Garrison announces upcoming bubble soccer tournament

By U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-PfalzApril 11, 2014

Bubble soccer tournament
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KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz's Army Substance Abuse Program announced it will hold a Bubble Soccer Tournament for the Kaiserslautern Military Community as part of its ongoing "Ready and Resilient Campaign" and the "101 Days of Summer."

The tournament opens May 27 at 6 p.m. at the garrison gym on Landstuhl's Wilson Barracks. Registration is now open.

The final match takes place in September, after Labor Day. The tournament, a first of its kind for the Army, is slated to become an annual event.

The focus of garrison's "Ready and Resilient" campaign is to develop a ready and resilient community built on the pillars of physical, mental, spiritual and behavioral fitness, said Yanir Hill, USAG-RP Director of Human Resources.

"A healthy mind and body are essential to individual and unit readiness. Our Bubble Soccer Tournament is one of the tools that integrate all aspects of resiliency," Hill said.

The tournament will bring the community together in a fun, innovative way while stimulating the limbic system and physical fitness of our community members, Hill said.

"Soccer is known worldwide as the beautiful game and also happens to be very challenging and demanding, requiring lots of skills and focus," Hill said. "Throw in a bubble as your uniform and now you multiplied the fun while still achieving the original goals."

Although the official marketing of the event has just begun, the response has already been astounding, said Sarah Jane Phillips, USAG-RP ASAP lead for the tournament.

The marketing piece has become part of the resiliency development just as much as the game itself, Phillips said. Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines already sent suggestions for video clips, posters, and other marketing tools, she said.

"The word is out and calls are coming in asking how to enroll and participate in the event," Phillips said. "The resiliency goals will be achieved not only by the tournament itself, but the input and active participation from all units and community members in the development of the marketing tools."

Teams are limited to ten members. Five players from each team are allowed on the court at any given time. Captains must attend all meetings and training sessions. Players must be at least 18 year old.

To register, teams must send unit information, a team roster and a captain's contact information to inbox on the program's Facebook page, found online at www.facebook.com/kaiserslauternasap

Ideas for marketing the tournament are also welcome and can be sent to the program's Facebook inbox or e-mailed to sarah.j.phillips.civ@mail.mil