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Military members get gridiron lesson from college coaches

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Maurice
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  While the surroundings may not have been ideal - dusty, dark and hot - it became the setting for the most memorable flag football game ever played for those Airmen and Soldiers on the softball field here May 29, 2010.

This game brought with it some special guests - college-level football coaches Rich Ellerson, Chip Kelly, Tim Murphy and Ron Zook, who volunteered to coach the teams during their visit of the air base.

"It was great having experienced, seasoned, football coaches out there offering their point-of-view on the game," said Staff Sgt. Chris Mavron, a 386th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron contracting officer who played as the quarterback for the all Air Force "Rock" team. "I was seeing the game from my vantage point, and every time I came back to the sidelines both Coach Zook and Coach Murphy pointed out something they had seen and then called a play to take advantage of it. Also, seeing how competitive they were, you would have thought there was a conference title on the line."

The coaches passed through the base as part of an overseas tour stopping in places throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and U.S. Air Forces in Europe Command.

During their visit, the coaches met with military members and civilians, signing autographs and taking photos with them before a rival flag football game between the "Rock" (the air base team) and the Life Support Area (primarily made up of Army Soldiers).

"We've been to seven or eight bases now in all different realms, whether it was on the USS Eisenhower, up to Iraq, here or over to Ramstein (Germany) and every day has been a highlight," said Chip Kelly, University of Oregon head football coach. "It's amazing to see the enthusiasm that everyone has for their job. Every day is game day, whereas for us there's about 12-13 opportunities in the fall. You know everyone is very passionate about what they do and there's a high level of enthusiasm for doing things the right way. Just watching the teamwork and how everyone gets along is amazing to me."

Coach Zook, the head football coach for the University of Illinois, said he wasn't sure what to expect when he signed on for the tour, but was glad that he made the decision to come.

"It has been such a rewarding experience to be able to see what our troops go through for us to be able to live the way we live and it's an amazing experience," he said. "I've learned so much and I have a whole different outlook and feeling about what's going on over here."

Coach Ellerson, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point head football coach, said he had been planning another trip to Southwest Asia to get an idea of what those men on his team would experience once commissioned and deployed downrange when the coaches tour opportunity was presented to him.

"What happens when you graduate and become a young lieutenant?" he asked. "Part of that story is in Southwest Asia. These young men and their families are absolutely going to be dealing with that reality if they're considering West Point as an institution; therefore it's important that I am able to speak to that. This trip really has been an eye-opening experience, a chance to see just how interconnected the services are in theater. We (his coaching staff and the other military service college coaches) say that all the time and when we speak to that, we're absolutely sincere, but we still probably didn't know what we were saying or what we're talking about. I've gotten a glimpse now of just how tight those bonds are between services and how absolutely reliant we are on one another. It really is one team, one fight. It was a lucky coincidence that I got to do this. I'm a better football coach and a better representative of the United States Military Academy as a result and of the armed forces in general."

Coach Murphy, Harvard head football coach, said he immediately jumped on the opportunity to visit with military members overseas, especially with the family ties he has to the military.

"When Mike Wayland called me to make this trip, it took me about 10 seconds to say 'I'm in'," he said. "I have a brother [who] was in the Navy, a brother-in-law [who] was in the Army, an uncle in the Army and two of my former players, recent graduates from the 2008 Harvard team are now Marine Corps officers at Camp Pendleton and they're headed for deployment in Afghanistan. I've always had a great respect for military members, but I certainly have some people I have to support."

"The highlight of this trip by far has been meeting the young people serving in the military, whether it's the Sailors on the Eisenhower, the flightline guys at Balad or any of the Army guys in the trenches," he said. "They're inspiring. They're tremendously committed, extraordinarily professional, well trained, and competent and they really have a great camaraderie about them. They represent the best of our young people in America."

The coaches' sentiments were echoed by the military members' respect and appreciation for them taking the time to travel overseas and visit with them.

"I thought it was a selfless move on their part," said Sergeant Mavron, a Brighton, Mich. native deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif. "This is the NCAA football off-season and it's really the only time these coaches get to relax with their families before fall practices start, yet they volunteered a few weeks of their free time to tour the AOR and support U.S. troops. The thing that really stood out to me was the fact that they genuinely seemed to be having a blast being here."

Coach Murphy closed by sharing his gratitude for the service those men and women in the Armed Forces put forth every day on behalf of the nation.

"We (Americans) can never repay the debt that we owe you and we have tremendous admiration and respect for all those serving in the Armed services," he said. "We're very thankful and grateful for all that you do."
The coaches tour wrapped up at Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal on May 31.