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Show Times 0 Hilltop 19 2003 J.re Sports athlete of the year returns to Hill, ready for another year AF fube top " - : mm by Airman 1st Class Micah Garbarino te Hilltop Times staff .1 He couldn't believe it. He was tearing over the Salt Flats in June in an pulling over seven Gs in a hard bank turn F-1- and doing barrel rolls. He couldn't believe the banquet at the Washington, D.C., Marriott and the awards ceremony that followed. When they called and told him he was the 2002 Air Force Athlete of the year, he thought they had the wrong guy. But how could they? With all of his athletic experience, Staff Sgt. Anthony Patrick is the poster-bofor military athletes. ! - j w y shaved The head vehicle NCO for the 649th Munitions squadron at Hill, cuts an imposing, 220-poun- 1 fit figure. He coached an intramural football team to a base championship last year at Kadena AB, Japan. He's a three-handica- p golfer who won the base championship at Kadena in October 2001. He's played intramural ; , - V. t' i . , t w r softball for nine years, including three Force team, which years on the him more than gave enough experience to coach his daughter's team on the side. "He's a great player with a great attitude. He always seems to come through in the tournament when we need him," said Master Sgt. Stephan Shortland, coach Force Softball team. "He's of the a very versatile athlete. He played infield for us and pitched, and he's a great golfer." His journey in Air Force sports started here at Hill nine years ago. This was Patrick's first duty station, and where he found the joy of military sports. Now he has returned from two overseas assignments at Aviano AB, Italy and Kadena. This was my first duty station, and I was playing hardball in an Ogden league when some of the guys I worked with convinced me to come play in the base intramural softball league. ... I would never play in a civilian league again. The All-A- i i ir 4 T-ba- ll IB N; All-A- Photo by Karl Tllton Master Sgt. Keith Andersen and Technical Sgt.. Ed Cabrera of the 75th Services Division install plastic tubing along the fence surrounding the Base's main ball field. The tubing was pjt in place as a safety precaution to protect players from the jagged edges at the top of the fence. I ir Vv ' S;7 i imm -- ; .... . - (. military has more camaraderie. They (civilian leagues) just aren't as compet- nuia Every week the sports section of the Hilltop Times runs sports trivia question. The first person who responds with thf c orrect answer will win a $40 coupon book from the 75th Services Division. Everyone who responds with the right answer will be entered for a gift bag. Submit answers by Friday at 4 p.m. on the week of publication. This week's question: Who was the heaviest heavya title fight. weight champion to weigh-in Email your answer to: hill.sportstriviahill.af.mil. Include your name and phone number Answer to last week's question: Mr. Irrelevant is the last .player picked in the NFL Draft. He is "honored" with a trip ito California and the Lowsman trophy, a bronze statue of a (player fumbling away a ball. itive," said Patrick. Competition is what it is all about for Patrick. It is what drives him to excel in m i sports. Patrick has been playing baseball since he was five. His father, who is Photo by Airman 1st Class Micah Garbarino also highly competitive, got him started Staff Sgt. Anthony Patrick, vehicle NCO for the 649th Munitions Squadron, is the first softball in little league at that age. From then on, player in 12 years to win Air Force Athlete of the Year. Patrick is the winner of the 2002 award. he played peewee ball or with school Patrick hopes to continue in Air Force sports. He has already teams in Klamath Falls, Ore. where he grew up. submitted his resume to try out for this year's Air Force team, Patrick became a good softball player, but he never thought and coach Shortland is glad Patrick will be coming, he said. he was good enough to play on the Force team. After all the You to a the have have team is games have been played, when it comes time resume. "Making tough. good Out of the 150 resumes they look at they only select 33, but to hang up the cleats, Patrick hopes to coach. "I get almost as much joy out of coaching as I do out of playthe process is very fair. Most airmen short-sel- l themselves. They get nervous or scared. All you can do is try," Patrick ing," Patrick said. "I would like to coach a base team again, but my ultimate goal is to coach higher level Air Force sports." said. All-A- ir SPORTS BRIEFS Beginner Golf Special Soccer champs 1 t .if ; 'SI V The Summer Saturday Beginner Golf Special began Sat urday and runs through August. The special includes "Twc for One" green fees with tee times from p.m. on the front nine. Each player must have their own set of clubs follow the Hubbard Memorial Golf Course dress code and use golf etiquette. Interested golfers should call by Thursday at noon for Saturday tee times. For more information or to reserve a tee time, call the golf course at Ext. Golf Tournament Hispanic Employment Program Council of Utah (HEPCU) is sponsoring the Fourth Annual Hispanic Golf Tournament July 11 at the Hubbard Golf Course. Cost is $50 and includes and lunch. scramble, blind draw, shol gun start 7:30 a.m. Only 144 slots will be reserved with payment. Scholarships from money donated last year will be presented after the golf tournament to this year's recipients. This tournament is open to all employees of Hill AFB and surrounding communities. For reservations and additional information, contact Nadine Rendon at Ext. Jose Four-perso- n 4 1 I- r - Mendez at Ext. Gallegos at 686-264- 6, II Kenny Rendon at Ext. or Barbara Garcia at Ext. George Softball tournament The 367th Training Support Squadron's 2nd Annual Softball Tournament is June on both base softball fields. Play begins the evening of June 27 and continues all day June 28. The finals are played June 29. The cost is $150 pet team and there will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams The sign up deadline is Friday. To sign up, call Staff Sgt or Staff Sgt. Maria Naylot Henry Honeycutt at Ext. 27-2- 9 Photos by Airman 1st Class Micah Garbarino The 75th Civil Engineer Group beat the Air Logistics Center Maintenance Directorate team by one to win the base intramural soccer championship June 13. The MA team had just come out of a squeaker, penalty-kic- k victory against the CGOC. Right, MA players Qui Luu, Lldla Toscano and Sabrlna Schwarz, watch a team member miss a penalty kick against the CGOC. Maybe things would have gone better for MA against the CE team If they had time to rest, but as the game went on, It was obvious that they were tired. MA Player Mano Slthivong, above, struggles for the ball with a CE player, CE ended up on top and beat MA 4-- at Ext. Youth Soccer J, ) i 7J ffld Hill AFB youth soccer registration dates are July 21 tc Aug. 8. Register at the Youth Center, Bldg. 883, Mon.-Fr9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Teams will be formed for ages i and Cost is $35 for members, $45 for with $5 discounts for anyone who registers before 8. Practice starts Aug. 18 and games begin Sept. 2. All Aug. whose youth parents can use Services Facilities can parFor additional information, call the Youth Centei ticipate. at Ext. i, 3-- 4, 10-1- 2. Batting cage 5-- 7-- non-member- s, Monday - Friday, 3 p.m. - 9 p.m., and Saturday noon - 6 p.m. Tokens can be purchased at the front desk for $1 for 20 balls Bats and helmets provided. COPYl |