Chances to play women's basketball after college are few and far between.

So when post-grad Chloe Mosey heard about a semi-professional team forming in Lakewood, she saw it as her chance to continue her playing career.

"A lot of girls who play college ball don't get an opportunity to play unless it's a recreation or church league," the 6-foot-1 post said. "So to be on a semi-pro team is awesome."

Mosey commutes from Bremerton to Wilson Sports and Fitness Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord two nights a week to practice with the Lakewood Panthers, who are in their inaugural season of the Women's Blue Chip Basketball League.

The WBCBL is already established on the East Coast, and now women 20 and older are getting a chance to play competitively on the West Coast.

There are four other teams in the Pacific Northwest Division: Northwest Magic, Tacoma Stars, Olympia Matrix and Seattle Express. The Panthers' general manager Dave Williams turned a former women's recreational league squad into a semi-pro team.

The Panthers are gearing up for the season finale West Coast National Championship at Fort Steilacoom Pierce College on Aug. 6 and 7. Teams from Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona will participate.

Mosey was a standout at University of Montana Western, finishing her career with more than 1,000 points and 600 rebounds in 104 games. Williams hopes the exposure of the league will help players like Mosey catch the attention of basketball scouts overseas.

"I hope it leads to an opportunity," Mosey said.

In the meantime Mosey will continue to learn and adapt to the new rules of the WBCBL. She adjusted from a 30-second shot clock in college to 24 seconds, as well as four 12-minute quarters instead of two halves. Mosey also had to get used to jumping for jump balls, instead of alternating inbound passes.

The fundamental adjustments are minor compared to the major challenge the team faces in fielding a consistent starting five. The team is mainly made up of Army officers with just two civilians.

"It's tough practice-wise without a full team," Panthers coach Alphonso Niles said. "But when they're here they give it all they've got."

Katie Fichter may be the team's co-captain, but she's a first lieutenant first. Her season with the Panthers ended prematurely because of her commitment to the military. Fichter went on leave in mid-July, followed by training until September.

"Obviously the military is our job so it has to come first, and you try to fit in basketball as much as you can," Fichter said. "It's a tough balance because work hours fluctuate so much."

Despite the challenge of fielding a team, Williams is determined to offer an opportunity to play competitive basketball to women, both military and civilian. Recently adding Niles as coach has helped the Panthers form a cohesive unit. Niles, who once played All-Army basketball, brings a wealth of experience to the team. The 6-7 coach played from 1996 to 2000 at Concordia University in Portland, Ore., where he is still No. 1 in field goals (772), rebounds (1,082), blocked shots (185) and career points (1,883 points). He went on to play overseas, so he understands each Panther's stage in her career.

The Panthers' season might conclude after the national tournament, but Williams is already thinking of 2012. After not having a home court this season and traveling to all their games, he secured a venue for next season at Curtis High School in University Place. He plans to have three rounds of try-outs in mid-August, later in the winter and one in the spring. The 2012 season starts in May.

For more information contact Williams at dwilliamsone4@msn.com.

A golf course is like a house.

It is built, maintained and welcomes numerous guests. Eagle's Pride Golf Course on Joint-Base Lewis-McChord is Mike McDonald's second home.

"I want (Eagle's Pride) to be like anybody comes to my house and walks in the front door and says, ‘This is comfortable,'" the course manager said.

For that to happen McDonald and his staff made some recent changes in his three seasons as manager.

"The course was OK when I came here," McDonald said. "It was probably not a lot of golfers' first choice."

The improvements began with the front door - the parking lot entrance. The old lot with railroad ties and no lighting gave way to a smooth, sleek parking surface with an attractive entrance sign. Beyond the entrance golfers are welcomed with a well-maintained 27-hole course open daily to the public.

Nine holes were given new tee boxes last year. Over time the boxes become uneven, but a professional company came out to laser level the surface.

A golf course architect study revealed some of the fairways in the 6,440-yard long course were too long. Forward tees were added to accommodate all levels of golfers.

"As the baby boomers, as we get older we feel like we're 30 but we can't hit that far," McDonald said. "So we've added other tees to try to attract more people. We make it a user-friendly golf course."

New irrigation drains were added to help eliminate wet spots on the greens, and a forestry department was involved to thin and remove trees that were depriving the greens of sunlight. All the work was done without taking away from the ambiance of the course.

All the physical improvements have given new life to the 73-year-old course.

Eagle's Pride opened in 1938 as an 18-hole course. Nine more holes were added in 1979 and in the mid-1990's the military course opened to the public. The driving range features natural grass hitting areas, as well as covered areas with heat and light.

McDonald did more than just a physical remodel at Eagle's Pride to attract more golfers to practice and play the course. Administrative changes made those golfers want to return.

"If you look at courses in the area like the Home Course and Chambers Bay, the competition has been elevated around us," Eagle's Pride PGA Pro Eric Bowen said. "With public access they have many choices and we want them to choose this one."

One of the first changes McDonald made as manager in 2008 was implementing an annual special. This season's special is valid Monday through Thursday and includes the greens fee, golf cart and an $8 food voucher for $35. A civilian would normally pay $47. Tee times can be reserved up to seven days in advance.

