Womack Veterinarian fulfills long-time dream at the World Games

Courtesy Photo | Cpt. Kelly McCormick, had a rare opportunity to fulfill a lifetime goal competing in the 7th Conseil International du Sport Militaire Military World Games that was held in China last October.  

FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

02.18.2020

Story by Twana Atkinson 

Womack Army Medical Center

WOMACK ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, FORT BRAGG, N.C. – A Womack Army Medical Center veterinarian had a rare opportunity to fulfill a lifetime goal competing in the 7th Conseil International du Sport Militaire Military World Games that was held in China last October.
Cpt. Kelly McCormick, a Laguna Niguel, Calif. native had a long-time dream of performing in the Olympics Games.
“I fell in love with soccer at an early age,” said McCormick. “I had been introduces to the sport around the age of three and played it ever since”.
Kelly parents acclaim that she has always been a very resilient and determined individual when it came to the sport that she loved.
“Growing up Kelly would forego many activities that a normal youth would experience to train and to travel with her soccer club,” said Charlotte McCormick, Kelly’s mother.
Although it was always her goal to compete in the Olympic Games, life gave her a different route to do that.
While looking into higher education opportunities, Kelly received a U.S. Veterinary Corps Health Profession Scholarship from the University of Mississippi.
After receiving the scholarship, she discovered that the military had an Olympic-level soccer team.
Kelly expresses how she hadn’t given up on her dream to compete in the Olympics and saw this as way to fulfill that personal goal. Kelly applied for the U.S. Armed Forces Sports Team and was accepted.
The Armed Forces Sports Team is an all-military team for athletes aspiring to compete in national and international competitions.
“Kelly’s love of country and soccer came to fruition when she was selected to play in the Military World Games for the USA,” said Charlotte.
After completing college, Kelly trained with her new team mates for several months.
In October 2019, Kelly and her soccer team traveled to Wuhan, China to compete in the 7th CISM Military World Games with other top military athletes from around the world.
This was the first international military multi-sport event to be held in China with more than 10 thousand athletes from over 100 countries.
“It was awesome to have that experience,” said Kelly. “My proudest moment was having the opportunity to be there in my USA soccer uniform, while saluting the flag during the national anthem.”
Being halfway across the world did not stop Kelly’s parents from sharing the experience with her.
“Not only was the Military World Games just as impressive as the Olympics, but they are also athletes that had a greater military mission to protect and defend their countries,” said Charlotte. “This was awesome to witness their athleticism knowing they have accomplished much more for their countries.”
Although the soccer team did not place, the overall U.S. team did bring home eight medals.
“I can’t wait to do have an opportunity to do this again,” said Kelly.

• Date Taken: 02.18.2020
• Date Posted: 03.05.2020 15:31
• Story ID: 364572
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US