Wounded Warriors from U.S., U.K. Face Off in First-Ever Championship Golf Event
San Antonio, TX (March 6, 2012) – Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP), whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors, has challenged Battle Back, a U.K. military program specializing in providing service personnel with adventurous rehabilitation opportunities, to the Inaugural Courage Cup championship golf event.
The tournament matches 10 WWP Alumni against 10 of their fellow wounded service members from Great Britain in a Ryder Cup-style, team-format challenge. TPC San Antonio’s Canyons Course will serve as host to the warriors for a week of events that includes a celebrity pro-am and practice rounds before the three-day competition tees off on Thursday, March 15.
The winning country earns bragging rights and takes home the first-ever Captain Pietsch Trophy, which will be presented at a banquet on Saturday, March 17. Named after Army Capt. Kent Pietsch, the Courage Cup’s championship trophy honors the well-decorated veteran of the Vietnam War – Pietsch received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service. The Capt. Pietsch Trophy will remain with the winning team until the upcoming rematch, with a planned event scheduled to be hosted in Great Britain later this year. Subsequent events will take place on an annual basis, alternating between host nations.
“We are excited to join our friends from Battle Back at TPC San Antonio for what promises to be a week of fun, fitness, golf, camaraderie and competition,” said Richard Stieglitz, EVP of Physical Health and Wellness, Wounded Warrior Project. “We will have challenging fitness based activities planned to keep the warriors in top game-shape, as well as fun activities and a chance to experience the local San Antonio culture during our time off the course.”
The Physical Health & Wellness program of WWP provides recreation, adaptive sports programs and physical health strategies to help Wounded Warriors adjust to life after injury. The Courage Cup serves as the capstone to a new fitness-based progressive golf initiative. This programmatic approach to golf will provide a wide range of golf experiences for the beginner, intermediate and advanced golfer all with a goal of fitness, while encouraging regular ongoing participation.
“We are proud to partner with Wounded Warrior Project on this championship golf event that promotes healthy competition, while empowering our Wounded Warrior athletes to challenge themselves and each other,” said Major Tristan Crew, Officer in Charge of Battle Back (Golf). “We hope that the Courage Cup will build our relationship and this program into an annual event that encourages participation while aiding these warriors in their recovery.”
As part of this week of events and camaraderie-building between organizations, WWP will also host a special Transitional Care Package (TCP) Packing Party on Tuesday, March 13. TCPs are small packs full of comfort items such
as t-shirts, shorts, socks and hygiene products. These packs are sent to field hospitals in Afghanistan, Kuwait and Africa and provided to the wounded at their bedsides. WWP sends an average of 1,500 packs a month overseas.
About Battle Back
Running since March 2008, Battle Back is a U.K. military initiative which aims to improve and formalize the use of adventurous training and Sport in the aftercare of wounded Service personnel in order to aid their rehabilitation and return to an active life. The golfing arm of Battle Back starting in August 2009 and has become one of the most rapidly growing sports now supporting 76 injured personnel. The recent formation of the Battle Back Phoenix program has extended the sporting and adventurous training opportunities to wounded veterans.
About Wounded Warrior Project™
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project™ is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and service to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.