Pingpong champ heats up Virginia

Photo By Spc. Deborah Ledesma | Staff Sgt. William Britt, a pad manager with the 730th Quartermaster Battalion, returns a serve during a pingpong match. Britt's ping pong skills have made him a legend at Camp Virginia, Kuwait.  

03.28.2007

Story by Spc. Deborah Ledesma 

40th Public Affairs Detachment

By Spc. Debrah A. Robertson
40th Public Affairs Detachment

KUWAIT - "I hadn't played in 15 or 16 years," said Staff Sgt. William Britt, a pad manager with the 730th Quartermaster Battalion.

Pingpong may not be Britt's life, but when he deployed nine months ago to Camp Virginia, Kuwait, in support of Third Army/U.S. Army Central, it definitely became a big part of it.

Britt began playing the sport in college more than decade ago. His competitive spirit drove him to try to beat a fellow student who was quite talented at pingpong, said Britt, a Durham, N.C., native.

"I gotta beat this guy," he remembers thinking.

After playing his entire college career, he began to enjoy it, and eventually he did defeat his previously unbeatable competition his junior year.

Now, nearly 16 years later, and 16 years of absenteeism from pingpong, Britt came back to the sport he loves.

"When I mobilized, there was a little recreation center at Fort Dix, N.J., with a pingpong table," said Britt.

Picking up the paddle again was a natural for Britt. Soon he was playing better than ever before and was quickly becoming a winning force in his unit.

"He does some crazy stuff," said Spc. Matt Taylor, the 730th's Morale, Welfare and Recreation representative, of Britt's pingpong moves.

"The way he spins the ball," said Taylor shaking his head. "He talks you out of your game. He talks trash the whole game."

Intimidated by Britt's playing ability and dying to beat him, the Soldiers of the 730th are always looking for someone better than "Boochie," as Britt is affectionately nicknamed.

"When we get new guys at the MWR, we say 'you got anyone who can play,'" said Taylor. "If they do, we go get 'Boochie.' People from all over the camp come to watch."

"He doesn't just win," said Taylor, "the other guy barely gets four points."

A little friendly competition is just what the 730th Quartermaster Battalion promises from their pingpong champ. Working with coalition forces adds a new element of fun to the game. Britt challenges his coalition counterparts often, and coalition troops are always trying to find their best to beat the champ.

"Almost all the countries [that] move through here have someone who plays pingpong," said Taylor.

"Everyone comes with their own paddle in a case," said Britt. "I play with whatever they have - rubber coming off the paddle."

"I'll be asleep and get a phone call. 'We got a guy over here we think you can't beat,'" said Britt of his unusual wake up calls.

Defeating the other service member, Britt will say, "You brought me over here for this?"

Several weeks ago, Britt finally met his match. During a tournament, South Korea brought their pingpong champ, a young soldier who taught the sport before joining the army.

"It was standing room only. It was intimidating. I was nervous," said Britt. "It was best two out of three. The first one, I won. The last two, he won."

Now the 730th Quartermaster Battalion hopes to triumph against Britt with one of their fellow unit members.

"Capt. Brian Alkire studies styles online," laughed Britt.

"I've been trying to beat him since we got here," said Alkire, 730th Quartermaster Battalion's MWR officer. "It's not just me. Everyone's trying to beat him."

"I'm his arch enemy only by my desire to beat him, not my skill level."

Both cheering Britt on and hoping to defeat him themselves, the Soldiers of the 730th Quartermaster Battalion continue to seek out challengers.

• Date Taken: 03.28.2007
• Date Posted: 03.28.2007 14:08
• Story ID: 9652