FORT SILL, Okla., May 26, 2016 -- Hundreds of Fort Sill service members and family members made a stop at Building 4922 to test their skills at the Alpha Warrior challenge, May 17.
"The Alpha Warrior event screams functional fitness," said Shane Dunlevy, Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation community recreation officer. "The obstacles that they had on the course deal more with real life situations. It's more functional to what they actually need to do, physically, than if they're in a gym doing bench presses or leg presses."
The event brought in two well-known American Ninja Warrior competitors, Kacy Calanzaro (first female to complete a city challenge) and Brett Steffenson. Together they kicked off the event, giving demonstrations and coaching participants through the eight-obstacle course. They also shared their stories and answered questions from the audience.
"You know it's kind of magical," said Steffenson. "Army Entertainment approached us. They saw us on TV and thought it would be great with their initiative to keep everyone combat ready. There is a big push with nutrition as well, and they just love this functional fitness movement that's going on."
With that, Steffenson and Calanzaro set off for Fort Sill, meeting up with the Army's World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) representatives, Sgt. Dennis Bowsher a modern pentathlon Olympian, Sgt. Spenser Mango a Greco-Roman wrestling Olympian and Capt. Matthew Hickey, commander of the program.
"The three of us came here specifically to support this event," said Hickey. "The World Class Athlete Program is going to work with the Alpha Warrior group, Brett and Kacy and some others, to help promote healthy living, healthy lifestyles and being ready -- constantly ready. This obstacle course that these guys are going through today is a demonstration of how functional fitness and healthy lifestyles can make you ready for some of the unexpected obstacles you may come across during a mission or in your career."
The event was supported by the 75th Field Artillery Brigade that planned the day-long event and helped provide manpower. However, participation was not exclusive to brigade members. Service members and civilians were welcomed to try their skills with those ages 16 to 18 requiring a parent consent form to participate. Event organizers hoped to get 250 people to attempt the obstacle course.
Spc. Robert Rankin, 2nd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery, finished the course in an impressive 2 minutes and 18 seconds. He said he found the obstacle course appealing because he could test his abilities in non-traditional ways.
"I really wanted to do this because it's a good opportunity to do some different other than just going to the gym every day and lifting weights," said Rankin. "This is really challenging for all Soldiers and a good way to lift their spirits up and keep their spirits up."
Of the eight obstacles, Rankin said he found the peg board and the climbing ropes to be the most difficult challenges. In the the climbing rope, one must take hold of a rope and climb to the top. The peg challenge required inserting a peg into holes to ascend and traverse a board.
"You're using too much muscle to steady yourself to go up and down," he said. "You're so tired and all your muscles are shaking but at the same time you just gotta keep going -- gotta keep moving forward and never stop."
Following the event here, Alpha Warrior traveled to Fort Hood for another event. Forts Sill and Hood were the only two military installations chosen to participate in Alpha Warrior.
"I want to give people the same experience I've enjoyed in my life," said Steffenson. "'Ninja Warrior' is awesome but it's a TV show that is almost impossible to get onto these days. I know so many people who want to get into this kind of thing and it's life changing. You get the bug and all of a sudden it becomes your life mission. I see that spark, that change, in people and I love seeing that. I'm just happy to be part of it."
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