FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Muleskinner soldiers proved their mettle and enjoyed friendly competition during a physically-demanding competition Dec. 3.
The 10th Sustainment Brigade hosted the Muleskinner Commander’s Cup at Magrath Sports Complex and Atkins Functional Fitness Facility.
The Commander’s Cup began with a brigade run. The competition was composed of five events – water polo, flag football, a strongman competition, combatives and the confidence course. All of the events were conducted simultaneously.
The water polo tournament was held at the Magrath swimming pool. Soldiers were organized into teams of five to seven players before battling it out in the water for the first-place title.
“Most of the soldiers haven’t played water polo before,” said Staff Sgt. Zebulynn Berryman, operations noncommissioned officer assigned to 23rd Military Police Company, 91st Military Police Battalion. “As the games progress, they’re learning the basics, like communicating as a team.”
Communication proved to be a key factor for some teams.
“This is really great exercise, and we’re constantly moving,” said Spc. Dylan Burns, a driver assigned to 543rd MP Company. “Our team mostly consists of 2nd Platoon, so we were communicating well before the game. It helps bring the stress level down.”
The 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion won the water polo tournament, defeating the 91st MP Battalion in the final round.
The flag football tournament was held at the sports field across from Magrath. While the field was covered in snow as the first games were played, by the time the final game was under way, the field had become a sloppy, mud-covered mess.
The 63rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion and 548th CSSB played for the title of flag football champions. The game was close, but in the end, it was the 548th CSSB players who proved victorious.
Soldiers were teamed up in groups of four during the confidence course. Each battalion showed its true colors as all of the teams negotiated their way through, over or around each obstacle. The 63rd EOD Battalion took first place after their team recorded the fastest time through the course.
The strongman competition was conducted in Magrath’s weight room. This was an individual competition consisting of dead lift, bench press and squat. The total weight from all three events made up the competitors’ score.
There were three weight classes for both males and females.
First place in the male middleweight and heavyweight classes went to 7th Engineer Battalion, while the 548th CSSB overwhelmed the competition winning the male super heavyweight and the female lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight classes.
“I train all the time every day,” said Sgt. Russell Steward, first place male heavyweight competitor assigned to 7th Engineer Battalion. “I didn’t hear about the competition until the Friday before, but I’m a power lifter anyways, so I decided to go for it.”
The combatives portion of the competition took place at Atkins Functional Fitness Facility. Battalions had soldiers competing in each of the weight classes for the tournament. The 7th Engineer Battalion took first place in the lightweight category, 10th Special Troops Battalion took first place in the middleweight category, and 63rd EOD Battalion took first place in the heavyweight category.
"This was a total brigade effort with the all of the battalions providing total support from the planning phase to execution phase,” said Maj. Joshua Collins, coordinator of the Muleskinner Commander’s Cup assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th STB. “The battalions had soldier readiness process, ranges, pre-deployment training and real-world missions going on while providing soldiers to referee and participate in all the events.”
At the end of the day, it was the 548th CSSB who dominated the majority of the events of the Muleskinner Commander’s Cup. A trophy was presented to Lt. Col. James Turner, 548th CSSB commander, at a ceremony held later that afternoon.