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***image1***Playing for a World Cup sports team puts athletes in rarified air – only the best of the best are tapped to represent their country in international competition. Come next week, Travis Meidinger, occupation health element chief for Ramstein’s 435th Aeromedical Squadron, will be on that level as he joins 64 other elite competitors training for a spot on the U.S. World Cup rugby team Feb. 18 to 24 in San Diego.
The San Diego training session will involve a variety of fitness and skills tests, as well as oversight from specialty coaches imported from New Zealand’s famed All-Blacks team, one of the best rugby sides in the world. Meidinger, who plays locally for Sport Club Neunheim in Heidelberg, is enthusiastic about the prospect.
“I’m pretty excited just to be thought about (for the team),” he said. “Even if the national team coaches had just said ‘you’re pretty good’ and not invited me, I would have been excited. This is a great opportunity.”
Meidinger began playing rugby five years ago after graduating from the Air Force Academy. He has played for the Air Force team, and was good enough to be selected to the all-Services team. It was his play for the all-Services team, in fact, that drew the attention of the U.S. national team.
“The all-Services team competed in a tournament in Florida, which was watched by the national team coach,” he said.
For a 15-man rugby side, Meidinger plays a #8, which is the only numbered position in rugby. He likens himself to a football linebacker/fullback.
“I’m the link between the fat guys and the fast guys,” he said, laughing. “But at (the World Cup) level, the fat guys aren’t really fat.”
If Meidinger’s combination of speed and strength carries him through the San Diego training session, he will be called upon to play in a variety of weeklong tournaments throughout the year as part of his commitment to the national team. These include the NA4 Canada-U.S. round-robin challenge in April and the World Cup Sept. 7 to Oct. 20 in France.
According to Meidinger, five other players from the all-Services team were invited to the World Cup training session, including two Airmen, two Marines and a West Point cadet. He expects that the group of 65 will be competing for 30 to 35 spots.
