CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Service members thrive on and embrace competition. No matter what they are doing, competition has the ability to bring them together.
Headquarters and Support Battalion held its monthly Commander’s Cup Challenge competition at Gottschalk Marina aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, May 18.
“This month we (held a) kayak soccer tournament,” said Heidi Anastasia, Marine Corps Community Services coordinator. “I try to come up with something different and unique every month.”
The Marines used their paddles and kayaks to push a 72-inch ball across the marina into goal posts marked by triangle and cylinder-shaped buoys. Each game had a 20-minute time limit, and the teams simply had to push the ball between the goal posts. Companies A and B were first to compete.
Joining the fight with Company A was the battalion commanding officer and sergeant major, Lt. Col. David G Bardorf and Sgt. Maj. Michael J. Rowan. Company B, joined by its first sergeant, First Sgt. Dustin R. Kazmar, was already ahead of the rest of the competing units by one win in the Commander’s Cup Challenge.
Companies A and B fought relentlessly for a goal. As one team took the ball, the other team swarmed them. They used their paddles to try and push the ball through, over and behind each other. A grueling 20-minute match of back-and-forth play landed four Marines in the water including the battalion’s commanding officer.
“The water was pretty warm considering (the weather),” said Bardorf. “I was the first one in too. As soon as we started, I flipped over right away.”
Despite their best attempts, the two companies tied at the end of the first match. To determine a winner, the teams competed in a shoot-out. Two members from each team had two minutes to fight one goalie to get a point. Company B was the only one able to successfully get the ball past the goalie and score.
Company I and Security Company were next to battle for a win. The teams fought to overcome the same struggles; strong winds pushed the ball in different directions. Marines had trouble staying on top of the water, but the teams kept up their spirits and had to battle it out in a shoot-out after ending the game tied 0-0.
Security Company’s goalie used a strong tactic to keep Company I from scoring by attacking the ball and pushing it too far outside the crease for the Marines to get it back to the goal in time. Security Company won in the shoot-out by quickly moving the ball around the goalie and into the goal before Company I could stop them.
“For the championship, we (had) a relay race,” said Bardorf. “I don’t think (they had) the energy for another full game, it really wears you out.”
Companies B and Security raced to the finish in a relay race where each member of the team paddled around three buoys and back to the starting point. Security Company finished strong, edging out Company B.
Companies B and Security are now tied with four wins each in the Commander’s Cup Challenge, Company A has three wins, and Company I has one.
“June 29 will be the last competition for this 12-month period. We are going to do ground-fighting,” said Anastasia.