FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland baseball team visited injured Army veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. last week to show its appreciation for their personal sacrifices, chatting and giving gifts in honor of the Holiday season.
The trip was organized by Maryland left-handed pitcher Nathan Steelman, a former Army sergeant who served in Iraq, as a team-building exercise through his work with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Being recently-removed from an Army stint in Iraq, Walter Reed was a natural choice for Steelman.
“It’s almost Christmas. Many of the soldiers injured do not live in Maryland, nor do they have family in the area. I’m a soldier and I know being at Walter Reed alone would be tough, so the team wanted to show the soldiers our appreciation for the sacrifices they have made for our country,” Steelman said. “I have not forgotten that there are men and women overseas every day, losing their lives to protect our freedom. I wanted my team to feel the same way I do about the matter.”
Maryland head coach Terry Rupp played a big role in the trip. When approached about the idea, Rupp was enthusiastic and chartered a bus for the team and set up a team meal afterward. Rupp also donated Maryland baseball equipment to the troops, including wristbands, pullovers and autographed baseballs.
“If not for coach Rupp, the trip would never have taken place,” Steelman said.
