SPORTS >>December 7, 2007

Are you a leader?

The Little Rock Air Force Base Sports and Fitness Center is looking for certified personal trainers and aerobics instructors. Those interested in teaching can contact Staff Sgt. Amy Peterson or Tech. Sgt. Tashon Velez at 987-7716.


Coaches, players wanted

The Little Rock Air Force Base Sports and Fitness Center staff is currently recruiting players and coaches for the Little Rock Air Force Base traveling Varsity Sports Program. Call Tech. Sgt. Tashon Velez at 987-7716 for more information.


Fitness center closure

The Fitness Center’s basketball and racquetball courts and indoor track will close from 6 p.m. Dec. 14 until 9 a.m. Dec. 15 for the 314th Maintenance Squadron holiday party. Call 987-7716 for details.


'New You,' new year

The Little Rock Air Force Base Sports and Fitness Center will host a Boot Camp Fitness Class Jan. 9 at 6:30 a.m. on the basketball court. Active duty, family members and civilians are welcome. The class will be taught by Master Sgt. Angela McDonald. Register at the fitness center front counter, or call 987-7716.


Airman takes third in hockey tourney

By Staff Sgt. Beth Orlen
314th Airlift Wing Public Affairs


It only took one local game with members of the Minnesota Air National Guard hockey team to send one Little Rock Air Force Base member to place third in this year’s Armed Services Hockey Tournament held in Las Vegas Nov. 8-11.

Airman 1st Class Shawn Stene, a 314th Operations Support Squadron member, was asked to join the members of the Guard team after playing against them during a training session here.

“The guys from the Minnesota Guard unit called me about a week before the tournament from Germany and asked if I could go,” he said. “I worked it out with my supervisor, and a week later I was on a plane to Minnesota to catch a ride with (the rest of the team) to Las Vegas.”

In addition to their team, 15 other teams from across the U.S. played in the four division tournament.

“The 5th annual Armed Services Hockey Classic was a huge success!” according to Russ Hanson, Armed Services Hockey chairman. “This year we decided to open the field to fire and police teams. Entering were the Vancouver Centurions Police and the local Las Vegas Guns and Hoses teams. Subsequently these two teams took home a championship banner. The Centurions knocked down the four-time Desert Storm (D1) division champions, the Hanscom Eagles then the Guns and Hoses team took the Noble Eagle (D2) division. After five years of playing in the tournament the Travis Jets finally clinched a championship in the Red Flag (D3) division in a 4-3 sudden death overtime win.

The Davis-Monthan Defenders in only their second appearance took home the Enduring Freedom (D4) division in another exciting overtime victory. Each team was guaranteed four games and the championship round afforded a fifth game for those eight lucky and tired teams.”

And while Airman Stene and his teammates didn’t take home a champion title, experiencing the competition firsthand was the best part, he said.

“The best thing about the tournament was playing against good teams from around the country and just having fun,” he said.
As for his future in hockey, Airman Stene has a dream.

“I’ve thought a lot about this … is I thought of maybe going back to a division 1 college and try playing hockey for them,” he said. “…However I don’t think my wife will let me go back to college full time now. What I’ll probably end up doing is re-enlisting and (take a base of preference base) somewhere up north so I can play again in a men’s league or coach a youth hockey team.”

And plans are already in the works for next year’s event.

“The dates will remain the same as this proved to be a good time for our event,” said Mr. Hanson. So good that the committee is hoping the teams will continue to come.