World class athlete works to keep sharp

Photo By Sgt. Dianne Carter | Staff Sgt. Albert W. Sankey, facing the camera, grabs the opponent and prepares to throw him to the ground. The event was part of a Combatives Tournament hosted by the Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers July 14, 2012 at Fort Gordon, Ga.  

FORT GORDON, GA, UNITED STATES

07.14.2012

Story by Sgt. Dianne Carter 

35th Corps Signal Brigade

FORT GORDON, Ga. - As people walked into the Gym 5 Saturday, they were assaulted with the sights and sounds of service members fighting and the crowd of people in the bleachers shouting as they watched competitor in the three matches being held simultaneously on the gym floor.

The floor of the gym had three fighting areas covered with mats. Each area had a table with two people posting the scores for all to see. Judges, with their Army combat uniform pants and black t-shirts, were following the combative matches closely to ensure all points were awarded accordingly.

The fighters were briefed before the combatives tournament to dress in their regular duty uniforms, stripped of all patches and name tapes for safety, and they had to be barefoot. Each fighter in the tournament fought until they were eliminated by losing two matches, said Staff Sgt. Albert W. Sankey, a 35F, an all source intelligence analyst, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade.

This dedicated and hard working Soldier, from the 35th TTSB, strived to keep himself in peak physical condition for the Army and for contests like the Combatives Tournament hosted by the Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers July 14 at Fort Gordon, Ga.

Sankey was the first 35th TTSB soldier to be called to the mat. He showed his skills immediately when he used a technique he learned, from his many years in wrestling, to picked up his opponent and slam him down on to the mat, soon after he won the match.
Sankey said he started wrestling at 11 years old. Since then he has wrestled all throughout high school and college. He was a Junior college all American wrestler.

“A lot of my experience in grappling comes from Armed Forces Free-style and Greco-Roman wrestling.” said Sankey, “Those are the styles used for Olympic wrestling, where as folk-style is used in American wrestling.”

As a Marine, he trained in the U. S. Marine Corps Martial Arts Program and earned a tan belt. The Marines use belts, like most martial arts, to show the level a Marine has been trained. The tan belt is the first belt earned and is equal to a level one in the Army Combatives Program. He was also a member of the U.S. Marine Corps World Class Athlete Program.

Upon joining the Army he was part of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program from 2001 to 2006. Sankey said he actually wrestled Adam Wheeler, a 2008 Olympic bronze medal winner in wrestling, and won when he first started the program. He left the program when his age made it more difficult to compete at that level.

“I stay prepared by staying involve with free-style, folk-style, and Greco-Roman wrestling,” said Sankey.

Now, Sankey is a member of the Columbia County Mat Club. This helps him stay in shape and keep his skills razor sharp. He also volunteers as a coach for three days a week. The club mentors middle and high school students during the summer to keep the students involved in wrestling.

All of Sankey’s efforts paid off with him winning second place in the heavy weight category of this combatives tournament.

• Date Taken: 07.14.2012
• Date Posted: 08.05.2012 23:59
• Story ID: 92695
• Location: FORT GORDON, GA, US