All Army basketball team holds tryouts at Fort Indiantown Gap; Pennsylvania Guard Soldier makes team

Photo By Lt. Col. Angela King-Sweigart | Sgt. Jamell Beasley, A Company, 328th Brigade Support Battalion, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard made the All Army Women’s Basketball team this year. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. Angela King-Sweigart\Released)  

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, UNITED STATES

06.24.2016

Story by Maj. Angela King-Sweigart 

Fort Indiantown Gap

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa.-The All Army Women’s basketball team tryouts are being held here this month.

Twenty Soldiers from around the Army active duty, reserve and National Guard, vied for 12 positions. Sgt. Jamell Beasley, A Company, 328th Brigade Support Battalion, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard is a full time military technician who works at Fort Indiantown Gap. This year was her first time trying out and she made the team. She has wide variety of experience playing basketball. She played in high school, college and professionally in Amsterdam.

“People kept telling me about this team and to try out,” she said. “And this year I did.” Beasley said it has been a positive experience and is looking forward to the competition.

After the team’s formation, they will travel to compete in the Armed Forces Sports Championships at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. There they will compete against the other teams from the Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy from June 30 to July 8.
Coach Army Lt. Col. William “Nate” Johnson, an air defense artillery officer stationed at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma says that the team’s prospects at this year’s tournament are excellent.

“This is the best team I’ve ever had,” said Johnson, who has been coaching the team for more than 25 years. “We have depth in all of the positions. I have had to cut players from the team this year that definitely would have made it in other years.” Assistant Coach Chief Warrant Officer 3 Aaron Bryant, a senior petroleum system technician, stationed at Ft. Stewart agrees. “This team is very well rounded,” he said.

The All Army Women’s Basketball team is one of the most decorated in the Armed Services, due in large part to Johnson’s and Bryant’s tireless efforts in coaching. The team won the Armed Forces Women’s Basketball Sports Championship in 2014 with Johnson and 2010 with Bryant.

After the Armed Forces Sports Championship, the best of the U.S. armed forces teams will be selected to make-up team U.S.A. and compete against other nation’s armed forces in the Conseil International du Sport Militaire’s (CISM) international championship. The coaching team that wins the Armed Forces Championship will also coach team U.S.A. for CISM. This year the CISM championship will be held in Camp Pendleton, California from July 23 to July 30.
This will be Johnson’s last year coaching as he is retiring from the Army after 30 years of service.

All Army Sports Camps are hosted at Fort Indiantown Gap for volleyball, basketball, Tae Kwon Do and softball. All Army Sports directly supports Soldier readiness and well-being. Following the motto, “Soldiers first – Athletes second,” All Army Sports provides athletically-skilled Soldier athletes the opportunity to compete at the highest level their particular sport allows.

• Date Taken: 06.24.2016
• Date Posted: 06.24.2016 10:37
• Story ID: 202351
• Location: FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, US
• Hometown: FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, US