Hoopla for Ramstein Airman

The U.S. Air Forces in Europe basketball tournament is over and the Ramstein Rams finished in third place. But, one player is tops with his teammates and is already looking forward to the next season.

“We’re a young team,” said Senior Airman Anthony Hardaway, a member of the 426th Information Operations Squadron and co-sports program manager for the squadron.

***image1***“As soon as we develop more and gain more experience, we will be a great team.”

It’s that attitude that makes Airman Hardaway a standout player, both at work and outside of work.

As co-sports program manager for the squadron, Airman Hardaway helps coordinate unit sports, and helped lead the 426th IOS to its third consecutive Commander’s Cup trophy win this year.

Airman Hardaway is more than a coach and mentor − he’s also a starting player in several sports. But, he is best known among the 426th IOS for his basketball talent.

 Airman Hardaway represents Ramstein in the USAFE  program, a basketball team of 10 players including active-duty members and civilians.

More than 50 people vie for a spot each year on the Ramstein Rams, a chance to play more than 30 regular season games against various Air Force bases and local Army teams and a chance to compete in the USAFE tournament in March.

Although the Rams didn’t earn a first-place trophy in that tournament, Airman Hardaway was proud of the way his team played, he said.

As one of only two returning members from last year’s Rams team, Airman Hardaway said he saw a lot of promise in his teammates.  
“I hope to play every year that I’m in Germany,” Airman Hardaway said.