Fort Bliss Monitor

Bliss hosts bi-national bowling tournament

Master Sgt. Steve Miller
Public Affairs Chief

Henry Barcena of the Fort Bliss Knights eyes the pins Sunday before beginning his approach during the Class B championship match.

Last weekend it was the Fort Bliss Bowling Center’s turn to host the Binational Friendship Bowling Tournament.

The tourney, which takes place every two months, is hosted by a different area bowling center each time it’s held. Bowlers from Alamogordo, Ciudad Juarez, Las Cruces and El Paso typically compete, said Blake Rowland, president of the Fort Bliss Knights men’s bowling team and director of the latest friendship tourney.

“We’ve got 42 teams in this tournament bowling in five different classes – A through E – based on their average,” Rowland said. “The friendship tournament is a great way to meet other bowlers in the area every couple of months. The March tournament will be at Bowlero Lanes on Dyer.”

Class A bowlers carry the highest average, with the averages descending through Class E. Henry Barcena, a private first class assigned to C Detachment, 230th Finance Battalion, made it all the way to the Class B championship, but was defeated by Phil Prieto, a regional touring member of the Professional Bowlers Association and Hall of Famer, by a combined pinfall of 506-429.

“I know him, but I’ve never bowled against him,” Barcena said of Prieto. “I really struggled Saturday – I was second-to-last in my class, but I came back today and made the cut by shooting the high series (780) for the tournament. I just wanted to make the cut – as long as I get in, I’m OK.”

See box for the top three teams and top eight individual bowlers in each class.

USACAS hoop team still unbeaten

Master Sgt. Steve Miller
Public Affairs Chief

For 20 minutes Tuesday night at Stout Gym, the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Battalion basketball team looked like anything but an unbeaten 9-0 squad against Joint Task Force-North.

They began the game with a turnover, fell behind by 9 points midway through the first half and didn’t grab the lead until William Russell nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing with 12 seconds left, making the score 22-21 at intermission.

But by the time the final buzzer sounded, USACAS had notched a 51-40 victory, running their record to a perfect 10-0 in the Independent League.

“We just had a slow start – like we were dead,” acting coach William Haygood admitted afterward. “At halftime, I said, ‘Let’s get ‘em out of here, take it to ‘em and play USACAS basketball.’ We didn’t do that in the first half.”

USACAS righted their ship in the second 20 minutes, however, going on a 7-0 run to open the half. The spurt gave USACAS a 29-21 lead and started with a 3-pointer from the left wing by DeQuan Whitten. It also included a pair of twisting layups by Jason Brumfield.

The lead for USACAS would balloon to 14 points before JTF-North mounted a late comeback that included a 3-pointer by Steve Baker from the left wing and another by Francis Ward as time expired.

“We lost a key player – Specialist (Marcus) Hodges – in the first half. He was sick and sat out the whole half. He played in the second half and really made a difference, especially on defense,” Haygood said.

Indeed, Hodges only scored two points for USACAS, but the defensive help he applied to JTF-North’s Benjamin Smith helped limit Smith to one second-half point, after he had tallied 10 in the first half.

Ward had 15 and Smith 11 to lead JTF-North. Brumfield scored 14, Whitten tallied 13 and Tavaris Kee notched 12 to lead USACAS.

Tips given to avoid pitfalls of health-club industry

Doug Briggs
Special to The Monitor

With the New Year here, many people are thinking about buying gym memberships at local clubs. Here are some tips that may help you get a better deal and avoid the pitfalls of the health-club industry.

Work out at the gym during the time you normally work out, and observe whether or not the gym is crowded. Is there enough equipment to work out on with all the other people working out? Is it noisy, smelly or messy?
Can the gym provide you with a printed price list? Many gyms will base your membership price on how you look, how you dress, how you act and so forth.

Does the gym charge an initiation fee? If so, ask them to waive it. If they are unwilling to waive it, find another gym or negotiate a lower fee by threatening to go to another club.

Does the club have a contract? It should be an option, not a requirement. The average person joining a health club will use it for two or three months and quit, but the payments continue and, in many cases, renew automatically for life until you notify the club in writing that you are canceling the contract. Ask the club to allow you to take a contract home for review – read the fine print; if they won’t allow it, you know there is something wrong.

Does the gym require an electronic fund transfer? EFTs allow the gym to get into your bank account directly and deduct funds from it. Do not allow EFT access to your account or set-up an account strictly for the gym to deduct from, keeping a minimal amount in the account.

Watch out for gimmicks. There is no such thing as a “win a free week” contest or “free membership.” Clubs use these come-ons to build mailing lists and referrals, which allow them to become “telephone pests” at dinner time.

Is the gym clean? The gym and equipment should be clean and well-maintained, with no torn carpeting, broken mirrors or holes in the upholstery.

Is the staff friendly but not pushy? Are the staff-members salespeople? If they take you to an office before you see the facility, find another club.

