Brownstown Township, MI -- More than 350 Recruiting Station Detroit Marines and poolees from across the 14,000-square miles of southeastern Michigan and western Ohio participated in an annual pool function at Lake Erie Metropark May 3.
For poolees this was an opportunity to put their physical and mental strength to the test and build camaraderie within their recruiting sub-station.
“I think these events are awesome,” said Kristi Trader, a senior at Cody High School, Livonia, Mich. “It teaches us how to work as a team, be competitive and they are fun.”
The park was filled with motivation as the poolees’ recruiters followed alongside them during each event counting off and cheering them along for a chance to be the top station to win the trophy out of 11 recruiting sub-stations.
“I look forward to excelling in each event I participate in and cheering on my station,” said Trader, who was recruited out of RSS Livonia, by Sgt. Michael Carnall, a Marine Corps recruiter. The Marine Corps is all about team work and pushing yourself to the limits. While it may be tough at first, if you push through it, you feel like you can do anything.”
The poolees ran an initial strength test before competing in the field meet, which consists of pull-ups for males or a flexed-arm hang for females, crunches and a mile and a half run.
The top IST runner for male and female received an Iron Man and Iron Woman award.
“It was great to see every poolee within the RS to build camaraderie, not just in RSS Livonia, but across the entire recruiting station,” said Staff Sgt. Carlton Dorris IV, a staff noncommissioned officer in charge of RSS Livonia and native of Ravenna, Ohio. “It was also great to see the amount of effort each poolee put in to try and win the trophy for his or her recruiting sub-station.”
The poolees participated in more than five competitive events including ammo can lifts, 200 meter sprints, firemen’s carry, the dizzy izzy and the tug-of-war finale.
“It was an outstanding event,” said Sgt. Maj. Adam Yakubsin, RS Detroit’s sergeant major. “The all-hands function brought out the team work and motivation from all of the poolees and Marines within the recruiting station.”
RSS Mount Clemens was the overall winner during the all-hands pool function beating out 11 RS Detroit substations for the trophy.
For more information about the Marine Corps call 1-800-MARINES or visit www.Marines.com.