Making it happen: Leadership support intramural league

Photo By Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr | Miguel T. Bridges attempts a layup as Robert Caldwell defends his shot during the Hansen 3-on-3 basketball tournament March 16. Bridges is a part of the MID Crew who were victorious over the MHG Old School, edging them out by three points for a final score of 21-18.  

OKINAWA, JAPAN

03.25.2011

Story by Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

OKINAWA, Japan - The Hansen 3-on-3 basketball league kicked off at the Camp Hansen House of Pain gym March 16.

This is an intramural league in which units assemble teams to compete against each other. Marine Corps community services and the Camp Hansen House of Pain will hold league games Wednesdays at 6 p.m. for the next 5 weeks with the last week dedicated to a double elimination tournament among the top teams.

“Game play will be a round robin tournament where everybody plays everybody,” said Douglas Godown, sports specialist for the House of Pain, adding all eight teams entered will face each other at some point.

Setting up the league “took several months of preparation,” Godown said.

The league’s first game March 16 kicked off with MID Crew, mostly Marines from 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, taking on the MHG Old School, Marines from III MEF Headquarters Group, III MEF.

The lead switched hands until MID Crew began to pull away. Once the final buzzer rang, MID Crew was victorious over MHG Old School with a score of 21-18.

This was the only game of the night due to operational commitments for Operation Tomodachi, said Godown adding other games in following weeks may also be rescheduled due to operational commitments.

“When they’re here, they have great competition,” said Godown.
The league’s establishment was something the Marines of Camp Hansen wanted, said Robert Caldwell, a member of MHG Old School team.

“Marines asked for intramural sports,” said Caldwell, adding the senior leadership then made it happen.

“The intramural sports leagues came about when a group of Marines attending our town hall meeting requested additional sporting events aboard Hansen,” said Jencura. “The camp responded by organizing an MCCS quarterly intramural sports league.

“A camp trophy will be kept on display at the camp headquarters building with the winning team from each league inscribed on it. Individual awards will be given to competitors,” he said.

“These events are designed to build unit cohesion, camaraderie and esprit de corps,” said Jencura. “They’re an easy way to satisfy that competitive hunger that all of the Marines and sailors aboard Camp Hansen seem to have.”

Camp Hansen’s House of Pain plans to hold future sporting events such as a softball league in May, a soccer league in August and a flag football league in October.

For more information, call 623-4831.

• Date Taken: 03.25.2011
• Date Posted: 03.25.2011 00:30
• Story ID: 67692
• Location: OKINAWA, JP