Hardwood Healing

Photo By Sgt. James Geelen | Army Maj. Michael R. Meyers II, coach for the All-Army Women’s basketball team discusses strategy with Kimberly D. Mulkey, head women’s basketball coach at Baylor University. Mulkey is the first person in NCAA history to win a basketball national championship as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Maj. Michael R. Meyers II)  

FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

03.15.2019

Story by Sgt. James Geelen 

4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade

As a young boy growing up in Tacoma Park, Maryland, U.S. Army Maj. Michael R. Meyers II, the battalion executive officer for 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, had a passion for the game of basketball and was a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Meyers attended a private school where he met an inspirational basketball coach named Chuck Faust, who fostered his love for basketball and helped develop Meyer’s coaching ethic.
“I credit all of my success to Coach Faust and his coaching style,” Meyers said. “He’s helped me do so many great things.”
Meyers played basketball in middle school and some in college before joining the Army.
“I felt my basketball skills were at a peak when I commissioned as a lieutenant,” Meyers said. “But I felt there wasn’t a future for me as a player.”
While assigned to the “Black Jack Brigade” in Fort Hood, Texas, Meyer’s would deploy to Iraq.
“I came back from deployment in 2007 and I had trouble adjusting at times,” he said. “I had strange feelings, anxiety, and trouble staying focused and for a while it looked like I would never be associated with basketball again. But then I started coaching. Basketball has been a great way for me to maintain resiliency.”
Coaching basketball not only lets him to continue working with and developing young players but it has also turned out to be a way for him to manage the negative effects of deployment.
“I realized that by building these programs and coaching, it helped to keep me grounded and allowed me to do the same for others,” Meyers said. “Whenever you’re checked in mentally on something, you’re checked out of all the negative things that happened to you.”
Meyers used his military basketball career to help his disorder and those around him. He began establishing teams at each base he was stationed.
“The team at Fort Riley was amazing,” he said. “We produced an all Army player and an all Army trainer. I coached the Daegu, South Korea, team and we won the all-Korea championship, and the Fort Hood team won back-to-back championships too.”
Throughout his military career Meyers has been able to find a balance between his volunteer work and his Army career, where he has been able to promote the game of basketball and help other Soldiers handle their PTSD.
Meyers’ dedication to basketball is now being recognized, as a month ago he was selected to be a part of the inaugural class of the Military Basketball Association Hall of Fame, taking place April 12, at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“The Hall of Fame selection committee was gracious enough to look at so many volunteers,” Meyers said. “I feel fortunate and blessed that they thought of me.”
The people selected were mostly coaches who have made big contributions to the game and are great mentors to Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Soldiers.
“He’s very passionate about what he does,” said Meyers’ boss, Lt. Col. Gavin Luher, commander 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th SB. “You can tell he’s pouring his heart and soul into work and with sports. People can tell when you’re ‘going through the motions’ and I never see that with him.”
While Meyers was waiting to hear about the Military Basketball Association Hall of Fame, he decided to put in an application to coach the All-Army Women’s team.
On February 8th Maj. Meyers was selected to be the coach of the All-Army Women’s team for the second straight year, and hopes to be able to bring the gold medal back to Fort Carson.
“He’s a great guy, a great coach, who knows the game very well,” said Sgt. Radiance Felton a human resource specialist with 4th SB, 4th ID. “He gives us his insights on the game, teaches us and trains us to be on that level.”
Felton has been playing on the All-Army Women’s Team since 2014. Maj. Meyers being the head coach again this year has influenced her desire to try-out for the team this summer.
“Last year was a great experience,” Felton said. “It was intense playing with people from all around the world, who are in the military and played collegiate basketball as well.”
Lt. Col. Luher echoed the beliefs of Sgt. Felton.
“He’s always developing his people and you can always see progress, they’re achieving more each time,” Luher said. “I think that through a month of practices, that team will build, become more cohesive and really progress through that train-up and preparation for their tournament.”
While the goal is to improve upon last year’s silver medal, Meyers wants his fellow Soldiers to represent their units and the Army with pride.
“I’m really excited that I get to represent the 4th Sustainment Brigade and Fort Carson as a head coach, building and supporting military athletes.”

-30-

• Date Taken: 03.15.2019
• Date Posted: 03.18.2019 11:39
• Story ID: 314665
• Location: FORT CARSON, CO, US
• Hometown: BALTIMORE, MD, US
• Hometown: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US
• Hometown: MANSFIELD, PA, US