Photo By Spc. Thomas Love | Markell Pack, wide receiver for the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl West Team, from...... read more read more
SAN ANTONIO – “Hut! Hut! Hike!” The quarterback shouts as the center hikes the ball his way. Instantly he starts scanning the field where he trusts his receivers are going to be. Instinctively he senses a blitzing linebacker closing in on his blind side. Luckily a receiver's open and the quarterback rockets the ball downfield. The receiver leaps up, snatches the ball out of the air and lands in the end zone. Only, there were no fans to cheer on the amazing play, no points scored and no end zone dance. Instead, these athletes are at practice Dec. 31, 2013, building teamwork in preparation for the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio.
Teamwork and cooperation are some of the most important factors when it comes to winning a football game, or as in the Army's case, successfully completing a mission.
“If a team's going to be good, you have to have team chemistry,” said Tanner Carew, 2014 U.S. Army All American Bowl West Team long snapper from Chino Hills, Calif. “It could help us win on Saturday.”
The building of team camaraderie can be difficult when the players come from all over the country and only have a few short days to bond with their teammates.
“We all share the same love for the game, so we all have that respect for one another,” Richard Yeargin III, line backer from University School of Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “It's a good time to come together as a collective group and work as a team.”
Much like a successful Army team leader, the head coach of a football team needs to motivate his troops and cultivate the trust and teamwork their team needs to win.
Bob Sphire, head coach of the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl East Team, from North Gwinnett High School, Suwanee, Ga., believes the importance of trust in teammates can never be underestimated.
“You can feel that the camaraderie and the male bonding start happening pretty quickly,” Sphire said. “I think they are having a blast, to be honest with you.”
The experience the players gain from coming together and working as a team is something they will be able to carry with them throughout their future careers, no matter which team wins the All-American Bowl, Sphire said.
“In today's world, an event like this can become too much of an individual thing, too much of a 'look at me I'm bigger than life' and the whole theme of sacrifice for others, teamwork, togetherness, the whole message of that the Army brings to this game, to me that's what the game of football is all about,” Sphire said. “This game is only trying to expose players talents through their team's success, and I absolutely love that this theme is unified through the Army in this game.”
| Date Taken: | 01.02.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 01.02.2014 12:57 |
| Story ID: | 118744 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | CHINO HILLS, CA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, US |
| Hometown: | SUWANEE, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 690 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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