Are their aerobics staff and personal trainers certified? They should be certified by The Cooper Institute, the National Strength and Conditioning Association or the American College of Sports Medicine. Ask who certifies them and call the certifying agency to verify. If you are looking for personal training, some of the best available is at Stout Gym. Annika Schmidt and Mike Lind are both certified by The Cooper Institute as master fitness specialists.

Does the staff have current CPR and first aid certifications? The life they save may be yours.

Visit all the gyms in your area before committing to one and try them. Call the Better Business Bureau or state attorney general’s office if you have questions.

Try the gym for at least one day free. If they won’t let you try the club for free for a day, find another gym.

Sports briefs

Franklin Mtn. Wilderness Run

The 3rd Annual Franklin Mountains Wilderness Runs will take place Feb. 12 beginning at 8:30 a.m. The runs include a seven-mile race ($20 entry fee); and a 30K-marathon, a 26-mile marathon and a 50K-ultramarathon ($40 entry fee for any of the three).

All runners will receive a race T-shirt. Prizes will be awarded to the male and female first- through third-place finishers in all four race categories. Prizes will also be awarded for the same categories to runners age 45 and older.

For more information and registration, call 581-9541.

Post volleyball tryouts

Tryouts for the men’s and women’s post volleyball teams are taking place each Saturday through Feb. 5 at Stout Gym. Men’s tryouts are from 2 to 4 p.m., and the women’s tryouts are from 4 to 6 p.m.

Both teams need coaches. Teams will compete in local leagues and represent Fort Bliss in tournaments throughout the region, as available. For information, call 568-5995.

Post softball tryouts

Tryouts for the men’s post softball team will take place Feb. 1 through 12 Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. at the Omar Bradley Softball Complex. Tryouts for the women’s team – which also needs a coach – are set for Feb. 22 through March 5, also Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. For information, call 568-5995.

Intramural bowling

The Sports Office is seeking to form an intramural bowling league that will compete Monday nights starting in February and ending with a post championship in June. Fees will be $1 per game with no charge for shoes. Teams will have four members, and all league teams will be eligible for the post playoffs. For information, call 568-5995.

Black history hoop tourney

The annual Black History Basketball Tournament is set for Feb. 18-20 at Stout Gym. The double-elimination event is open to military and civilian teams, and the entry fee is $200 per team. Deadline is Feb. 15. Rosters are limited to 12 players with one non-playing coach. The top three teams will earn team trophies, with T-shirts going to each player on the top two teams.

The event will also include a 3-point shootout and a free-throw contest. Three players per team may either contest, and awards will go to the top two in each event. For information, contact Nate LaCour at 568-5198 or 568-6722 or via e-mail at nate.lacour@bliss.army.mil. You may also contact Scott Carr at 568-5995. .



