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CAMP GARMSIR, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Members of the Afghan National Army’s 1st Brigade, 215th Corps and the Regimental Combat Team 5 Embedded Training Team went head-to-head during a soccer match here, Oct. 21.
The match was one in a series of weekly athletic competitions designed to build camaraderie between the two units.
As in many countries, soccer is considered a national pastime in Afghanistan. However, due to a violent insurgency and an oppressive Taliban government before 2001, many Afghans have not been afforded the opportunity to play soccer. Decades of instability have ultimately led to a decline in Afghan participation in the sport at the international level.
As Afghan forces take more responsibility for operations in southern Helmand and the security environment steadily improves, there is hope for a reemergence of this beloved sport.
“We’ve been doing this at least once a week to build relations with our counterparts and get to know their culture a little more; to make friends with them basically,” said Sgt. Brandon M. Richards, RCT-5 ETT Motor Transport Noncommissioned Officer Advisor and a native of Port Charlotte, Fla. “They were pretty good. I think it would be good if we could turn this into some sort of tournament eventually.”
Prior to the game, the EET Marines brimmed with confidence as a victory seemed all but guaranteed. It was only a few minutes into the match that they realized this was ANA turf.
Even the most experienced soccer players on the Marine side couldn’t prevent an ANA victory on this day.
Lance Cpl. Robin Cash, an ETT driver and gunner from Santa Cruz, Calif., has had over 15 years of soccer experience.
“This was pretty ruthless. There were not a lot of rules which is good in some ways because it made you run a lot more, but there was not a lot of strategic play either,” he said.
If not ruthless, one might even call the play fierce or barbaric. It was apparent that both teams wanted bragging rights for the following week. With no grass in sight, players dribbled their way through the sand and gravel-covered field.
The ANA soldiers were particularly adept at using the unorthodox field to their advantage. Marines playing defense saw their task become more difficult as their Afghan counterparts played balls off the HESCO barriers and a watch tower adjacent to the field.
After the ANA thumped the Marines 3-0, Cruz said that from what he could tell some of the soldiers could play at a semi-professional level if given the opportunity and resources. Undaunted by the loss, the ETT Marines plan to step up their game in the coming weeks.
“This was my warm up for the season,” Cruz said. “I’ll definitely come to play next time around.”
Editors Note: RCT-5 is assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward) which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 10.22.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.22.2011 13:01 |
| Story ID: | 78853 |
| Location: | CAMP GARMSIR, HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 167 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, ANA, Marines find bond through soccer, by Andrew Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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