Fort Riley Warrior Zone rolls out red carpet for basketball fans

By Hannah Kleopfer, Fort Riley Public AffairsApril 15, 2016

Fort Riley's Warrior Zone hosts NCAA basketball final party
Pvt. Joshua Rendeazzer, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, plays in one of the shooting contests at Warrior Zone April 4. The contest was part of the NCAA Championship Party offered by staff of... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

To celebrate the spirit of the National Collegiate Athletics Association basketball championship spirit, staff of Warrior Zone hosted a March Madness men's title game watch party April 4.

Before the game between Villanova and the University of North Carolina, Warrior Zone staff hosted a number of games for patrons to get into the gameday spirit with.

"We decided to have some activities before to give them a chance to connect with the sport," said Christina Boyles, Warrior Zone recreation assistant.

As Soldiers arrived, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision on their part to participate in some of the activities.

"First, I came here to volunteer for Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers," said Pfc. Ismael Maldonado, 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

As the BOSS representative for his battalion, Maldonado recruited Spc. Sean Perez, 1st Bn., 5th FA Regt., 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div., to play in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Besides the 3-on-3 tournament, patrons participated in video games, dunk competitions, trash-can pong and skills challenge course. Winners of the tournaments would also receive prizes such as basketballs and gift certificates to Dick's Sporting Goods and the Warrior Zone.

Some Soldiers, such as Pvt. Joshua Rendeazzer, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, occasionally come to Warrior Zone to hang out with friends and play pool or get some work done at the computer lab.

Rendeazzer came to print some things off before he and his friend started playing in the games around the facility.

"It's important to have an outlet for the Soldiers to get out and interact and be social with each other and be active," Boyles said.

For other information about Warrior Zone and BOSS, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/boss.ftriley.