Unrivaled: JBER Airman, Soldier earn softball gold

  • Published
  • By David Bedard
  • JBER PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Tech. Sgt. Cody Hynes, 962nd Aircraft Maintenance Unit, and Army Sgt. Margaret Gaines, Medical Department Activity-Alaska, both earned gold medals during the 2010 Armed Forces Softball Championships last month at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.

Hynes earned his medal with the Air Force Men's Softball team with a tournament record of 7-2.

Gaines clinched top honors with the Army Women's Softball team with an undefeated 8-0 tournament record.

Hynes said he started playing baseball when he was a toddler under the tutelage of his father, who played collegiate baseball.

"When I was able to hold my head up, he started feeding me bats and balls," he said. "I started playing organized tee ball when I was 3 years old."

Growing up in Connecticut, Hynes said he played baseball until the eighth grade, when he traded his bat for a tennis racquet.

The Airman didn't become heavily involved with diamond sports again until he started playing intramural softball in the Air Force.

He said he first became exposed to Armed Forces Sports when an All-Air Force Softball non-commissioned officer took Hynes under his wing in Naples, Italy.

His game took a three-year hiatus, when the Airman picked up power lifting at his next duty station in Germany.

"I attribute a lot of my strength now to power lifting, and that changed me from just a slap hitter to a power hitter," he said.

Hynes said he was selected for the Air Force team last year and capitalized on his tournament experience this season to guide rookie players.

Gaines said she began playing softball when she was 8 years old, finding her inspiration in the Chicago Cubs.

She lettered in softball as a high school freshman and, at 16, was selected to represent Texas in Australia, playing teams from countries throughout the Pacific Rim.

She earned a softball scholarship to Indiana State University, where she met husband Army Sgt. Phillip Gaines, HHC, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. The couple decided to join the Army together.

Gaines said she played intramural softball at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, where she was also mentored by an All-Armed Forces Softball player.

This season was also Gaines' sophomore Armed Forces Softball year, with her earning a pitcher berth, pitching in the final game of the tournament.

"That was kind of cool," she said of the honor. "It's a memory that will be with me for a long time."

Both service members said athletics and military life have a lot in common.

"Athletics and being in the military go hand in hand," Hynes said. "You have people from all over, different backgrounds, different nationalities, and you come together for one common goal: either to win a gold medal or to win the War on Terrorism."

Gaines said athletics is about being a leader and moving beyond the minimum, striving for excellence to achieve maximum results.

"Play tough or go home," she said.