Airforce2002yb

Nc

!

athleticism is an impatant par d a cadets Hie. Jt reflects their strength to endure uinteuer may come their liJay Jt is an cppatui ity to improoe their UJeahnesses and enhances their strengths. Ja some, atHetics is a way lile. J\ place to canpete and uin against the best in the

ir>

O

lA

70

\j'A

^m

^1

22'

V.t

�V

Co(. Kandcrff W.

Spetman f

=x

Brandon G.

tTiffany

Jones

B. Parsons

"Dustin W. Brown Scott S. Jrofiardt

/Vltfsf \(x\[AoMc Mladic K]o~'^ Brian C Oornidc

Sarali JVC. �aw

I

h I "

t I

c

Awards

lootball ^^

tTficre is ciGout

something

j3<^<Hjing

at fiomc.

team

On your

Wfiere

turf,

a

a

own

victory

is sanctimonious and

defeat

a

dcsoCate.

I

COME taketefuge on our are no experiences that are exciting lo football players than game day at USAFA. On the bus ride

There

more

to the

stadium, there is silence.

Ev

eryone prepares for the game differ ently. Some listen to music, while oth look

ers

Ihrough their playbook.

When

fans cheer

we

arrive at the stadium,

as we

there is complete only noise comes from people listening lo their headphones. lence.

on

si

room

The

After arriving, we put our jerseys and go onto the field to stretch with

our

positions.

When finished,

we

go

back lo the locker room, put our pads on, and we wall until it is lime lo do our pre-game warm-up as a team.

When it is lime, the team huddles in

the tunnel and then

we

lake the field.

The crowd erupts when we run out, and the team feeds off of the crowds energy.

ďż˝

Thirty

minutes before kickoff, the

team heads back into the locker room.

Al this time,

we

will do any last minute

preparations, have and listen lo

our

speech. During

sity

is almost unbearable

as we over

our team prayer, head coachfe pre-game the speech, the Inlen-

hear the jets

flying

the stadium.

As

walk down the tun

nel to get dressed and you can feel the excitement and intensity in the air. In the locker

Field we

take the field

for the lasl time before kick

off,

the

crowd

chaotically. Usu the lasl, and best, fly ally, over occurs right before cheers

kick off and fills so

us

wilh

Keith

Boyea, Muyser, and

gain more rushing yards against TTU. The option proved very effective for the Falcons. Photo by C. Jayme Butler

much emotion that

we are

team.

ready to unleash it on the other By the lime we lake the field on

either offense cused

on our

or

defense,

nating anyone who house.

we are

fo

goal of physically domi comes

into

our

LaBasco

runs

for extra

yards against the defending national champions. The their

Falcons

gave

against

Oklahoma

came

J.

up short.

Photo

all but

by

Campbell

22

Brooks Walters and John

Courtney team goal. Special teams came through time and again. Photo by J. Campbell up to

attempt

a

field

^1^7^

I

N=

ďż˝

y

lootball

their way to their fifth straight manders-in-chief trophy.

com

However, the high point of the was a Thanksgiving trip

road schedule

The Falcons gol lo days there, and while

to sunny Hawaii.

spend

seven

most of the time was

spent practicing

and getting ready for the game, there was plenty of time to hil the beach. The coaches gave the leam two nights off, and everyone look advantage of the time. Most importantly, they were to gether.

Away football games were a greal chance to get away from day-to-day life and do something that had always

natural lo you. The fact that fans weren't the ones packed into your the stadium simply meant that you had come

added motivation to

bring

home

tory and play your heart oul.

It was a memorable road for the Falcons, and season

did not go

even

as

well

a

season

though as

the experiences they take away cons will lasl a lifetime.

vic

the

hoped, as

Fal

Boyea dives for extra yards against CSU. The Falcons gave the Rams a run for their money for the entire year. Photo by Senior

T. Becker

Freshman Butler defender.

Butler

pulls was a

away from

a

BYU

valuable aid to the

Falconi running game this year.

Photo

by

S. Ritchie

lunior halfback Palmer shakes and bakes two BYU defenders. The halfbacks worked hard to gain yards in the option this year.

Photo by S. Ritchie

Senior kicker Walters kicks

an

extra

point

while Courtney holds the ball. Walters and Courtney proved to be potent weapons for the Falcons

by

throughout

the

season.

Photo

T. Becker

Boyea eludes two rushing BYU de fenders. Boyea ran and threw for over 1000 Photo by S. Ritchie yards this season.

Senior

Junior Beulow delivers a

BYU defender.

Hard

a

hard hit to

hitting

was a

hallmark of the Falcons defense.

Photo by S. Ritchie

/^

u*-

ďż˝

fl

i'r

78

IP ij^

triiere tfiat

is

one

r<^

cfiamjjion.

�.

raff I

.*')^�jfc|-^^

tfian

7o say

rest.

tfiat you

'"��

game

means more

off tfie

'

were

.W

tfie

tlie 6cst

among your

JeCfow

servicemen. tTliat is tfie

uftimatc

victory.

