World Cup ends three-year run at Benderson Park

World Cup ends three-year run at Benderson Park

SARASOTA -- For the third and final year the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne 2016 World Cup will be held in Southwest Florida, organizing committee members were looking for committee chairs with experience getting things done and making things happen.

In a hurry and decisively if necessary.

Through area colleges, event organizers turned to four U.S. military veterans to serve in paid leadership roles.

As the event's "sports manager," Darrell Xayarath, 31, of Sarasota, oversees five committee chairs. A health science student at University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, eager to work in a sports field, Xayarath was one of the first veterans the committee contacted. With 10 years of active duty and three years in the U.S. Air National Guard on his resume, Xayarath began working on the pentathlon in January.

"This event is definitely chaotic and they were looking specifically for veterans because we're trained to deal with that kind of thing, overcoming adversity," he said.

USF, ranked No. 2 among veteran friendly U.S. colleges and universities, is a sponsor of the competition that concludes Sunday at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, in Sarasota and the Selby Aquatic Center, 80301 Potter Park Drive., in Sarasota.

Like Xayarath, veteran Jennifer Wright-Huck of Bradenton is a USF Sarasota-Manatee student. She served more than five years in the U.S. Marines.

Wright-Huck recently completed final exams in her quest for a degree in psychology/criminology and would be job hunting were the self-described "people person" not coordinating more than 500 volunteers at the pentathlon.

The military's rapid-response philosophy undoubtedly paid off for Wright-Huck, who got involved in the project only about two weeks ago.

"There's immediate action corralling everybody together on short notice," she said. "When you have immediate deployment, you don't have time to stand around and think. You just have to get it done."

The modern pentathlon has roots in the skills of ancient warriors. It consists of fencing, swimming, equestrian jumping, cross country running and laser shooting.

Larry Thomas, 47, of Palm Bay, a doctoral student at Argosy University, is transportation chairman. He has been involved in the pentathlon planning for about a month.

An U.S. Army major, he served 24 years, including multiple tours overseas. Working in logistics and transportation is second nature for Thomas, who at one time oversaw such VIPs as the U.S. Secretary of Defense and handled movement of personnel and equipment worldwide.

One of Thomas' favorite sayings is, "Nothing happens until something moves." Now he's doing the moving, personally and professionally.

"I have to shift focus," he said. "I have to transform the skills I acquired in the military and transfer them in the civilian sector."

Thomas is attending Argosy University in Sarasota/Tampa, pursuing a doctoral degree in organizational leadership. He wants to be an entrepreneur and public speaking to mentor and inspire youth to be better self-managers.

Gerald Vinopal, 74, of Bradenton, is past commandant of the Marine Corps League in the area. He was contacted by event organizers to serve as hospitality chairman, "which is not only hospitality but also taking care of all of the problems," Vinopal said. "They thought that a Marine could probably do that."

This story was originally published May 7, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "World Cup ends three-year run at Benderson Park ."