KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 403rd Wing flag football teamed charged full-force into the 2017 Intramural Flag Football season here, clashing with rival teams from the active-duty 81st Training Wing during the first few games of the season.
Tech. Sgt. Patrick Green, 803rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron integrated mission system technician and head coach for the 403rd flag football team, has been playing with the team for eight years now. He noted that the wing has had a pretty good team for the past five years running, making it to the championship game three out of four times and winning the championship in 2015.
Green summed up the overall goal of getting everyone together to play.
“To have fun and to try to win,” said Green. “It increases morale too when you can put together a team that’s very competitive, and it’s a good way to get new guys who come in to meet new people. But as long as you’re having fun, that’s the important thing.”
Staff Sgt. Derick Williams, 803rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron integrated mission system technician and assistant coach for the 403rd flag football team, said he enjoyed getting to meet other people who work here at the base and interacting with them in a different setting.
“With most of the teams you play, you wind up recognizing people because we all tend to play the same sports, so you start recognizing faces and making new friends on the base,” said Williams. “I like the exercise too, getting to play, and the camaraderie that goes along with it. It’s just fun.”
The new season began Oct. 16, and the team normally plays on Monday and Wednesday evenings at the multipurpose field next to the base shoppette. The team has 10 scheduled games, the last of which is currently set for Nov. 27, and then the top teams start the playoff games.
The teams normally compete with a minimum of six players per game, and while the team currently has about 15 people from various shops in the wing, Green said they are always looking for new people who would like to participate in case other players are unable to attend. Currently 403rd team members have played five games this season, winning two of them so far.
Green also serves as the sports representative for the 403rd Wing, organizing games for flag football, softball, basketball, golf, bowling, volleyball and soccer throughout the year. Wing members who would like to participate in different sports that are taking place can contact Green at 228-377-5123 or patrick.green.5@us.af.mil.