Page 20 - mch1218_Magazine

RECREATION

NSB New London Sailors Clash in ‘Battle of the Commands’

arly in the morning of Aug. 24, sailors from 10 different and jumping over and through it. While two members
Ecommands — both ashore and submarine crew — gath- of the team were doing this, a third would hold a plank
ered at North Lake Park on NSB New London, Conn.’s north position until his teammates had finished their tasks.
end to compete in the 12th annual “Battle of the Commands.” The Wacky Relay had the players dressing up as farm-
The competition is a yearly event held on SUBASE in ers and using straws and their mouths, carrying leaves
which commands assigned to the base send representatives using only those implements, and answering riddles by
to compete in various games and obstacle courses. In past digging cards with the answers out of a box of dirt.
years, commands sending repre- Team Dragons took first place in
sentatives included from assigned the Wacky Relay and Team Mile
submarines and Naval Submarine High dominated in the Strongman
School classes. Obstacle Course.
“The Battle of the Commands • The final two events were the
is a yearly event where six per- “Wibit Wipe Out” and the “Tug-
sonnel from various commands of-War.” The Wibit Wipe Out
on NSB New London compete in involved teams racing across an
various activities for the trophy,” inflatable obstacle course erected
said Heather Phillips, an NSB New
London Morale, Welfare and Rec-
reation (MWR) representative.

EVENTS
The events included the following:
• During the “Bus Pull” event, teams picked their three
strongest members who were strapped into harnesses
and tasked with pulling a small city bus placed in neu-
tral approximately 20 feet in
as short a time as possible.
In this challenge, Team Mile
High of the USS Colorado
(SSN-788) came out on top.
• On the opposite end of the in North Lake itself (called the
park, two teams went head- Wibit) (see third photo from top).
to-head in a game called After this, the teams were pitted
“Bubble Soccer,” which is against one another in order of their
success in the other challenges.
Team Slick Ricks of the Rickover
Command conquered the Wibit and
Team Knuckle Draggers out-tugged
everyone else.
However, the battle was not over yet: The Slick Ricks and
Mile High were tied for first place. Each team picked one
champion to go head-to-head for a final round on the Wibit to
determine the victor. In the end, Team Mile High of Colorado
would emerge as 2018’s victor.

TAKING A BREAK
After the completion of the tie-breaker, the sailors broke
for lunch, cooked by MWR staff, and the winning teams were
much like regulation soccer. It involves two teams trying presented with their awards and were photographed with NSB
to kick a ball through each other’s goal posts using only New London Commanding Officer Capt. Paul Whitescarver (see
their feet. The difference is that in this variation of the bottom photo). Throughout the event, there was a general feel-
game, all players are inside giant inflatable “zorbing” ing of fun and sportsmanship, and a good time was had by all.
balls in which they could collide with and bounce off “It was a wonderful event and the weather cooperated,”
of one another and roll along with the ball itself. In this said Master-at-Arms 1st Class Kevin Davis, Security Depart-
challenge, Team Silver Bullet Actual of Naval Branch ment’s team leader during the event. “Battle of the Commands
Health Clinic Groton was victorious (see top photo). is an annual competition within the installation and tenants
• In another part of the field was the “Strongman Obstacle that brings with it a sense of competition and togetherness.
Course” and the “Wacky Relay.” The Strongman Obstacle It’s a fun opportunity to bring together sailors, and make new
Course tested teams’ strengths, such as in carrying weights friends. Can’t wait for next year!”
across a 50-foot distance, and turning over a tractor tire Story and photos by Tristan B. Lotz.

20 MILITARY CLUB & HOSPITALITY | DECEMBER 2018