them 38-30. The Americans then capped off the tournament by beating the Danes 62-30.
“The whole thing was fun and exciting,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class (SW) David Watts, ship’s serviceman, who played point guard for the American team. “It was a new experience playing British and Danish players. Neither of the teams that we played gave up, and they both showed great sportsmanship.”
For some of the British players, participating in the tournament was a challenge, since basketball is not a hugely popular sport in their native land.
“I played basketball eight years ago for my college team in Birmingham, England,” said Leading Regulator Gareth Brazendale of HMS Sutherland. “Basketball is not our national game, so I didn’t think we had much of a chance against the Americans, but I still enjoyed playing in the tournament.”
“Royal Navy ships typically have soccer and rugby teams, but usually not an organized basketball team,” added Warrant Officer Dave Morton, also from Sutherland. “But this tournament, as well as all of the festivities this week, was a good chance to be able to meet Sailors from other navies and talk about the different ways that we operate.”
For the U.S. Coast Guard players from Escanaba, playing in the tournament was a chance to get a taste of more varied competition.
“We usually play in tournaments in the Boston area and do pretty well,” said Chief Petty Officer Chad Johnson, boatswain’s mate, the Escanaba team’s head coach. “Playing in this tournament was a chance to experience camaraderie with our Navy brethren and see what other ships’ and countries’ teams are like.”
For some of the Wasp players, the tournament was just a chance to spend an afternoon playing the game they love.
“I’ve been playing basketball my whole life, right through junior and senior high school,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class (AW/SW) Donald Williams, aviation boatswain’s mate (handling), who played shooting guard for the American team. “It was just fun playing the other nations’ teams to see how each country plays its own style of basketball.”
Wasp is currently participating in the Canadian Naval Centennial and International Fleet Review Week that began on June 25 and concludes July 2. Wasp Sailors and Marines, including embarked Carrier Strike Group 2, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22, and 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines are participating in various cultural and sporting events during the visit aimed at strengthening relationships and the strong bilateral and multilateral ties shared between the Canadian navy and its allies.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2010 16:44 |
| Story ID: | 52042 |
| Location: | HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CA |
| Web Views: | 188 |
| Downloads: | 147 |
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