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The Duke of Wellington once said that “the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton” – a reference to the belief that competitive sports contribute to the formation of a nation’s character. In this country the 3rd Brigade Combat Team and USAID’s Office of Transitional Initiatives (OTI) are teaming up to ensure that the battle for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people is won on the playing fields of Diyala.
They are cosponsoring a series of reconstruction projects that will transform dilapidated sports clubs, soccer fields and gymnasiums into new, modern facilities whose use will certainly enhance the quality of life in the province and may contribute to the new democratic character of this country.
The Office of Transitional Initiatives, for example, is refurbishing the Kanaan Sports Club, which is adjacent to the city’s sports stadium. Its practice field, fitness center and locker rooms are being overhauled and upgraded with state-of-the-art equipment and gleaming new gear. An American and an Iraqi, SPC Judith Aiksnoras and the mayor of Kanaan, crafted this winning formula. SPC Aiksnoras, a soldier with the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion, an Army Reserve unit based in Danbury, CT, is the coordinator of youth and sports projects at the 3rd BCT’s Civil-Military Operations Center in Baquba.
She has high praise for the mayor, who initiated this project. “He is great to work with,” SPC Aiksnoras says. “He always shows up for meetings and never overlooks anything. I trust him, and believe he really wants to help the people of his town and wants to better the area. He has never caused a problem, and if he cannot make it to a meeting, his brother or the contractor will show up in his place.”
SPC Aiksnoras has the same strong
rapport with local officials in Hibhib, a town
in Western Diyala. The mayor of Hibhib and the
manager of Hibhib Sports Club agreed to share a
large parcel of open space in the vicinity so
they could build a sports stadium for both local
athletes and club members. SPC Aiksnoras, once
again exhibiting her penchant for teamwork,
secured funding from OTI to furnish the stadium
with seating and other equipment.
“The Mayor of Hibhib, along with all of his workers, have been very helpful in getting the necessary information to me and in stopping by the CMOC whenever I need them,” she explained.
One of the playing fields of Jadditt Al-Shatt is about to receive a facelift thanks to the combined efforts of SPC Aiksnoras and OTI. The latter organization will renovate a soccer field in this town, which will be used jointly by the Jadditt Al-Shatt Sports Club and students from the secondary school across the street. The playing surface will be reseeded, a drainage system installed, and training rooms improved. What is now a field of despair will be transformed into a field of dreams for Iraqi youth.
In Baquba, meanwhile, the manager of the Diyala Sports Club asked the Multi-National Coalition to help repair some of the damage incurred during fighting in June, when insurgents seized nearby buildings without any concern for the athletic interests of the people of the neighborhood.
SPC Aiksnoras and OTI found a way to meet this request, and they are now working closely with officials of the club to rebuild its facilities. These partners are also helping to restore the nearby sports courts (also shattered in the June skirmish), where approximately eight different games are played, including handball and basketball, two of Iraq’s most popular games.
Soldiers of the First Infantry Division who spend a good deal of their free time working out and staying in shape probably feel a sense of camaraderie with the members of the Diyala Weightlifting Club, who, until recently, were forced to train in a ramshackle building. The dynamic duo of SPC Aiksnoras and OTI have helped to alleviate this situation, making it possible for the club to move into a better gym by supplying it with new office furniture.
The Aiksnoras-OTI team scored a similar victory when it found a way to provide new tables, chairs and lighting for the Baquba Chess Club, which is a very popular meeting place in the city. The Coalition is surely making the right move in this case: fostering healthy minds as well as healthy bodies. As a result, the battle for Iraq’s freedom, and its future, is being won on the playing fields and gaming boards of Diyala. (Story submitted by Sgt. Joseph Skelly, 411th Civil Affairs Battalion)
