By Sarah Greer, WTC Stratcom
SGT David Marklein offers a warm handshake to a Marine during an early sitting volleyball game. SGT Marklein's sportsmanship embodies the true spirit of the Warrior Games—wounded warriors from all services supporting each other in celebration of the their abilities.
Have you ever seen sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball? These sports require an incredible amount of strategy and endurance. After yesterday’s competitions, all Soldiers should be proud of the Army Warrior Games athletes.
Sitting Volleyball
In sitting volleyball, athletes must have at least part of their hips on the ground at all times. This doesn’t mean they’re stationary, though—athletes bend, lean, and reach at difficult angles to hit the ball across the net. They really have to work as a team to coordinate the shots and find the strategic hits to take advantage of the opponent’s vulnerabilities.
After losing yesterday, all four Army teams played each other in today’s round of the preliminaries—Army Platoon 4 defeated Army Platoon 1, and Army Platoon 3 defeated Army Platoon 2. Today, Army Platoons 3 and 4 will battle for the bronze medal.
AW2 Soldier SGT David Marklein demonstrated great sportsmanship throughout the volleyball competition. SGT Marklein plans to retire this summer, and he sees the Warrior Games as a perfect final chapter to his Army career.
“I’m not sure I’ll even digest this experience until after I’m gone,” he said. “After my wife, children, and grandchildren, this has been the inspiration of my life. We’re surrounded by so many warriors who refuse to quit, and that is what military service is all about.”
Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair basketball is incredibly active and high-energy. The Warrior Games basketball stars really hustle down the court, block shots, steal, and rebound the ball with skill. They shoot free throws, layups, even three-pointers. And they’re not afraid to be aggressive—I was surprised to see them ram their wheelchairs right into the opponents to force a steal.
In the Bronze Medal Game between Navy and Air Force, one Sailor insisted to the ref, “Come on—he wasn’t shooting when I fouled him!”
“Army Strong” was not just a slogan on the basketball court last night. The Soldiers outscored the Airmen 41-12. They were quick with the rebounds, and their great ball-handling helped maneuver around the defenders to create an early lead. Today, the team will face the Marines in the Gold Medal Game.
AW2 Soldier SFC Jacque Keeslar is ready for the fight. “The Marines are good, but it’s going to be an interesting night,” he said. “I think it will come down to who wants it the most. We certainly surprised them on Tuesday—they weren’t expecting Army to be such a challenge.”
