Photo By Staff Sgt. Oscar Gollaz | Pfc. Jacob Little with K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, plays goalie...... read more read more
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WIERZCHOWO, Poland - Hundreds of screaming fans filed into a gymnasium here, March 10, 2015, to watch a team of Americans take on the Poles in a friendly game of floor ball.
The American team stood proudly as the Star-Spangled Banner played over the public address system before the match. They listened respectfully when the Polish national anthem followed. Then it was time for floor ball.
The matchup was a battle of rookies pitted against experience. The American team, made up of Troopers from K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment training at the Drawsko Pomorskie Land Forces Training Center in Poland as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, squared off against one of Poland’s best club floor ball teams, WSU Wierzchowo. Though some on the American team were familiar with floor ball’s sister sport hockey, none had played the sport before, which is a variation of hockey without the ice and skates.
The American inexperience showed, as they lost their first game 15-1.
It took just minutes before the Polish team notched its first goal, and the Poles held the U.S. team scoreless until the second half when K Troop’s Pvt. Todd Morales tallied the lone American goal of the match.
Fellow allies from the Canadian military also tested their floor ball skills against the Polish in a later match, but the outcome of the games mattered little compared to the goodwill being built between NATO allies and the people of Wierzchowo.
Not only did the evening’s games provide a night of entertainment for the community, it also gave the village an opportunity to see their American and Canadian allies and watch them interacting in their local community.
Troopers from 2 CR deployed to Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve in January. Atlantic Resolve is a U.S. Army Europe-led land force assurance training mission that aims to enhance multinational interoperability, strengthen relationships among allied militaries, contribute to regional stability and demonstrate U.S. commitment to NATO.
Speaking through a translator, Polish army Warrant Officer Marcin Czerwinsk, who helped organize the games, said it was important to show the Polish people that the Americans and Canadians are in Poland, part of their communities and committed to their security. Seeing them participate in community events helps reinforce that message, he said.
Floor ball is the most popular sport in Wierzchowo, according to Maria Zapinska, the director of the village’s cultural sport and tourism center, and being able to share their love of the game with the Americans and Canadians is an important part of sharing their culture.
Despite the lopsided score, the American Troopers enjoyed the experience of playing in front of so many people.
“I’ve never played hockey on the floor, so it’s a little different,” said Pvt. Kyle Narveson, a native of Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, who grew up playing ice hockey. “It’s just good to know we can relax and come together and play a sport or a game.
“Especially with the town showing up and really getting into it, the citizens are getting to see us,” he added. “We’re getting to shake hands and play with other countries, which is great.”
Polish forces and 2 CR Dragoons recently completed a joint live-fire exercise and weeks of combined training in Drawsko Pomorskie. Engaging in the community is just another step in building an even stronger military and diplomatic relationship with the country.
“It’s just fun to interact with the community, and it’s good to get our face out there,” said 1st Lt. Xavier Brown, a K Troop platoon leader. “I’m not sure a lot of them (Polish citizens) even know we’re here, but now they do.”
| Date Taken: | 03.10.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2015 06:38 |
| Story ID: | 156736 |
| Location: | WIERZCHOWO, PL |
| Web Views: | 97 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Building trust through floor ball, by MAJ Joseph Trovato, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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