Local soccer star helps bring home gold

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jacob Morgan
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The All-Air Force Men's Soccer Team, including a Team Dover member, took home the gold medal in the 2012 Armed Forces Soccer Championship Tournament Oct. 19 - Oct. 24 at Fort Eustis, Va.

Senior Airman Alex Inman, a medical technician with the 436th Medical Operations Squadron, played outside left-mid for the team and had the assist on the final goal against the All-Army team in the semifinals. This goal brought the score to 2-1 and advanced the All-Air Force team to the finals.

"Soccer is my passion," said Inman. "It is a great feeling to be able to serve my country and at the same time represent my service by playing a sport I love so much."

Inman, like most of his All-Air Force teammates, has played soccer most of his life.

He started out in a town outside of Philadelphia and according to Inman, his parents got him into the sport. When Inman got to high school, he made the varsity team and he was a stand-out for all four years. After graduation, he went to West Chester University, a high-end Division II program.


After college, Inman enlisted in the Air Force for six years to make a difference, he said. Initially, he heard about the All-Air Force program, but wasn't sure what it entailed.

Into his second year in the service, he decided to try out for the team. He was one of 43 Airmen who tried out; 18 were selected. Those who tried out did it one of two ways; an Air Force Form 303 Request for USAF Specialized Sports Training is submitted, or players try out at the Defender's Cup at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

According to Inman, about half of the team made it from the form 303 and half from the Defender's Cup. However, all of his teammates where exceptional, he said. The atmosphere was college level at the Armed Forces Soccer Championships.

"The level of play at the tournament was definitely high," said Inman. "Every one of those guys is part of an elite program."

The tournament for the All-Air Force team started off slow. They lost two of three round-robin games and came out of round-robin play as the third seed. The All-Air Force team was the smallest out of all of the services, so they had some ground to make up, said Inman.

In the semi-finals, they beat the All-Army team in a close battle down to the end and in the finals. It was an all out defensive game against the All-Navy team, where Air Force won 1 - 0.

Inman was one of 11 from all of the services to be selected to the all-tournament team, which every two years plays against international military soccer teams around the world.

"If anyone is looking at trying out, the program is very competitive," said Inman. "We were down there for a month and we must have practiced every single day for long periods of time."

Looking into the future for Inman, his competitive nature has him looking to move up in the Air Force. His goal is to become a nurse practitioner one day, a program requiring a masters' degree and a commission.

"The beginning was hard, but I am starting to like the Air Force a lot," said Inman. "The service has taught me how to be a leader, how to spread knowledge and influence and to be diligent. Hopefully, I can take these lessons wherever I go."