The Navy Misawa Tug-of-War Team finished second in the 10th Annual Northern Air Defense Force Commander’s Cup Misawa Air Base Tug-of-War Tournament. Under the leadership of coach Senior Chief Master-at-Arms Dan Kimball, the team has improved each year. This year, the team went undefeated until the championship match where they lost to the favored Japan Air Self-Defense Force Team Honey in a close match. While the competition was intense, the event also helped build camaraderie between the US and Japanese forces stationed at the base.

1. Misawa sailors in the spotlight
Navy Misawa Tug-of-War Team
This edition of Misawa Sailors in the Spotlight showcases the Navy Misawa Tug-of-War team for their second place fin-
ish in the 10th Annual Northern Air Defense Force Commander’s Cup Misawa Air Base Tug-of-War Tournament, Oct.
15, 2011.
This is the Navy’s second consecutive year finishing in the number two spot under the tutelage of Head Coach Senior
Chief Master-at-Arms Dan Kimball. He said Team Navy has shown improvement each year, and heartily fought to take
second place among the competition’s 19 teams.
“I first coached the team in 2009, and we put together a team on only a few days notice,” he said. “Despite that, we
were able to finish in fourth place. That finish sparked something in us and the following year we stacked our team
with some bigger guys.”
Size wasn’t the only thing Team Navy added. Working through Naval Air Facility Misawa’s Community Relations
Specialist Nobuki Sekimura, Kimball sought out advice from a seasoned team comprised of members of the Japan Air
Self-Defense Force (JASDF).
“With their help we worked on our technique. They also provided valuable guidance on where to position people
based on size,” Kimball said. “I believe their help greatly contributed to our second place finishes in 2010 and 2011.”
This year Team Navy went undefeated to reach the championship match against the JASDF’s Team Honey, a team that
has won the competition five of the last six years.
Despite a valiant effort on the part of the Sailors, the numerous qualifying bouts throughout the morning, along with a
brutal semi-final match-up, wore them down. Team Navy gave it their all in the championship match, but fatigue and
Team Honey’s competitive edge proved too much for Kimball and his mighty rope warriors.
Team member Yeoman 2nd Class Bruce Smith said the competition was intense.
“Going in I thought the matches would be like the ones you see at a picnic,” said Smith. “I was surprised to see the
overall magnitude of the event, as well as how well some teams performed. Some of the matches required us to dig
down and use every ounce of our military discipline to succeed.”
Team Navy is already planning for next year’s tournament, and hopes 2012 is the year they come out on top. With
Kimball due to leave Misawa next year, Smith will now take the reins as the team’s coach.
“The team is in good hands next year and we’ll have a lot of returning Sailors who will remember the lessons we’ve
learned,” Kimball said.
Despite the always fierce competition, the annual tug-of-war tournament is also about building camaraderie be-
tween the U.S. and Japanese service members who share the base together. Following the tournament, the bands of
rope-weary warriors joined together for a celebratory barbeque where teams regaled each other with tales from the
morning’s clashes. Listening to the fun and laughter, it was easy to see that these already strong friendships are tied
together with more than just mere rope.
“I think it’s a great event. You might say it’s just a bunch of guys pulling on a rope, but it’s a lot more than that,” said
Kimball. “After the competition we were able to all get together and enjoy ourselves. I think this a great event that
brings us together each year and I hope it continues for many more to come.”
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