Keri, Nora, William and Darrin … June 5, 2009 … William’s high school graduation …

Twainy …

click for printable 5X7

June 5, 2009 … William’s high school graduation …

Twainy

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Darrin’s youngest son, William graduated high school June 5, 2009.

Twainy

Master Sgt. Darrin Domko, left, gets animated during the DoD Dependent Schools Europe wrestling championships. Domko believes noncommissioned officers and youth coaches have much in common.

NCO volunteers as youth wrestling coach

“Name: Master Sgt. Darrin Domko

Age: 41

Current Position: acting sergeant major, Secretary of the General Staff

Current Unit: V Corps Command Group

Component: Active-duty Army

Current Location: Heidelberg, Germany

Hometown: Richardson, Texas

Years of Service: 19

Highest Personal Achievement: Meeting then-President George W. Bush

Hobbies: Wrestling, country line dancing; teaching self-defense; fishing; spending time with family
(Editor’s Note: Master Sgt. Darrin Domko volunteers as a wrestling coach for Installation Management Command-Europe’s Child, Youth and School Services. In his own words, he describes the similarities of serving as an Army noncommissioned officer and being a youth coach)

“A wrestling coach and a noncommissioned office use the same guidelines – they simply have different titles.

And both are impacted by the Principals of Leadership.

As an NCO you are expected to be technically and tactically proficient; as a wrestling coach you cannot be effective unless you know the moves and how to use them.

As an NCO you must lead and train your Soldiers for combat. As a wrestling coach you must lead and train your wrestlers to be capable of competing at the highest levels.

If you cannot effectively train your Soldiers for their combat mission, they are subject to failure. If you cannot train your wrestlers for their competition, they will not perform to their best abilities and risk injury.

As an NCO you must be both physically and mentally fit. It’s the same for a wrestling coach – and if you’re not, you cannot take care of your team effectively.

A coach should be able to perform moves and techniques that he expects his wrestlers to execute. And similar to Soldiers and NCOs, wrestlers will gain a coach’s trust to lead if they so from the front.

Both coaches and noncommissioned officers must have a strong knowledge of physical fitness and how to implement the right program for the success of the whole team.

NCOs need to be effective in team-building, just as coaches need to be able to construct a cohesive squad. Even though wrestling is an individual sport, there is still a team concept that enables wrestlers to support and assist their teammates during practice.

NCOs must know themselves and seek self-improvement. As a coach you must know your strengths and weaknesses and be able to seek assistance from others when needed.

Coach and NCO – different titles, same result when leading young people.” 
 
Twainy

February 16, 2009 … William and Darrin get a tattoo …

Twany

Darrin coaches wrestling … November 14, 2008 …

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Darrin coaches wrestling … November 14, 2008 …

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MSG Darrin M. Domko – “my team managers and school sponsors” … “my coaching staff ”.   

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Darrin coaches wrestling … November 14, 2008 …

Twainy

Darrin coaches wrestling … November 14, 2008 …

Twainy