Barksdale softball team hits it out of the park

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amanda Morris
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The Barksdale Air Force Base softball team had the odds stacked against them in the United States Specialty Sports Association Military World Tournament Aug. 6-9, Columbus, Georgia, because of limited practice time and the loss of key players. Despite adversity, the team pulled together and placed third overall at the tournament.

Military Worlds is a tournament for all U.S. military softball teams worldwide.  To be eligible, the player has to be active duty, reservist, reserve component, retiree, dependent or contractor with base access.

The season starts in January and typically ends after the tournament, points are accumulated throughout the regular season to determine each team's rank for the year.

"I met with two friends, each playing the roles of player and coach, and we decided to start a team, ," said Master Sgt. Terry Doll, 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron specialist flight chief. 

Due to poor weather conditions, Barksdale's team did not start until June.

"We almost got rained out again, but we played through the weather," Doll said. "We were running out of time. With only six to eight weeks left before the tournament, we had to get moving."

Doll and fellow coaches had to determine which players had the skill to play at a fast-paced, highly competitive level. On the first day of try-outs, the players had batting practice to show the coaches who could hit the farthest, and show field placement of the ball. On the second and third day of try-outs, players scrimmaged so coaches could determine who would excel in each position.

"The other coaches and I got together after the try-outs to decide who would make the cut," Doll said.  "After arguing back and forth a few times, we selected 12 team members out of 28 people, giving us a 15 man team." 

The team practiced twice before going to Military Worlds, once with full participation. The team lost three players right before going to the tournament, leaving them with a 12 man team.

Team Barksdale played a total of seven games and came out on top in five.
Doll has high expectations for next year's team and encourages everyone with a passion for the game to try out.

"We proved a lot of people wrong and made a lot of noise," said Senior Airman Andres Aguirre, 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hydraulics journeyman. "Hopefully, next year we can bring back the championship."