Irs A pride thing Beat

Army. Sink Navy. life

a

pride

thing.

"Beating Army and Navy and win ning the Commander-in-Chieffe Trophy is the number one goal of this foolball program," said Coach Fisher Deberry.

At two-and-one-half feet tall and 170

pounds, itfe

a

beautiful

thing.

I

touched my lips to it before each ser vice academy game and I came back after each victory and kissed it again.

The Commander-in-Chieffe Tro

phy does not represent a season of victory over Army and Navy; it repre slrong tradition of brother hood, which is the foundalion of Fal sents a

football.

con

hood has

no

However,

even

brother

direction wilhout

a

great

Coach DeBerry is the winningest coach in service academy football history. He carries an amaz ing 30-6 record against Army and Navy and has led the Academy to 13 Commander-in-Chieffe trophy titles.

To the fans, service academy games are the ultimate experience of sportsmanship, courage, competitive coach.

Marsh and Coleman stop army runner in his

an

tracks. It

was

efforts like

this that lead to another CIC trophy.

Campbell

Photo

by

J.

and respect, but from the per spective of the players on the field, it ness

is

a

different story. It is

a

hard

fought

war are

in which blood is smeared, eyes poked, bones are broken, and pain

and exhaustion

are

ignored.

For the seniors, its White House or

bust.

A handshake from the Presi

dent is the finish line. The underclass raise their level of play to open the door to the Oval Office for their

men

senior brothers.

As General

Douglas

MacArlhur

eloquently commented, "Upon the fields of friendly strife, are sown the seeds, that, upon other fields, on so

other

days,

will bear the fruits of vic

tory."

A battle

on

the football field is

simply another practice for the future engagements our military will face in unity wilh our service academy com Bul for now. the celebration

rades.

for the Air Force is sweet.

"Winning the Trophy is supposed struggle, not a hobby. And the truth is, if you spend any more time in Washington, the folks back in Colo rado Springs are going to say you're lo be a

oul of

touch," said George W. Bush,

President of the United States,

May

4, 2001.

\^.-

Leotis Palmer outruns this

Hawaii defender.

In the

Palmer

was

open,

unstopable this season.

Photo by C. Reteneller

Leotis Palmer rushes Palmer was the second lead ing rusher on the team and had three touch downs this season. Photo by C. Reteneller

Running at full steam, the football.

It is tfiat

extra

tfie

tadcfe, tfiat

Jinaf

one

to

game you fiod

vvin.

to

football

yard,

It's

jjCaces

never

coming

travefing

you fiove

6cen arid tadc witfi

new sense

a

of seTf.

^fti ^m ome

Alqra able lo travel lo and

University week

keeps the ball play and rushing straight ahead. He lead the (earn with 1337 yards and fl8 touchdowns. Photo by lis

Reteneller

Hawaii from forth not

a

happy but s fought har The fans

exhausted after Photo by C.

out the game.

thusiasm, and 1

The sessions

hard and twice

a day. They sched rigorous and they had little time for fun in the sun. Only one goal appeared for them and it was victory.

After a week of practicing and preparing, anticipation for the game reached a high. The fans, who came

was

outside

the Hawaii

tie. ivere

practice. And prac

amazing Ihroii ih-

Their excilemeiil.

m-

)ve

of Iheir team ri\ ; led

mv

enjoyed the

cro

bered them. the fans

were

the team must the

Gradually

sup|)S

s

the fans would

22

elravellngbackhoi

The cade leam would not.

If

the stadium before the game. There was a small group of cadets who made

remained in pa .adise for several days. The time

ni

flight from Peterson Accompanying them was a good

AFB.

lice in the

pleas]

num

was warm

and id

a

gathering

the six hour

ber of permanent parly from USAFA. Additionally, there were many gradu ates of the Academy and their families.

Eventually, game

s

)ring. The Falcons

who

did.

from all over, had

;

play

valiant [Mfort and Ihe fans

to the weather and

ule

ofleii

Ihe

during the game.

ul could nol pr('\ sc

tice is whal were

Ceith Boyea

play the

hard

fought

to become accustomed

they

are

as

the defensive

s

tkui

of Hawaii. The team arrived

early

games

ves

<i

instruclioi

leneller

Hawaii. A tropical paradise made for fun, relaxation, and outside activi ties. This Thanksgiving, the Falcons

a

coaches

e

!

a wuin

were

"Jappy" Oliver

eman some

time

approached Finally,

all filed into the stadium.

kickoff occurred and the game

Academy bul

Colorado snow

If

e

or

practice

w

Springs

and ice storm.

nol achieved

The Falcons

victory

and

pleasure

the

showed the spirit embo 'ed al United States Mr Force Acai

was

to their nume' )us fans

underway. ll

was a

long day for the

Falcons

where little seemed lo go as planned.

The offense sputtered and just could not

get into

a

rhythm.

The defense

u.cms

KrtLLm

\

1