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	January 27, 2005

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	Bliss hosts bi-national bowling tournament Master Sgt. Steve Miller Public Affairs Chief Henry Barcena of the Fort Bliss Knights eyes the pins Sunday before beginning his approach during the Class B championship match. Last weekend it was the Fort Bliss Bowling Center’s turn to host the Binational Friendship Bowling Tournament. The tourney, which takes place every two months, is hosted by a different area bowling center each time it’s held. Bowlers from Alamogordo, Ciudad Juarez, Las Cruces and El Paso typically compete, said Blake Rowland, president of the Fort Bliss Knights men’s bowling team and director of the latest friendship tourney. “We’ve got 42 teams in this tournament bowling in five different classes – A through E – based on their average,” Rowland said. “The friendship tournament is a great way to meet other bowlers in the area every couple of months. The March tournament will be at Bowlero Lanes on Dyer.” Class A bowlers carry the highest average, with the averages descending through Class E. Henry Barcena, a private first class assigned to C Detachment, 230th Finance Battalion, made it all the way to the Class B championship, but was defeated by Phil Prieto, a regional touring member of the Professional Bowlers Association and Hall of Famer, by a combined pinfall of 506-429. “I know him, but I’ve never bowled against him,” Barcena said of Prieto. “I really struggled Saturday – I was second-to-last in my class, but I came back today and made the cut by shooting the high series (780) for the tournament. I just wanted to make the cut – as long as I get in, I’m OK.” See box for the top three teams and top eight individual bowlers in each class. USACAS hoop team still unbeaten Master Sgt. Steve Miller Public Affairs Chief For 20 minutes Tuesday night at Stout Gym, the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Battalion basketball team looked like anything but an unbeaten 9-0 squad against Joint Task Force-North. They began the game with a turnover, fell behind by 9 points midway through the first half and didn’t grab the lead until William Russell nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing with 12 seconds left, making the score 22-21 at intermission. But by the time the final buzzer sounded, USACAS had notched a 51-40 victory, running their record to a perfect 10-0 in the Independent League. “We just had a slow start – like we were dead,” acting coach William Haygood admitted afterward. “At halftime, I said, ‘Let’s get ‘em out of here, take it to ‘em and play USACAS basketball.’ We didn’t do that in the first half.” USACAS righted their ship in the second 20 minutes, however, going on a 7-0 run to open the half. The spurt gave USACAS a 29-21 lead and started with a 3-pointer from the left wing by DeQuan Whitten. It also included a pair of twisting layups by Jason Brumfield. The lead for USACAS would balloon to 14 points before JTF-North mounted a late comeback that included a 3-pointer by Steve Baker from the left wing and another by Francis Ward as time expired. “We lost a key player – Specialist (Marcus) Hodges – in the first half. He was sick and sat out the whole half. He played in the second half and really made a difference, especially on defense,” Haygood said. Indeed, Hodges only scored two points for USACAS, but the defensive help he applied to JTF-North’s Benjamin Smith helped limit Smith to one second-half point, after he had tallied 10 in the first half. Ward had 15 and Smith 11 to lead JTF-North. Brumfield scored 14, Whitten tallied 13 and Tavaris Kee notched 12 to lead USACAS. Tips given to avoid pitfalls of health-club industry Doug Briggs Special to The Monitor With the New Year here, many people are thinking about buying gym memberships at local clubs. Here are some tips that may help you get a better deal and avoid the pitfalls of the health-club industry. Work out at the gym during the time you normally work out, and observe whether or not the gym is crowded. Is there enough equipment to work out on with all the other people working out? Is it noisy, smelly or messy? Can the gym provide you with a printed price list? Many gyms will base your membership price on how you look, how you dress, how you act and so forth. Does the gym charge an initiation fee? If so, ask them to waive it. If they are unwilling to waive it, find another gym or negotiate a lower fee by threatening to go to another club. Does the club have a contract? It should be an option, not a requirement. The average person joining a health club will use it for two or three months and quit, but the payments continue and, in many cases, renew automatically for life until you notify the club in writing that you are canceling the contract. Ask the club to allow you to take a contract home for review – read the fine print; if they won’t allow it, you know there is something wrong. Does the gym require an electronic fund transfer? EFTs allow the gym to get into your bank account directly and deduct funds from it. Do not allow EFT access to your account or set-up an account strictly for the gym to deduct from, keeping a minimal amount in the account. Watch out for gimmicks. There is no such thing as a “win a free week” contest or “free membership.” Clubs use these come-ons to build mailing lists and referrals, which allow them to become “telephone pests” at dinner time. Is the gym clean? The gym and equipment should be clean and well-maintained, with no torn carpeting, broken mirrors or holes in the upholstery. Is the staff friendly but not pushy? Are the staff-members salespeople? If they take you to an office before you see the facility, find another club. Are their aerobics staff and personal trainers certified? They should be certified by The Cooper Institute, the National Strength and Conditioning Association or the American College of Sports Medicine. Ask who certifies them and call the certifying agency to verify. If you are looking for personal training, some of the best available is at Stout Gym. Annika Schmidt and Mike Lind are both certified by The Cooper Institute as master fitness specialists. Does the staff have current CPR and first aid certifications? The life they save may be yours. Visit all the gyms in your area before committing to one and try them. Call the Better Business Bureau or state attorney general’s office if you have questions. Try the gym for at least one day free. If they won’t let you try the club for free for a day, find another gym. Sports briefs Franklin Mtn. Wilderness Run The 3rd Annual Franklin Mountains Wilderness Runs will take place Feb. 12 beginning at 8:30 a.m. The runs include a seven-mile race ($20 entry fee); and a 30K-marathon, a 26-mile marathon and a 50K-ultramarathon ($40 entry fee for any of the three). All runners will receive a race T-shirt. Prizes will be awarded to the male and female first- through third-place finishers in all four race categories. Prizes will also be awarded for the same categories to runners age 45 and older. For more information and registration, call 581-9541. Post volleyball tryouts Tryouts for the men’s and women’s post volleyball teams are taking place each Saturday through Feb. 5 at Stout Gym. Men’s tryouts are from 2 to 4 p.m., and the women’s tryouts are from 4 to 6 p.m. Both teams need coaches. Teams will compete in local leagues and represent Fort Bliss in tournaments throughout the region, as available. For information, call 568-5995. Post softball tryouts Tryouts for the men’s post softball team will take place Feb. 1 through 12 Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. at the Omar Bradley Softball Complex. Tryouts for the women’s team – which also needs a coach – are set for Feb. 22 through March 5, also Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. For information, call 568-5995. Intramural bowling The Sports Office is seeking to form an intramural bowling league that will compete Monday nights starting in February and ending with a post championship in June. Fees will be $1 per game with no charge for shoes. Teams will have four members, and all league teams will be eligible for the post playoffs. For information, call 568-5995. Black history hoop tourney The annual Black History Basketball Tournament is set for Feb. 18-20 at Stout Gym. The double-elimination event is open to military and civilian teams, and the entry fee is $200 per team. Deadline is Feb. 15. Rosters are limited to 12 players with one non-playing coach. The top three teams will earn team trophies, with T-shirts going to each player on the top two teams. The event will also include a 3-point shootout and a free-throw contest. Three players per team may either contest, and awards will go to the top two in each event. For information, contact Nate LaCour at 568-5198 or 568-6722 or via e-mail at nate.lacour@bliss.army.mil. You may also contact Scott Carr at 568-5995. .