Softball team steamrolls into championship

By Kevin Goode
Paraglide

January 5, 2012

	Photo by Kevin Goode/Paraglide Fort Bragg’s Dragon softball team unite to show off their championship rings at Pope Softball field, Dec. 20, 2011. The title rings came from winning the United States Softball Association 2011 Military World Series tournament, August 2011, in Panama City, Fla.

Fort Bragg Dragons roared back into action as they made a historic run defeating Jacksonville Naval Air station by a score of 10-9, Aug. 19, 2011.

With softball making its first return to Fort Bragg since 1998, the Fort Bragg Dragons performed perfectly making an undefeated run through the United States Softball Association 2011 Military World Series tournament held in Panama City, Fla.
Coach and team organizer Joseph Roberts put this team together.

“Fort Bragg had had several softball teams try to come together in the past, but they mostly just fizzled out,” said Art Rimbert Sr., assistant coach and Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation employee. “It wasn’t until Roberts stepped in that this whole thing came together and really took off.”

Even though the Dragons were undefeated throughout their championship run, the team faced several challenges.

“Our defense is really strong on this team and it really carried us in this tournament sometimes,” said Roberts. “The only time my team trailed was in seventh inning of the championship game and our defense came through for us. We won that game 9-8.”

The Fort Bragg team will be looking to fill open roster spots during tryouts at Pope softball fields, Monday through Friday, from March 5 through 24, 6 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. If interested in participating in the tryouts, contact Roberts at 709-6965.

The Dragons team was comprised of all active-duty members, said Rimbert Sr. “The great thing about a post team is they are from all over and you get to watch them come together as a team,” he said.

“Our team was feisty,” said Eddie Cutwright, assistant coach and the team’s most valuable player. Anytime we took the field, we knew that none of our team was going to ever give up. We hope to get more players like that going forward into next year.”

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