Grissom goalie participates in lacrosse tournament

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Doug Hays
  • 434th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, IND. --  As Chief of Performance Planning , Lt. Col. Greg DeMaio is responsible for helping keep the 434th Air Refueling Wing on track for meeting its goals.

As a lacrosse player, his mission is just the opposite: to stop them.

As a goalie for the CRS Lacrosse Club, a team based out of Birmingham, AL and Atlanta, GA., DeMaio is heading to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to participate with his teammates in the Florida Lacrosse Classic.

The 18-team field will compete Jan. 19-21 in a double elimination tournament.

While his team is participating in the Grand Master's Division, DeMaio has played Lacrosse since his prep schools days at Avon Old Farms in Avon, CT. That's where he was first introduced to the game of lacrosse. He played midfield until his senior year and was switched to the goalie position. "I just love playing in the goal and wish I started my lacrosse career in that position"

Some of the people he will compete against in Florida he will have known since the days he was an honorable mention All-American at Division III Norwich University in Vermont.

"Playing lacrosse is like being in a big fraternity," said the 24-year Air Force veteran. "I've been fortunate to be able to play the game for a long time. I have been able to play with clubs at each of the bases I've been stationed at. I've known a lot of these guys for years."

For this tournament, DeMaio will rejoin former teammates - and former opponents from his previous assignments at Maxwell AFB, AL. "I've kept in touch with these guys over the years and we thought it would be a great opportunity to assemble a team from that area and compete in Florida."

The tournament in Florida is an annual event, but getting included into the field isn't an easy task.

"They only have room for so many teams," DeMaio said, "And once you get in, you're automatically eligible to play in the next year's tournament."

"I love this game, and it's a way of recapturing those days from high school and college" he said. "It is gratifying when people approach you after a game and say "you haven't lost a step!"