Sport Jams series gears up for 2010
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Last updated 2/11/2010 at Noon
Jeremy Mendoza, weapons technician, Weapons Field Training Battalion, throws a dodge ball at an opposing team member during last year
In an effort to prevent drug and alcohol incidences among Camp Pendleton service members, Marine Corps Community Services’ Semper Fit division is gearing up for their annual Sports Jam Series, that began Jan. 22 and continues through the end of summer.
This year’s SJS, originally started in 2002, was held on Jan. 22 and kicked off with the Back in the Saddle tournament for service members and their families. The jam included racquetball, table tennis, dodge ball, volleyball and basketball competitions.
Next will be the Midnight Sports Jam, April 9, where service members from different units compete in various sports tournaments such as dodge ball and basketball to gain points. The unit with the most points earned at the end of the night will receive a donation to their unit’s funds.
Then the series will be rounded off with the 101 Days of Summer scheduled to end Aug. 22. The 101 Days of Summer has been around for several years but was incorporated into the SJS for the first time last year. During the 101 Days of Summer, participants compete in racquetball, table tennis, dodge ball, volleyball and basketball tournaments to collect individual points for awards.
“Last year’s addition of the 101 Days of Summer was met with great success,” said Gordonne. “It’s a great opportunity for our patrons to come out in a group setting, which encourages cohesion, camaraderie and most importantly, fun.”
The Sports Jam buzz grew with the opening of Paige Fieldhouse in 2004. The new facility allowed additional events to be added to the series, ultimately meeting the demands of its popularity among Pendleton participants, said Cari Gordonne, fitness programs supervisor, Semper Fit Division, MCCS.
Paige Fieldhouse will have extended hours of operation to allow service members and their families more chances to participate in the tournaments.
“All of us at Semper Fit enjoy supporting our military and their families,” said Gordonne. “If we can prevent just one alcohol or drug related incident with this series, our job here has been done.”
For more information about the 2010 Sports Jam Series, call Cari L. Gordonne at (760) 725-3468 or Nicole Preston at (760) 763-3794.
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