Ever wonder how those Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard personnel end up in the Olympics? They've made it through many levels of competition to be Olympic contenders.
The first level they compete at is All Army. This competition is open to all active duty, US Army Reserve and Army National Guard personnel. Folks interested in competing at this level can apply to participate by following the application process to determine eligibility.
The sports currently offered are:
| Boxing (men & women) |
Wrestling (men & women) |
| Taek Won Do (men & women) |
Judo (men & women) |
| Basketball (men & women) |
Volleyball (indoor & beach) |
| Softball (men & women) |
Bowling (men & women) |
| Soccer (men & women) |
Rugby (men) |
| Marathon (men & women) |
Swimming (men & women) |
All Army Sports directly supports the readiness and well-being of Soldiers. Participants may be selected to represent the Army in Armed Forces Sports Championships, National and International competitions. The All Army Sports Program is designed to allow Soldiers to fulfill individual potential and rise to the highest possible level of performance. Soldier-Athletes must be Soldiers first, and outstanding athletes second. The All Army Sports Program is a crucible where athletic performance, military bearing and the human spirit of competition are realized.
Once athletes win at the All Army level, they move to the second level of competition -- All Armed Forces. As its name indicates, personnel who have won within their branch of the service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard) compete here. This level of competition is under the direction of the Armed Forces Sports Council (AFSC), the executive agent of the Department of Defense. The council is responsible for the overall management and operation of Inter-Service, National and International sports activities. The AFSC consists of one representative from each of the five services.
After winning at the All Armed Forces level, athletes may compete at State and/or National Championships. For some sports, results from preliminary tournaments (All Army / All Armed Forces) can be used as qualifiers for the State and National Championships.
The next level of competition is organized by the International Military Sports Council. It's known by its acronym CISM (which actually stands for Conseil International du Sports Militaire). CISM, which is headquartered in Belgium, is the second largest sporting organization in the world with 133 military member nations. Its motto of "Friendship Through Sport" establishes a common unity amongst its members. Our military athletes compete against their counterparts from other nations at venues around the world. CISM and National Championships are key preliminary competitions for our military athletes who qualify to compete at the Pan American and Olympic games.
The Pan American Games are held every four years (in the year preceding the Olympic Games.) It is the second most important sporting event in the world in terms of number of sports and athletes, the Olympics being number one.
Obviously, the next step is the Olympics. As you can see, it's a long road with athletes facing the highest caliber of competition along the way.
If you are interested in competing in a particular sport, your first step is to contact your base or installation sports representative. For more information you may also contact:
HQ Army Sports, San Antonio, Texas
Phone: (210)-466-1337
E-Mail: usarmy.jbsa.imcom-hq.mbx.army-sports@mail.mil
Website: allarmysports.armymwr.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheAllArmySports
Twitter: twitter.com/ArmyAthlete