FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - When Capt. Robert "Rory" Page played in last month's Grizzlies preseason game against the Anchorage Wild it was the first time he had ever kicked a football in a game. Not just a professional game, any game.
Page, the executive officer for 176th Signal Company, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, played NCAA soccer, not football while attending school at the Virginia Military Institute. He says he "used to see the football team practicing and just always wondered if I had what it took to be a kicker."
He saw a flier last fall advertising for players and decided to give it a shot. When the team "opened tryouts in November I tried out and I did all right so I'm still here", he said.
Page is the son of Jennifer Page, Rockville, Md., and Larry Page, Salem Va. His family
and friends are supportive of his playing. "Most were surprised I tried out and even more surprised I made the team," Page said.
He says that the physics of kicking a football are pretty much the same as kicking a socceer ball. He follows football so he knew the basics, but there are some variations to the rules for the Indoor Football League he has to learn, Page said.
His chain of command "only agreed to this because they thought that I didn't have a shot," Page said. But he also said "everyone has been supportive and I feel it's a great opportunity to connect the Army here in Fairbanks with the Community of Fairbanks."
The goal Page has now is "to give the Fairbanks Grizzlies and the U.S. Army the positive image and exposure they both deserve."
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