Beale Airman named ACC Female Athlete of the Year

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class George Cloutier
  • 9th RW Public Affairs
Beale AFB, Calif. --  One of Team Beale's own junior officers recently earned the title of Air Combat Command Female Athlete of the Year. 

1st Lt. Holly Borowski, maintenance officer for the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, earned the title of ACC Female Athlete of the Year for her outstanding performance as a professional cyclist. 

"I actually didn't really know about the ACC title," Lieutenant Borowski said. "I got a call from the athletic director here and he said the base wanted to nominate me for athlete of the year." 

After being nominated for the title, the lieutenant's athletic portfolio went up against one other nominee from every base in ACC. Though the competition was fierce, it was not the lieutenant's first experience with competition. 

"I was seven when I started competitive swimming," the lieutenant said. "I swam all through high school and two years in college at the Air Force Academy. I wasn't really a natural great swimmer or anything though. I did what I could and was barely scraping by." 

That was when she decided to take a turn in her athletic career. 

"I had a friend on the cycling team at the Air Force Academy," she said. "He really got me into it. The girls on the team really took me in and were excited to have another girl." 

Though she had some difficulty at first, by her second year on the cycling team the successes were starting to shine through. 

"I had some really good success that year, enough wins to make over all top place in the conference series," she said. 

After graduating from the academy, the lieutenant kept her aspirations of competing with the best and went on to compete in the Olympic trials for the Armed Forces team. 

"I went that year to the elite nationals, which was also the Olympic trials," she said. "I finished somewhere right about in the middle." 

Though she hadn't qualified for the Olympics yet, that goal stuck with her as she pressed on ever further. 

"My goal is to make the Olympics in 2008," the lieutenant said. "I applied for the world class athlete program for cycling. It's a PCS into Air Force sports, with the final goal of making the Olympic team." 

While her aspirations of making the Olympic team are very high, it's also a very possible goal, according to the lieutenant. 

"From here, it's a pretty long shot, but a realistic long shot," she said. "A few years ago I wouldn't think I would be this far." 

Though the road has been long and hard at times, the lieutenant said she has also had her share of support from friends and family. 

"There are a lot of people I can think of over the years who have been an influence to me," she said. "One of the people who really come to mind is my dad. He's a tri-athlete in his 60s now, and he's still running." 

Aside from her family, some of her biggest supporters are her team mates, who understand the challenges of being a professional athlete and holding a full-time job, according to the lieutenant. 

"There's a limit when you work a full-time job," she said. "A lot of the competition on the national circuit is full-time athletes. You can go pretty far training and working at the same time though." 

Although being in the Air Force presents a challenge when it comes to trying to be a professional athlete, it can also be a source of inspiration, according to the lieutenant. 

"Since I've been in the Air Force, there have been a lot of things that I feel that have been instilled in me," the lieutenant said. "These values do make a difference during competitions." 

One benefit to her career as a professional athlete, according to the lieutenant, is that the Air Force recognizes people who have personal goals such as her own. 

"Having goals is the same whether it's sports, music, or whatever your dreams are," she said. "I just think it's cool to be recognized on what's important to me It's nice to know that my effort matters to other people."