Airmen take esprit de corps to a new level

  • Published
  • By Airman Kenna Jackson
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  Military personnel and civilians alike participated in the sports day here, Oct. 7.

Sports day is a vigorous event that invites the base population to decide what activities they want to take part in.

The intent of sports day is to promote physical fitness, teamwork, competition, sportsmanship, 'esprit de corps', and to have fun.

The day consisted of the following activities:

· A readiness run
· Basketball tournaments
· Soccer games
· Ultimate frisbee competitions
· Softball matches
· Hotdog eating contest
· Dodge ball matches
· Tug-of-war
· Push-up/sit-up competitions
· Golf tournament

For people who did not want to participate in certain events, they put their energy into encouraging other airmen to do their best.

"I enjoy supporting my teammates," said Airman Deidre M. Pratt, Airfield Management, 35th Operation Support Squadron, as she cheered on other airmen while they played an intense game of basketball at the fitness center here.

"It's fun and exciting to watch the people you work with playing to the best of their abilities," said Airman Pratt. "You tend to lose yourself in the game when you watch them play."

Many service members found that some of the events were a great way to exercise their competitive natures.

"We will win," said Senior Airman Matthew T. Bahr and Senior Airman David P. Tann, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, while they waited in anticipation for the hot dog eating contest to begin.

The sports day concluded with an award ceremony for the two winning squadrons at the high school football field here.

35th Fighter Wing vice commander, Col. Van A. Wimmer, and Chief Master Sgt. Phillip Easton, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, handed a victory trophy to the 35th Maintenance Squadron and the Misawa Security Operations Center, who won the most games out of the 14 units that participated.