European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 14, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday april 14, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 3danes, americans find fun in sports even losers Are winners during mini olympics week by Ken Clauson Bremerhaven Bureau Sonderburg Denmark a seven sport danish american mini olympics brought 160 american competitors from Bremerhaven and Karlstedt to Denmark for a week of sports Tours and Friendship that concluded saturday. The american contingent was mostly soldiers but also included family members and civilians competing against nearly 200 members of eight Sonderburg sports clubs. Events included Bowling soccer volleyball basketball shooting Greco roman and freestyle wrestling and american football. Women a competitions included basketball volleyball and Bowling. The emphasis was on Friendly Competition rather than a winning is everything a according to Rick Hester sports coordinator for the greater Bremerhaven military Community. A of course there a Good old american Pride but the main thing is just to play the games and have a Good time a he said. On wednesday a a fan Bush of 35 soldiers and family members took a one Day trip from the Bremerhaven and Karlstedt area to Denmark to cheer on the americans. The trip which Cost each person $5, included a tour of Sonderburg and stops at several athletic events. To maintain the spirit of Only playing for fun no awards were Given for performance but All participants were to receive medallions with the event logo on one Side and the sport they participated in on the other. For some of the americans it was their first Opportunity to visit a european country other than Germany. A a it a a really Nice break a said pfc. Anika Hight a basketball player from Bremerhaven a 11th postal co. A a it a Small and quiet and the people Here Are really Nice and Friendly. They really make us feel Welcome Here. This is my first military tour in Germany and my first time to visit another country. And its my first time to play As could Well be expected each country was Strong in some sports and weaker in others. The american basketball squads men and women trounced the danish club teams and the Danes dominated the soccer and shooting matches. But most players enjoyed the games despite sometimes lopsided scores. A it was quite fun but also interesting to see How much we have to learn a said Susanne Nielsen after her club played a stronger american team. About 100 people lined three sides of a tiny basketball gym to watch a game wednesday night. The audience included american athletes family members and numerous danish teen agers a larger crowd than the danish team was used to she said. A a we be never had that Many spectators a Nielsen said. A if we be got 10 people watching that a Good sgt. 1st class John Cruz from the 2nd base support in in Karlstedt commended the event organizers for including family members in the teams. He and his wife Helen both made the trip to play volleyball and do some sightseeing on the free daytime Tours for the americans. A a we be never been up Here before so its been very enjoyable for us a he said. A during the Day All the players have a Chance to go on Tours because they done to play until night. And its very Good they be allowed the families to be a couple of members of the wrestling team were students from osterholz High school on Spring break he said. The last Competition was an american style football game saturday afternoon pitting a danish club team against the Bremen buccaneers a semipro team that includes four american players. The rest of the team is German. But Hester said the other american Sas Kan Clauson americans in dark jerseys find themselves outclassed by a danish soccer team. Athletes planned to get involved As Well a by showing the Danes How to throw a genuine american football tailgate party. The mini olympics week was organized by the greater Bremerhaven military Community recreation division and the Sonderburg tourist office. Hester said he thinks the event is the largest of its Type that has Ever been organized by any . Army Europe Community. A i think its Safe to say this is the first time something of this magnitude has been done a seven different sports menus and women a teams and bringing them All to another country Quot he said wednesday. The saturday night closing ceremony had to be moved to a larger facility than originally planned because so Many people wanted to attend he said. The danish Community a response was not really surprising according to per Christensen director of the tourist office. A a it a simple really. They like americans and like to compete with other nations a he said. But the town of about 30,000 people on an Island just North of the German Border gets quite a few american military visitors he said. A Many americans come to Sonderburg for weddings a about 700 per year a he said. For american Servic members getting married in Denmark is often much quicker and easier than in Germany and Sonder Borg a proximity to the Border makes it a popular Stop. Danish basketball player Mikkel Carl sen said the sports week was Long overdue. A i think its fun and its a shame they did no to do it before the draw Down began a he said. A i would like this every year or Agency needs recreational specialists for Short saudi duty Washington a amps the army Community and family support Center is seeking recreation specialists to serve four month temporary duty Tours in saudi Arabia officials said thursday. These personnel work at various locations within the desert kingdom developing diverse recreation programs activities tournaments and facilities for soldiers stationed there. To be considered personnel must be employed by the army As recreation specialists. People with background in planning administering and marketing army recreation programs Are encouraged to apply officials said. Interested people can Contact the Community and family support Center by calling Dan 2212523 or commercial 703 325-2523, or by fax at Dan 221-2519 or commercial 703 325-2519 for details on How to apply. Applications must be received by april 24. This fifth group of volunteers part of an army Effort launched in january 1991 to have civilian specialists develop morale welfare and recreation programs in Southwest Asia will depart for saudi Arabia on or around May 20, officials said. Raf Alconbury finishes second in base excellence Competition by Walter Jahncke staff writer Raf Alconbury England has been named runner up for the air forces 1991 commander in chiefs installation excellence award. The award recognizes the base where facilities Are Best managed. Altus fab okla., came in first earning $200,000 for Quality of life improvements a the Only Cash award in the Competition. Raf Alconbury won the . Air forces in Europe Competition allowing it to compete with air Force bases worldwide. A Safe base Pitburg a in Germany won the 1990 worldwide Competition. A four member inspection team visited Alconbury from feb. 18 through 21 and gave High Praise to the base for its appearance and increased productivity. It. Col. Charles henges assistant Deputy commander for resources at Raf Alconbury cited some examples of the award winning base management. The club systems for officers and non commissioned officers were combined to reduce employees and help the clubs operate within their budgets. Another Cost Saver was having a local Farmer Cut grass around the Airfield with the Farmer entitled to keep the mowed Hay As payment. The new arrangement replaced a s10,000-per-Cnt contract. Henges said the bases new phone system saves $100,000 a year and Money from Raf Alconbury a aluminium recycling program goes into the bases morale welfare and recreation fund. Construction projects on base included a miniature Golf course and a sports bar where henges said Young people can go to watch a Large screen television play video games and have a Beer or soda. Also nearly 15,000 Evergreen seedlings were planted on the base. Mandela says he wife agree to separation Johannesburg South Africa a Black Leader Nelson Mandela said monday he was separating from his wife Winnie but denied it was linked to new charges about her role in a kidnapping Case. The african National Congress president denied he was leaving his wife in response to new allegations of her involvement in the kidnapping and assault of Black youths in 1988 and 1989. A in View of the tensions that have Arisen owing to differences Between ourselves on a number of issues in recent months we have mutually agreed that a separation would be Best for each of us a Mandela told a news conference. There was no immediate response from Winnie Mandela 57. Anc officials could not say if she would retain her positions in the movement
