The coming holiday period marks a time for friends and families to participate in the season's festivities, and the coming New Year means basketball teams from various commands around Naval Station Norfolk will compete in league and tournament games. These teams play against other command teams and even teams that are unrelated to the military. The matches can vary from league games to games that help build community relations.

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) has three basketball teams. Air Department and Supply Department each has their own team, and GW has a command team as well.

"We have an extremely special one-day tournament coming up over the first leave period that we are getting ready for," said Petty Officer 1st Class Reshawn Orr, the command team's coach. "The league starts up again on Jan. 7 for the base teams. We are also trying to get involved with the Portsmouth league so that we can test our talent against some of the area's best teams."

Orr said to prepare for the upcoming season and schedule the team will keep practicing and trying to gel as a team.
With GW going to the shipyard in 2017, the team will have a more consistent in-port schedule.

"Once we are settled in, it will be safe to say that we will be getting out in the community and competing in tournaments against teams in the Hampton Roads area," said Seaman Timothy Parrott. "A goal of ours is to get out and give something back to the community doing something we love."

The team has already had conversations with the Boys and Girls Club in Newport News, Portsmouth, and Norfolk, not just about scheduling games and tournaments, but about what the team can do for the community.

"We haven't been able to set anything in stone as of yet," said Orr. "However, at some point in the near future we will be getting out and doing things actively in the community, but first we have some tournaments to compete in."

The locations for games and tournaments can range from any of the gyms on base to playing in games at local YMCAs.

"Going forward our game and tournament schedule will definitely be more hectic," said Parrott. "Since we have been underway pretty much the whole year we haven't had ample time to get everything situated. We actually had a tournament scheduled in Portsmouth, but the underway schedule resulted in us having to scratch that. Now that we are going to be pierside next year and then moving to the yards, the amount of games and tournaments we participate in will definitely add up. The possibilities for this team are endless."

Parrott said it will be interesting to see how the team moves forward once the season picks up.

"We have a good solid group of guys right now, and with this upcoming in-port period it will give us plenty of times to mesh as a team and get the ball rolling," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Rodney Cobia.

Currently, the command team is boasting a 2-1 record and will be shooting to enter the D.C. Classic, which is a tournament featuring the best military talent whether it be the Navy, Army, Air Force, or Marines.

"We definitely plan on getting out and traveling to compete," said Orr. "The D.C. Classic is going to be the first major tournament we are aiming to be involved in. Aside from that, competing around town whether it is league games, tournaments in the surrounding areas, or showing love to the community, we are going to represent our command in the best way."


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