2015 Valor Games: Local colleges and park host disabled veteran athletes

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan | Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University in Durham, N.C., is home to many banners, trophies, and champions, but on May 20, it was home to heroes. Duke along with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Lake Crabtree Park in Raleigh hosted the 2015 Valor Games May 19-21. Disabled members of U.S. armed forces and veterans competed in volleyball, air rifle, boccia ball, rowing, powerlifting, archery, table tennis, cycling events, and shot put at the games organized by Bridge II Sports, a nonprofit organization encouraging sport opportunities physically challenged athletes. “They have been there, they served, even families do not understand,” said North Carolina National Guard Iraq veteran with the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade Charles Turrentine.  

RALEIGH, NC, UNITED STATES

05.21.2015

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan    

North Carolina National Guard

RALEIGH, N.C. - Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University in Durham is home to many banners, trophies, and champions, but on May 20, it was home to heroes. Duke along with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Lake Crabtree Park in Raleigh hosted the 2015 Valor Games May 19-21.

Disabled members of U.S. armed forces and veterans competed in volleyball, air rifle, boccia ball, rowing, powerlifting, archery, table tennis, cycling events, and shot put at the games organized by Bridge II Sports, a nonprofit organization encouraging sport opportunities for physically challenged athletes.

“It is essential, especially with post traumatic stress or other injuries, to be with peers and meet new people,” said Tiffany Smith, a recreation therapist with the Durham Veterans Affairs office.

At Cameron, exhausted athletes strained for one last pull on rowing machines as nearby table tennis players put spin on serves that seem to defy gravity and Newton’s laws of motion to the cheers of friends and fans. Matches often ended with hugs and laughs that only those who have deployed can share.

“They have been there, they served, even families do not understand,” said North Carolina National Guard Iraq veteran with the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade Charles Turrentine.

The athletes made a big new fan, a really big fan, a 7-foot fan, Marshall Plumlee of the Duke 2014 National Champion Basketball Team. Plumlee chatted, posed for photos, shook hands and learned more about the veterans and their service including the Iraq and Afghanistan deployments of North Carolina National Guard’s Sgt. James Russell Lee.

“I am a Carolina fan, but it is generous for Duke to host Soldiers who could never be able to visit the campus otherwise,” said Lee.

The scores of volunteers provided more than games. They provided sincere thanks and support from of the community.

“It is priceless without them we could not do it,” said Smith.

• Date Taken: 05.21.2015
• Date Posted: 05.28.2015 19:41
• Story ID: 164863
• Location: RALEIGH, NC, US