Friday through Sunday the course is normally busy with tournaments, but the extra nine holes allow golfers to still play during weekends. McDonald and Bowen have plans for other improvements to the course, including upgrading the other 18 tee boxes.

"We still have a long way to go," McDonald said. "Our goal is to eventually make this the best golf course in the Pacific Northwest where people will want to come and play."

The Soldiers were hesitant about getting into the waters of American Lake during a cold June morning for physical training. The air was brisk and the wind made it even colder.

"Don't worry," the instructor said. "You will warm up."

Minutes later, Soldiers of the 295th Quartermaster Company were knee-deep in the water and climbing onto long, thick surf boards, trying to maintain their balance. A few claimed the water was surprisingly warm.

The Soldiers were learning how to Stand Up Paddle, also known as SUP boarding.

Corporal William Smoot, the company operations NCOIC for the 295th Qm. Co., 80th Ordnance Battalion, 593rd Sustainment Brigade, had decided weeks earlier that he wanted members of his company to try this.

"This would be different and something new - especially for PT," Smoot said.

Smoot began diving deeper after an article about SUP boarding caught his attention.

As its name implies, SUP boarding requires a person to stand on a surf board and use many of the body's muscles to paddle forward while maintaining balance. It is said to have originated in Hawaii with people learning the basics of surfing. Since the sport doesn't require waves, it is spreading across the country's lakes and rivers.

Smoot found that SUP boarding meets almost all of the five dimensions of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program, which anchors all facets of a Soldier's health, builds resiliency and improves performance.

The first dimension, physical strength, involves aerobic fitness, endurance, strength and flexibility. Secondly, emotional strength requires a Soldier's ability to demonstrate self-control and stamina.

Family and social strength would be evidenced by how much the Soldiers had fun with this new experience together.

Smoot said he knew this would be "a great way to get some really good physical training especially for the core muscles and is low impact," so he took the next step.

After tackling the research, Smoot presented his idea to his company first sergeant and commander. They liked Smoot's plan and allowed him to move forward with coordinating this unique training. He contacted Christ Fry of West Bay Paddleboards in Olympia.

Fry personally led the group of Soldiers out onto American Lake and gave them a few minutes to get used to handling the paddles and balancing on the boards - first on their knees, then standing up.

Then he gave the order: "Paddle to the other side of the lake."

For some, paddling came naturally; others had to work a little harder.

Afterward, the rest of the workout included sprints as well as some stationary exercises - the supine bicycle, planks, crunches - all while keeping balance to avoid capsizing.

In spite of sore muscles and wet clothes, Smoot says he got a lot of positive feedback on the workout. The company is planning to do it again, he said, "just as soon as it gets a little warmer out there."

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the launch of free, drop-in childcare service centers at three VA medical centers to an audience of more than 700 participants attending the Fifth National Summit on Women Veterans' Issues July 15-17 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. 

"We know that many Veterans, particularly women Veterans, are the primary care takers of young children," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "We want these Veterans to have the opportunity to access the high-quality health care that VA offers, and we believe that these childcare centers will make it easier for Veteran caregivers to visit VA."

The pilot centers are part of VA's continuing effort to improve access to health care for eligible Veterans, particularly the growing number of women Veterans. Congress established this childcare initiative as part of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 which was signed by the President in May 2010.  The three sites and childcare details include:

• Northport, NY: 30 child capacity, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., ages 6 weeks to 12 years
• Tacoma, WA (American Lake VA): Varying capacity, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., ages 6 weeks to 10 years
• Buffalo, NY: 6 to 10 child capacity, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., ages 6 weeks to 12 years

All the pilot childcare centers will be operated onsite by licensed childcare providers. Drop-in services are offered free to Veterans who are eligible for VA care and visiting a facility for an appointment. 

In a survey, VA found that nearly a third of Veterans were interested in childcare services and more than 10 percent had to cancel or reschedule VA appointments due to lack of childcare.          

This pilot program will benefit both men and women Veterans.  Development of the pilot program was facilitated by the Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group, which strives to make positive changes in the provision of care for all women Veterans. 

"While the number of women Veterans continues to grow, they use VA for health care proportionately less than male Veterans," said Patricia Hayes, Chief Consultant of the VA's Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group. "We hope that by offering safe, secure childcare while the Veteran attends a doctor's appointment or therapy session, we will enable more women Veterans to take advantage of the VA benefits to which they are entitled."

Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the Veteran population. Of the 22.7 million living Veterans, more than 1.8 million are women. They comprise nearly 8 percent of the total Veteran population and 6 percent of all Veterans who use VA health care services. 

VA estimates women Veterans will constitute 10 percent of the Veteran population by 2020 and 9.5 percent of VA patients.

This from The News Tribune: A bit of good news for commuters: The morning trip through Joint Base Lewis-McChord has gotten a little easier, at least in one direction.

