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An Airman with the 569th U.S. Forces Police Squadron made the U.S. Armed Forces Rugby Team, Nov. 5.
Staff Sgt. Cameron Freeman was selected to the All-Tournament Team after scoring four tries, a unit of scoring in rugby, in the Armed Forces Rugby championship game against the Coast Guard.
Freeman ended the tournament, held at Fort Benning, Ga., with seven tries, helping the Air Force team win its eighth tournament in a row.
The rugby and fitness enthusiast credits fitness for making sure the Air Force team hit the ground running when they came together for the tournament.
“Since we don’t get to play together much, success depends on us being physically fit when practice starts,” Freeman said.
It’s important for players to have their own training regimen before coming together so they can build a championship team.
Freeman said getting to where he is now took a lot of dedication and effort and credits one particular workout for his own success.
In 80 minutes of rugby, players run nonstop. Freeman gives much of his credit to CrossFit, the high intensity strength and conditioning workout. It ultimately prepared him for the rugby games.
He added that playing rugby has helped him with his personal fitness as well.
“Training for rugby has helped me improve my overall fitness,” Freeman said. “The training not only helps my fitness, but it also applies to any career field that carries gear.”
The work Freeman put into rugby was typical of who he is.
“Freeman is the type of person that shows up early and doesn’t leave until the job is done,” said Tech. Sgt. David Rogers, noncommissioned officer in charge of Security Forces Investigations, 569th USFPS. “He is the type of Airman all supervisors want to have working for them.”
However, all of his hard work and dedication started with a drive to impress his older brother.
“Sports wise, my big brother has been my overall sports role model,” Freeman said. “He follows more of the popular sports, so I did anything to impress him.”
Freeman started playing rugby his senior year of high school after seeing other friends who were trying rugby and has loved it ever since.
“Not a lot of people know about rugby,” he said. “Once people find out about it they enjoy playing and that’s what kept me involved with the sport.”
Balancing his job in the Air Force and trying to be on the Air Force Rugby Team has had its difficulties, but to others it could go unnoticed.
“In the past I’ve missed trying out for the team or even participating in the tournaments due to deployments because the mission still comes first,” he said. “Pushing one of your passions to the back seat for the mission was always my mindset.”
“You would never know Freeman plays rugby other than an occasional TDY,” Rogers said. “He is always available and willing to ensure our mission is completed.”
When Freeman got the opportunity to play, he was successful thanks to the support he received.
“I’m thankful for my chain of command for allowing me to play for the Air Force team to represent them and bring home a championship,” Freeman said. “Without God, the support of my wife and two beautiful daughters, I wouldn’t be able to be successful in rugby.”
