Army West Point Athletics
Black Knights Visit Brooke Army Medical Center
September 14, 2006 | General
SAN ANTONIO, Texas Army Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson, head basketball coaches Dave Magarity and Jim Crews, head baseball coach Joe Sottolano and Director of Broadcasting Rich DeMarco visited the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday. The group is visiting the San Antonio area to promote the AT&T Corps Classic, which pits Army against Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 16 at the Alamodome.
The group took a tour of the Amputee Center and witnessed the many labs used to manufacture prosthesis’ and test their functionality after a patient has been fitted. All the prosthesis are made on site and customized to each and every patient.
“Our goal coming here as an administration was to inspire and motivate, but I found that it actually worked in reverse,” Sottolano commented. “This visit gave me, more than ever, a sense of purpose on why we coach and teach our country’s future officers.”
The group then visited the physical therapy area of the Amputee Center where 12-15 young men with a wide range of injuries were working on strength and mobility. Most of the young men were missing one or both lower limbs, but never let their injuries affect their attitude or outlook on life.
“The impact of this visit will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Magarity said. “It was such an uplifting experience. The attitude and dedication these young men display in dealing with incredible adversity really puts things in perspective.”
The final stop on the tour was the burn center. The group was required to “gel-in” upon entry and “gel-out” when exiting. The “gel” is an antibacterial cleansing solution necessary due to the patients’ susceptibility to infections. There were five patients in the burn center, and their injuries covered a broad spectrum. One patient had severe burns across the majority of his upper body, while others suffered less severe hand and arm burns.
“This was a very uplifting experience to be around these brave young men,” Anderson said. “It is an honor to know that our freedom is in the hands of young people such as these.”
“It was an incredible experience, one in which I wish every American could partake,” Crews said. “We were able to meet people we never will forget.”
The coaches and Mr. Anderson spent about one hour in the therapy center talking sports and getting to know the men. The wounded warriors were from all military backgrounds, including Navy, Air Force and Marines. Many of the men they met will be going to the game on Saturday due to the generous donation of tickets by Bank of America. Approximately 100 wounded soldiers and their families will receive complimentary tickets from Bank of America for Saturday’s game.