Anecdotal evidence suggests northbound traffic has stabilized during the mornings since the latter half of 2010, when a crush of traffic caused miles-long backups for residents heading into Pierce County, said Lisa Copeland, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Transportation.

While she was unable to provide detailed traffic counts because of equipment problems, several commuters told The News Tribune they, too, have seen improvements during that period.

A bit more relief is on the way. Ramp meters that DOT is scheduled to have running by Labor Day should further relieve northbound traffic during busy times. And Lewis-McChord started a construction project on one of its secondary gates last week so that drivers have an easier time leaving the base.

Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposed 2011-13 budget, however, doesn't include an estimated $6 million needed to pay for a study of long-term improvements on the key 11-mile stretch from the Thurston-Pierce county line to the state Route 512 junction.

To read more from the story, click here.

Came across this from the local C-9 Blog: Military veterans who seek civilian employment will not have to repeat training in areas where they are already experienced, under legislation introduced this week by Rep. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island and Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor.

Senate Bill 5307/House Bill 1417 and SB 5308/HB 1418 would evaluate the training men and women have received and apply it to educational and licensing requirements in the private sector.

These bills give credit where it's due. Many military personnel have undergone highly specialized training and education in certain areas, so we should honor that for licensing requirements. Duplicating efforts doesn't benefit anyone, Rolfes said.

The bills provide similar benefits for different groups of professions:

• SB 5308/HB 1418 develops a process to evaluate training for educational credit or professional licensing requirements for cosmetologists, barbers, manicurists, engineers, land surveyors and security guards.
• SB 5307/HB 1417 does the same for health professions, including osteopathic physicians' assistants, physicians' assistants, radiologic technologists, nursing assistants, respiratory care practitioners, health case assistants and surgical technologists.

The men and women in our armed forces not only acquire valuable skills, they often perform their jobs under the intense life-and-death pressures of combat conditions, Kilmer said. It's a poor use of their time and money to ask folks to get retrained for things they've already learned just so they can get a professional license and get to work in a civilian position. This state should be rewarding knowledge, not seat time.

  The bills also have the support of legislators from Pierce County, home of Joint Base Lewis-McChord and a large military population.    

This from The News Tribune: The Interstate 5 bottleneck near Joint Base Lewis-McChord is drawing the attention of state legislators as city and state officials clamor for improvements along the key commuter and freight corridor.

Both the House and Senate transportation committees were given briefings from the Washington State Department of Transportation this week on the 11-mile segment between the Thurston-Pierce county line and the junction with state Route 512.

"We're going to be hearing a lot about this," said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, at the conclusion of Monday's work session. She chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.

The early legislative meetings are the latest reaction to a fact that has become painfully obvious to drivers of that stretch of freeway: It is at least a decade beyond its design life, and is straining during peak commuting hours to accommodate increasing traffic volumes.

For more on the story, click here.

Students at Mann and Woodbrook Middle Schools and Lakes High School will benefit from a $1.4 million grant recently awarded to Clover Park School District (CPSD) from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). Grant money will be used to enhance technology in the three schools to support math and science achievement and greater counseling support for students directly impacted by military deployment, reintegration and other behavioral and family issues.

CPSD's Board of Directors accepted the grant at their Oct. 11 meeting. The plans for spending the grant directly align with the district's Accountability Plan, which was created to help prioritize the work of district employees.

"We are thrilled to receive this grant award, which will help us strengthen our educational services to our schools outside of Joint Base Lewis-McChord with the highest population of military-connected students," said Debbie LeBeau, superintendent of CPSD. "The grant also helps to further reinforce our partnership with our military community as we improve the achievement of military-connected students."

Non military-connected students at Mann, Woodbrook and Lakes will also benefit from the grant.

This is the second grant awarded to CPSD from DoDEA. Last school year, the district received a $2 million grant to expand assessments to track student progress and diagnose skills of new students; expand its student data system to provide individualized achievement information to teachers; provide learning opportunities for students needing additional support; and to enhance college test preparation and continue to increase parental involvement.

This from The News Tribune: In a tersely worded letter announcing the decision, Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg blamed Lakewood officials for withholding a permit required for the project to move forward. He then placed the onus on them to solve neighborhood traffic woes, now that the city has spurned his agency's proposal and millions of dollars in related construction funding.

For more on the story, click here.

Patrols will keep an eye on GI drinking at more than a dozen bars in Lakewood and Tacoma, according to The News Tribune.

So-called courtesy patrols of non-commissioned Army officers are starting to make appearances at more than a dozen bars in Lakewood and Tacoma, just in time for the long Labor Day weekend.

"We think it's going to be a positive thing for our soldiers and our neighboring communities," Col. Michael Courts, deputy chief of staff for I Corps, told the paper.

What the patrol is not is a law enforcement sweep, Courts emphasized. Patrol members will be in uniform and will wear a brassard on their arms, he said, but they won't be armed and they won't make arrests.

The program does not aim to discourage soldiers from visiting bars, Courts said. Lewis-McChord will see some 18,000 soldiers return from overseas deployments this year - nearly two-thirds are already home - and some will naturally want to blow off a little steam, he said.

For more on this story, click here.