YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — Picture a poster board on Rob Bailey’s chest and back and it might read something like this:
“WANTED: Talented softball players for the All-Army tryout camps this summer in the States! Experienced players preferred; new talent always welcome. Inquire at the Lombardo Field FourPlex on Yongsan South Post until 3 p.m. Monday.”
So is Bailey’s lot this weekend during the 16th Pacificwide Open Softball Tournament. In years past, names of Army standouts have been passed by word of mouth or e-mail to the Army’s tryout camp program at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.
But never had the Army sports program sponsored a trip by one of its coaches — Bailey coaches the All-Army women’s team — to the Pacific’s largest open softball tournament, which this year welcomes 39 teams and players from all services, some from as far as Germany and Turkey.
“This is the biggest tournament in Asia-Pacific and the competitive level is one of the highest around.” said Bailey, 35, a staff sergeant assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. “It would make sense for me to do it.”
He’s coached the All-Army women to the gold in the 2004 All-Armed Forces tournament and to a silver medal last August at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
With the Pacificwide welcoming more than 30 present or former All-Armed Forces or All-Service players, Bailey is using the event not only to scout those players but to discover new talent — and to eyeball possible foes in the 2006 All-Armed Forces tournament Aug. 20-25 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
“This gives me a chance to fill slots I’m looking for and to handpick players to fill those slots,” he said. “It also gives me a chance to see my potential opposition from the other services’ teams. This just goes to show why Army wants to win the gold so badly.”
Already, Bailey says, he plans to count on nine-time All-Army and two-time All-Armed Forces first baseman Viv Colbert of Yongsan’s post team and is keeping a good eye on Yongsan shortstop Roxanne Ficks, a potential All-Army newcomer.
“She’s very motivated, intense, she has a lot of energy,” Colbert said of Ficks.
Bailey’s trip to Yongsan got Colbert’s resounding endorsement. “It’s a great opportunity,” Colbert said, for Bailey not just to wait until the players come to tryout camp, this year from July 31 to Aug. 19 at Fort Indiantown Gap, “but to find hidden talent and sound them out for the camp."
Bailey’s also watching for veteran and hidden talent for the men’s tryout camp Aug. 14-Sept. 2 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The men’s All-Armed Forces will be played Sept. 16-21 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Army took third in last year’s tournament.
16th Pacificwide Open Softball Tournament
At Lombardo Field FourPlex and Field 5, South Post, Yongsan Garrison, South Korea
Round-robin standings
Men’s Pool A
Club Red, Okinawa 2-0
International Guzzlers, South Korea 1-0
Taegu, South Korea 1-0
Camp Red Cloud, South Korea 1-1
Suwon Air Base, South Korea 0-2
Aviation, Yongsan Garrison, S. Korea 0-2
Friday’s games
International Guzzlers 28, Aviation 0
Club Red 17, Camp Red Cloud 4
Taegu 23, Suwon Air Base 0
Camp Red Cloud 20, Suwon Air Base 3
Club Red 20, Aviation 0
Men’s Pool B
Yokota Air Base, Japan 2-0
Heat 3N2, S. Korea and Taiwan 1-0
Los Guzzleros, S. Korea, Ft Lewis, Wash. 1-0
Camp Casey, South Korea 1-1
Geckos Glaciers, Seoul 0-2
Military Police, Yongsan, S. Korea 0-2
Friday’s games
Yokota Air Base 22, Military Police 2
Camp Casey 17, Geckos Glaciers 2
Heat 3N2 35, Military Police 0
Yokota Air Base 10, Camp Casey 9
Los Guzzleros 16, Geckos Glaciers 1
Men’s Pool C
Osan Air Base, South Korea 2-0
Legion, Okinawa 1-0
Camp Humphreys, South Korea 1-1
18th Medical Comm., Yongsan, S. Korea 1-1
CSAS, Chinhae Naval Base, South Korea 0-1
Sumos, Tokyo 0-2
Friday’s games
Legion 17, 18th Medical Command 7
Osan Air Base 28, Sumos 3
Camp Humphreys 16, CSAS Chinhae Naval Base 1
Osan Air Base 14, Camp Humphreys 6
18th Medical Command 18, Sumos 8
Men’s Pool D
Yongsan Garrison, South Korea 2-0
Kadena Air Base, Okinawa 1-0
Signal, Yongsan Garrison, South Korea 1-1
Wonju/Camp Long, South Korea 1-1
2/2 Aviation, South Korea 0-2
Friday’s games
Signal 12, 2/2 Aviation 1
Yongsan Garrison 21, Wonju/Camp Long 9
Kadena Air Base 18, Signal 10
Yongsan Garrison 15, 2/2 Aviation 0
Wonju/Camp Long 15, Kunsan Air Base 14
Women’s Pool A
Kyongbuk National Team, South Korea 2-0
Yongsan Garrison, South Korea 2-0
Sang Ji University, Seoul 2-1
Kunsan Air Base, South Korea 1-1
Kadena Air Base, Okinawa 1-1
Misawa Air Base, Japan 0-2
Taegu, South Korea 0-3
Friday’s games
Sang Ji University 10, Kadena Air Base 1
Yongsan Garrison 11, Sang Ji University 1
Kunsan Air Base 15, Taegu 14
Kyongbuk 14, Misawa Air Base 4
Kadena Air Base 13, Taegu 0
Sang Ji University 29, Kunsan Air Base 4
Yongsan Garrison 16, Misawa Air Base 1
Kyongbuk 29, Taegu 0
Women’s Pool B
Osan Air Base, South Korea 3-0
Busan, South Korea 2-0
Yard Busters, Okinawa 2-0
Air Force Plus One 2-1
Vixens, Okinawa 0-2
Camp Casey, South Korea 0-2
Camp Humphreys, South Korea 0-2
Pyongtaek, South Korea 0-2
Friday’s games
Yard Busters 24, Camp Casey 1
Osan Air Base 15, Vixens 8
Air Force Plus One 18, Camp Humphreys 3
Busan 16, Pyongtaek 1
Air Force Plus One 21, Vixens 7
Yard Busters 17, Camp Humphreys 12
Osan Air Base 20, Pyongtaek 5
Busan 5, Air Force Plus One 2
Osan Air Base 12, Camp Casey 11
