Mr. Goodcents, the team he helped coach, won its 11-12-year-old tournament, beating Vet-Vax two out of three times in the double elimination tournament that ended July 17.

But on Aug. 3, he was headed for Korea, part of his duties with the Army.

His wife, Kari Hammond, summed up the abrupt departure in one word.

“Miserable,” she said.

Kari, like many spouses of military personnel, has to adjust. While Eric is in Korea for a year, Kari will be in Tonganoxie with their twin sons Saxson and Darian, both 11, and their 4-month-old daughter, Jaida.

Darian said learning about his father being stationed overseas wasn’t fun, but he’s adjusted to it.

“It was kind of sad, but we got used to it after awhile,” Darian said.

Just a day before Eric was to go to Korea, the team had a victory party at Mr. Goodcents where they learned the news.

Sandra Nowasell, coach Mark Nowasell’s wife, said she had a discussion with their son, Josh.

“I told him ‘I want you to think about Eric going to Korea,'” Sandra said. “He was proud about it but didn’t know how to vocalize it because of the age he was.”

Team members, though, did their best to express themselves last Wednesday in the Leavenworth County Fair parade.

Players decorated a truck with red and blue signs and patriotic insignias and rode in the truck’s bed down the parade route.

“It was cool throwing candy at people,” Darian said.

Kari e-mailed pictures of the parade to Eric, and the team made and sent a card to him also.

Along with Eric and Mark, Gary Brammer also coached the team. Other players on the team were Ryan Brammer, Shaun Roberts, Shelby Schneider, Dalton Lawson, TJ Holton, Patrick Holton, Jace Waters, Beau Waters, Jared Lamb and Justin Moss.

In the team’s card, members thanked Eric for coaching the team and serving his country.

“It just makes me proud to see how they did,” Kari said. “I just wish he could have been here to see it.”

The time away from Tonganoxie will be strange for Eric, who also has been a coach for his sons’ basketball team. When he returns, Saxon and Darian will be preparing to play for junior high coaches.

The 11-year-olds, however, might have their father as a coach in the Intermediate Division (13-14) in two years.

Kari, meanwhile, said she still would be supporting her sons even though her husband will be miles away from any bench or dugout.

It might take some time, but Eric looks to be back coaching after he returns in a year.

“We’ll have to see with Jaida in five years,” Kari said.