Scott Airman makes Air Force soccer team Published Nov. 22, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Jake Eckhardt 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Scott Air Force Base, Ill. -- Airman 1st Class Joseph Dills, a weather forecaster from the 15th Operational Weather Squadron, was picked to be one of the two goalies for the Air Force soccer team. The Air Force flew Airmen from across the globe to Langley Air Force Base, Va., for training and tournament-style competition to earn a spot on the gold-medal earning Air Force soccer team. More than 80 players applied, but the team would only select 47. "The first week was not fun at all," he said. "We practiced three times a day. We would have to be up by 4:45 a.m. and be out on the field by 5:30 a.m. We would actually start at 6 a.m. and practice for two to three hours depending on how the coach was feeling." After the morning practice, the competitors had an hour for breakfast and returned for another two to three hour practice before breaking for lunch. Dills said they would also practice for another two to three hours before dinner--all during the first week. "The coach was more of a father figure. He pushed us to our limits. He was a great coach." At the end of the first week, the coach cut about 20 of the participants, three of whom were goalkeepers. "You have 47 guys and the coach picked six goalkeepers to try out," he said. "He's only keeping two and everyone was trying their hardest to impress the coach." Dills said the remainder of the training was a little more relaxed, but the competition kept him both nervous and on his toes. "These guys were extremely good, and I have never played at this level of competition before," he said. "All of the officers out there who were trying to get on the team had played soccer for the academy, and most of the enlisted guys played for a college at one point. "It made me feel like I was going to get cut, but I never did." Dills said he still had the determination and drive to overcome unexpected obstacles. "Right before I left, I bought a brand new pair of $70 goalie gloves," he said. "A week and a half into the training, they were ripping like crazy. I had to have a buddy of mine here go out and buy me a new pair and overnight ship them to me." Toward the end of the training, the 18 remaining members had to face college teams and the Army, Navy and Marine's soccer teams. The Air Force faced the Army in the semifinals to come out on top with a final score of 2-1. In the finals, the Navy was the final contender against the Air Force, but the Air Force won the gold medal with a score of 1-0. Even after the intense training he said he feels he needs to improve on his footwork. "I want to have a better touch on the ball, so my footwork has to get better," he said. "If the defense is in trouble, I want them to be able to trust they can pass the ball back to me. "The goal is to not get the ball in the back of the net," he said. "You have to be willing and able to take out whoever you have to, to get the ball--team member or not. "I am the keeper; I am in charge back there." Dills said the training and hardships the team endured made them work harder on the field. "The camaraderie was outstanding," he said. "When we were off the field at the hotel, we were laughing having a good time, but when we were on the field we were--by far--on business." Dills said he'd been around soccer his entire life and is still dedicated to it. "I started playing when I was four," said Dills. "I was a goalkeeper ever since, and if I played as a fielder, it was extremely rare." He went on to play varsity soccer for his high school, one year for Cincinnati State college, and when he was 20, he played a year of professional indoor soccer for Cincinnati Excite. "I'm 25 now; from then until now I have just been playing competitive indoor soccer," he said. "Just recently, I got recruited to play for a team around here called the Illinois Fire. It's a professional indoor team as well." Soccer is part of his family life as well. "I take my two-year-old daughter out and kick the ball around with her," he said. "She's not quite getting it yet, but my wife played soccer for University of Cincinnati, so hopefully my daughter will pick it up sooner or later. "I am very blessed and fortunate to get this opportunity to wear the Air Force colors and play the game."