By Abby Aragon
EBC Florida Bureau

TAMPA, FLA (Eagle News) — As the Warrior Games continues its 10-day stretch, the ill and injured service members and veterans of the armed forces, who are competing, continue to display resilience in their respective sports.

Representing all parts of the US Military, as well as the armed forces from the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the Australian Defense Force, the athletes all share part of the Adaptive Sports program, which helps prepare them on how to best regulate their bodies. They go through rigorous training months in advance so they can become reacquainted with sports and fitness.

Sergeant Cory Ivins of the US Army said, “You aren’t the same person you were, so you can’t play sports the same way. It allows you to play the sport you love, just in a different way”.

While many only see the sunny side of sports, one thing the Warrior Games does is shed light on those who have battled illnesses and overcame hardships.

Chief Petty Officer, Angela Everett of the US Navy, expressed her appreciation towards the exposure that the games are getting.

“A lot of people don’t like to talk about this stuff, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You know what actual sailors go through, because there’s a human inside of us. We may be warriors but we’re also mothers and wives and husbands and aunts”, says Everett.

Some athletes recounted their experience of becoming isolated because of their illnesses and how the Warrior Games definitely helped take them out of that place. They practice and improve their technique and allow their bodies to return to a routine of exercise and fitness, while improving their mental health. Major Brigid Baker, an Australian army veteran, describes the games as instrumental to the rehabilitation process of wounded service members.

“It allows us to get back out there, re-engage with the community, but at the pace that we can manage,” said Baker. “If you feel good, your overall quality of life improves, your quality of life improves, then you improve.”

The Warrior Games athletes also become acquainted with people similar to them even from other parts of the globe, creating a strong bond that stretches out internationally. Competitors like Baker described those bonds like a family, creating a support system for the athletes and provide a confidence boost when they need it. And, when family is around, they make it calmer and more lively, despite the competitive nature of the games.

 

(Eagle News Service)