CHARIKAR, Afghanistan -- In early April a U.S. Army team led by Master Sgt. Donald Demar, of Milton, Vt., the noncommissioned officer in charge at the Parwan Operational Coordination Center (Provincial), assigned to the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) met with Afghan National Security Force personnel in the capital city of Charikar, Parwan Province.
Halfway through the meeting, which included lots of chai tea and talk about issues that affected the city of Charikar, an Afghan national army soldier arrived with volleyball in hand and a friendly game ensued.
What the American Soldiers did not know at the time is how seriously their Afghan counterparts love the game of volleyball.
"We were doing a visit to the ANA compound, and they brought out a volleyball," said Demar. "At first it was mixed teams and we just played around, then it became a challenge between us, the American forces against the ANA and ANP [Afghan National Police] forces."
The game, which lasted an hour, was the first of its kind between the Afghans and Americans in Charikar.
"This has never happened, well in the last six years it has not," said Demar. "Our interpreter said he has been here six years and he has never seen it happen."
While the American Soldiers were surprised about the Afghans suggesting an American sport, they quickly learned the Afghans had a home court advantage. As the game went on, some of the local population gathered near the compound gates to cheer on the local favorites.
"They just started to come in, they were looking in the gate to see what was going on," said Demar. "Well the first game was close, we lost 15 to 13, but second game we got pounded 15 to 2."
They were loud and everyone had fun, that is what is most important about the surprise game, said Demar. "We all had a good time laughing at each other and building relationships."
Although Demar's team was handed two losses, they walked away with a stronger bond with their Afghan partners.
| Date Taken: | 04.29.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 04.29.2010 23:29 |
| Story ID: | 48907 |
| Location: | CHARIKAR, AF |
| Web Views: | 308 |
| Downloads: | 239 |
This work, Building Friends One Game At a Time, by SGT John Young, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
