Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Madeleine Morales sets a ball during sitting volleyball training at the 2015 Army...... read more read more
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By Gia Oney
Madigan Army Medical Center
FORT HOOD, Texas - Sometimes life has a funny way of telling you that enough is enough. For some, scrolling through their personal Facebook profile might be an indicator that it’s time to retire the “duck face selfie” pose. For others, being late to work because of a 10-hour Breaking Bad Netflix marathon might be the reason to declare a technology-free week.
For Army Sgt. Madeleine Morales, a Waipahu, Hawaii, native, it was winning a bass fishing competition that made her realize her potential to be more than she thought.
When Morales first arrived at the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2014, she was dealing with issues of anxiety and depression.
“I didn’t want to be around people,” said Morales, who has been a supply sergeant in the Army since 2008. “I couldn’t talk to anyone; I couldn’t open up.”
The feelings began to subside as she got to know the other Soldiers in the unit, and she was pleasantly surprised with the amount of understanding and support they provided.
“They just kept pushing me and encouraging me,” said Morales. “They kept reminding me that they were going to be there for me, and I felt like I was finally able to relax a little.”
In October 2014, Soldiers in Morales’s unit suggested she participate in an upcoming fishing trip, a group outing where she would be surrounded by friends and fun. Instead of isolating herself, Morales decided that she had enough; it was time to try something new.
In partnership with Soldiers on the Water, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring service members with a fun day of fishing, Morales took the step forward on to a boat at Lake Bastrop east of Austin, Texas. She returned back to her unit with first place trophies in competitions for smallest bass, largest bass and cumulative weight of top five bass.
“I won,” she said. “And not just that, I was actually proud of myself, and I haven’t felt like that in a long time.
The confidence she gained from winning the fishing tournament began to build momentum back at her unit. With her fellow Soldiers cheering her on, Morales took up adaptive reconditioning sports like archery and cycling, supplementing her rigorous physical activity with arts and crafts to soothe her mind.
To her surprise, Morales found herself continuously improving in the sports, which led her to try her hand at track and sitting volleyball. She caught the eye of her first sergeant, who suggested she try out for the Warrior Trials at Fort Hood. Morales hesitated a little, but only a little. She began focusing her energy on training and was selected to continue on to compete at the Warrior Transition Command Army Trials, held at Fort Bliss, Texas, from March 19 to April 3.
“When I got [to Fort Bliss for the Army Trials], there were just a lot of people I didn’t know during registration day and I was getting really anxious,” said Morales. “But the people I did know saw me, and they kept encouraging me and supporting me. Even the people that didn’t know me came up to me and talked to me and I felt comfortable again.”
Morales will compete in archery, track, sitting volleyball and cycling for a chance to represent the Army at the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games held in Quantico, Virginia in June. She credits her time playing sitting volleyball with helping her to improve her social skills, noting that communication is critical to the game. Morales also claims that sitting volleyball is much harder than the regular game.
“I’ve played volleyball back home [in Hawaii], but in sitting volleyball, you can’t just run to chase the ball,” she said. “I’m pretty short, too, so I can’t even jump to block! Sitting volleyball is definitely more challenging for me, but I enjoy it and the game has helped me.”
Following the competitions, Morales hopes to re-enlist in the Army and receive new assignment orders to Hawaii where she can reunite with her family.
“The hardest part for me is being away from my daughter,” she said. “But the support I get from the Warrior Transition Unit back at Fort Hood is amazing.”
Morales’s day is now filled to the brim with activities, and, like many young people, you can sometimes find her in a corner talking on her iPhone, letting go of smiles and giggles every now and then.
One thing is for sure: you won’t find Morales glued to Netflix.
Instead, she’ll be on a bike somewhere, determined to push forward. With her increasing confidence and self-pride, Morales has decided that “enough” just isn’t enough. She wants more.
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.26.2015 16:26 |
| Story ID: | 158234 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Hometown: | WAIPAHU, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 134 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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