No single gymnasium deserves to bear witness to the depth of service pride on display at Sunday's Warrior Games opening ceremonies — except maybe the gyms here.
The Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs is the U.S. Olympic Committee's flagship training site, and it has fostered a competition plainly buzzing with good vibes.
In its fifth year and clearly here to stay, much of Warrior Games is carried out at the OTC. It occupies the former Ent Air Force Base, we learned at opening ceremonies, named for a World War II-era major general renowned as an early champion of physical activity for rehabilitation.
Divided into five teams generally by service — Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy/Coast Guard and Special Operations Command — Warrior Games represents both individual competition and interservice rivalry, with seven events culminating in the Chairman's Cup team championship and individual title of Ultimate Champion. Athletes are wounded warriors or other troops recovering from injuries or illnesses.
Events include:
- Archery
- Cycling
- Shooting
- Sitting volleyball
- Swimming
- Track and field
- Wheelchair basketball
Marine Corps is in Colorado defending four straight Chairman's Cup wins, but SOCOM's athletes had something to say about that in their version of a pre-"games" huddle.
On the OTC grounds before the ceremonies, Army veteran Victor Sassoon led his SOCOM teammates in several lusty practice "boos" directed at all less-prodigiously-bearded competitors.
And that's when we overheard our first scoop.
Someone at SOCOM is hatching a plan.
And we approve.
A beard might have been glimpsed at the opening ceremonies, but with Assistant Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Jessica L. Garfola Wright taking the stage, and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh looking on, keeping a lid on the costumes was probably a good move.
The ceremonies seemed to really get it right.
- Torch-bearers Frank Barroqueiro (Army), Jorge Salazar (Marine Corps), Sharona Young (Navy), Axel Gaud-Torres (Air Force) and Doug Franklin (SOCOM) handed off to two gold-medal-winning Sochi Paralympians: sled hockey’s retired Marine Cpl. Paul Schaus and retired Marine Cpl. Rico Roman, who in turn set the torch on the OTC roof ablaze.
- Army musicians performed a rousing medley of the five service anthems.
- And Mark Goulart, principal at presenting sponsor Deloitte, announced a legacy donation campaign "with the goal of maintaining the military Paralympic programming that has been so important" these past years.
Competition officially began Sunday with the first four games of the sitting volleyball round-robin tournament. Air Force picked up wins against Army and SOCOM; and Navy topped SOCOM but fell to the Marine squad.
We think this is going to be a great week at Warrior Games. Undersecretary Wright, a self-described "Army guy" but necessarily "joint" this week thanks to her position under the SecDef, might have said it best:
"You inspire me, and you inspire your fellow service members and your families and your friends. … It just simply gave me chills to see you march in."
Keep checking back to see what we're overhearing.
But most importantly: Get behind your team!
