HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Rocket City will once again host a traveling softball team made up of American heroes. The AUSA Wounded Warriors softball team’s players are all military amputees. But that doesn’t stop them from being exceptional athletes, and an inspiration to all.

Retired United States Air Force Staff Sergeant Nick Bradley loves coming back to North Alabama as part of the Wounded Warriors team, particularly because Huntsville makes him feel at home.

“You know it’s an unspoken bond really, and it’s amazing to get to come to a town that loves its military so much, that does have such a big military presence,” he said.

Bradley said the greatest thing you can give anyone, military or otherwise, is hope. And that’s the purpose of their team.

“It shows that no matter what life throws your way, no matter how much you get knocked down, there is hope that you can get up and overcome anything,” he explained.

Command Sergeant Major Billy Counts said they don’t get many servicemen assigned to Redstone Arsenal, so it’s special for his team to spend time with these wounded warriors.

“It just puts it in perspective that the hard work and the things that we do out at the arsenal, there’s a face to who it will affect,” he said.

CSM Counts will represent Team Redstone in the softball tournament as its coach. Win or lose, he says,”While at the end of the game somebody will have more points than the other, everybody will win just because of the experience.”

However, competition is stiff. Bradley said his team came to play, “To get a win, what else is there?”

But, CSM Counts isn’t worried, saying, “We have a pretty good team for a bunch of old guys.”

The tournament will be played at the Metro Kiwanis Sports Complex on Saturday, October 28th. The first game starts at 10:30 a.m. The public is invited to come out and enjoy the day, and admission is free.