CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The Charleston AFB Hurricanes softball team came out with first place in the Military World Series tournament in Orlando Fla. from Aug. 17 to 19.
The tournament included 24 military teams from the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force and was sponsored by the United States Slowpitch Softball Association. The Hurricanes went undefeated for all six games they played.
The last time the Hurricanes played in the Military World Series was in 2005, where they came in 2nd place. The team's captain, Tech. Sgt Robert Sadwick, 437th Operations Support Squadron, participated in that tournament as well and says the team improves every time they participate.
"Now that we are world champions, we'll work on moving up in class," said Sergeant Sadwick. "I have no doubt that we will be successful as long as we employ the same attitude and dedication that we've established."
Try-outs for the team began in May; out of the 30-35 people who tried out, 16 made the roster. Since the team is limited to the amount of players they can keep on the roster, they seek out community tournaments across the state to play in that will offer as much playing time for everyone as possible.
"There is so much talent to choose from; it's difficult to include everyone," said Sergeant Sadwick. "But I've seen individuals who were mainly back-up or bench players, work hard and play their way into the line-up when given a chance and ultimately receive all tournament honors. The constant improvement and maturation of the younger players and the continued leadership of the veterans gives us the perfect mix to win now and well into the future no matter who is on the field."
Although the Hurricanes represent Charleston AFB, individuals from the Army and Navy complimented the team. With the amount of deployments, temporary duty assignments and personal leave being taken, the Hurricanes were always available to put a team on the field no matter who was available. Each tournament, and sometime each game, had a totally different make-up at times.
"Our team's greatest asset was our chemistry," said team member Tech. Sgt Eric Hale, 437th Airlift Wing. "We have 16 players. We can put any 10 out on the field and still win."
Sergeant Sadwick explained that the depth of their team helped everyone relax knowing that they have the ability to pick each other up if they struggle.
"This year we played some really close games but we never lost our composure which was a credit to our experience and the 'team first' attitude that is essential to be successful at any level," said Sergeant Sadwick.
The team members say they look forward to next year and have already begun planning to practice during the winter. They also plan to start their season earlier in March, instead of June like this past year.
"If we continue to practice throughout the year, we should be able to come out on top again next year," said Sergeant Hale. "Being able to represent Team Charleston and win the Military World Series was an amazing experience and I wouldn't miss the opportunity to have another great experience next year."
With the support from the base and the athletic department, the team hopes to have a stable program to build from so they won't have to start from scratch every spring. The team plans on participating in the tournament as long as the opportunity is there.
"The feeling we had when we clinched that final game was euphoric," said Sergeant Sadwick. "The fact that we played against some of the best teams in the military and went undefeated shows that we have the ability to compete with anyone, anywhere, at any time."