Air Force team

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force soccer team began competition Feb. 2 at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene, Texas, in the 2009 U.S. Armed Forces Soccer Championship. The very best players were chosen across the Air Force to represent the service against the other branches. All the games will be held at Shotwell Stadium and admission is free. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Stephen Reyes)

Air Force team begins play against services

Published Feb. 2, 2009
By Airman 1st Class Stephen Reyes
7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force soccer team began its quest to repeat for gold competing in the U.S. Armed Forces Men's Soccer Championship at Shotwell Stadium, Feb. 2nd, in Abilene, Texas.

The team was selected Jan. 30, after a rigorous training camp, which lasted just shy of a month. The team is made up of 18 players and two coaches who compete in the Armed Forces Men's Soccer Championship Tournament every year.

The men's team was champions last year with with a record of 5-1.

Air Force coaches believe the same will hold this year.

"We have a very strong team, a solid defense with a quick fast pace of the game, said Capt. Travis Ruhl, assistant coach. "We are physically bigger than the rest of the field."

Captain Ruhl, a standard evaluation pilot from the Luke Air Force Base Arizona, has been a player on the Air Force team for three years and this is his first year as assistant coach.

The Air Force team took the field against the Army to open the tournament. Both teams fought hard the entire game but the Army prevailed with a final score of Army 1- USAF 0.

All games are at Shotwell Stadium and are free to the public. For more information about the U.S. Armed Forces championship visit www.dyess.af.mil/cism.asp