MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. --
Almost every Tuesday and Wednesday sweat runs down the faces of patrons who play intramural sports aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, but these sports wouldn’t be possible without a caring person willing to go the extra mile to accommodate depot personnel.
Rachel Dickinson, Marine Corps Community Services, intramural sports coordinator, sets up fields, finds referees, records statistics and puts in extra elbow grease to make all intramural sports on the depot possible.
“She goes above and beyond for what needs to be done. Her first concern is the customers, the Marines on the depot,” said Renaud Villedieu, intramural sports supervisor.
Dickinson was offered her current position 12 years ago after only two months of working for Semper Fit.
Villedieu said he offered her the job due to her prior experience with the U.S. Navy in England.
Born and raised in Harrow, England, by a U.S. Air Force father and English mother, Dickinson grew up playing different types of sports from netball, which is similar to basketball without the dribbling, to javelin.
“We’re kind of sports-oriented as a nation,” said Dickinson.
Her favorite sports to play are volleyball and soccer, and her favorite sport to watch is American football.
“Having an American dad, I was brought up on (football), so it’s second nature for me to watch the game,” said Dickinson.
Having grown up around military bases, Dickinson gained another passion from her father-- serving the military. At the age of 18, she began working as a youth sports coordinator for the U.S. Navy at Royal Air Force West Ruislip military base in Ickenham, England.
“I would have to say I gained my passion for serving the military from my father since the base I started working at was where we would always go to the commissary,” said Dickinson.
She continued working there for nine years, helping run youth programs before and after school.
“The job just kind of fell in my lap,” said Dickinson. “I really enjoyed it. I was able to get involved in the youth sports and it was a good transition going from there to here.”
Dickinson didn’t realize her first job would spark a further interest for sports and a new interest in statistics that would later aid her in a career she loved.
“I’ve loved stats since I was young working with the youth sports. I don’t know why. It just really fascinates me,” said Dickinson.
Since Dickinson’s father was in the military, she was on a contract overseas. With her contract expiring, she applied for jobs in specific regions in the U.S.
“I chose the Atlantic region because Alabama is in that region and that’s where my dad is from,” said Dickinson.
Since Dickinson didn’t find a job in the region she picked, her region choices expanded to include the whole U.S.
A year after she applied, she had the choice between becoming a librarian in Ohio or acquiring a position at a fitness center in San Diego. Without having to think twice between the two, she chose the fitness center.
After two months of working at Semper Fit on MCRD, Villedieu was looking for a new intramural sports coordinator and heard about Dickinson’s prior experience in England.
“(Villedieu) use to come into the gym to workout. When he heard about my background he told me they had a space available and asked if I would like to transfer over, and I never looked back since,” said Dickinson.
In her current role she runs intramural sports on the depot, also known as the Commanding General’s Cup. She organizes everything from leagues to one-day tournaments for Department of Defense personnel aboard the depot.
“It’s just for anyone to partake and represent their unit. It’s just a fun thing we put on,” said Dickinson. “For me, it’s about tradition because the trophies have plates dating back to the ‘50s and to make sure you guys have fun, get physical training, camaraderie, de-stress and the whole bragging rights.”
Dickinson said she looks at her job as if she were planning a party.
“I’m part of the pre-event and then I get to see everything unfold,” said Dickinson. “It makes me feel good. It’s the little stuff that makes me smile.”
Three years into her current job, Dickinson noticed many people didn’t want to come back on base in the evenings to play sports since base housing isn’t located on the depot. Since service members expressed a desire to play at a different time, she felt it was important to afford them the opportunity to play sports. She found a way to meet their requests.
“The camaraderie unfolds when (service members) get to work as a team,” said Dickinson.
With a supportive command, Dickinson was able to ensure service members got the chance to play sports by holding games Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.
Another change Dickinson helped make was to deplete forfeits, saving Marine Corps Community Services money for the referees and time for the teams that do show up.
Blossoming over the years, with a passion and love she hadn’t realized, Dickinson has impressed her boss enough to become one of his best employees.
“Her focus is the military on the depot. She makes the program, giving one hundred and twenty percent,” Villedieu said emphatically.
Dominic Gilbert, Camping Connection recreation assistant, has known Dickinson for nine years. He says she is a workaholic and the backbone to MCRD athletics.
“She does an outstanding job and pretty much runs athletics,” said Gilbert. “I definitely don’t know what athletics would do without her.”
Dickinson will continue her hard work at the depot, trying her best to accommodate and help service members stationed here.
“Putting others first comes from my family. I don’t know anything different,” said Dickinson.
With an unexpected love for her job, Dickinson will continue being the heart of MCRD’s intramural sport; and with hopes of one day becoming the athletic director, Dickinson will continue giving back to the depot.
“It’s very hard to move on from something you love,” said Dickinson. “We’re just an intricate part of the MCCS puzzle.”