While it's clearly not business as usual for Customs or anyone else, it is important to continue the traditions that have made our agency great. Competitive athletics from the Super Bowl, World Series, and Olympics, to the Little World Series and Intra Agency Law Enforcement events are integral to the fabric of our American culture. In fact, in the spirit of Homeland Security, it is more important now than ever before to build camaraderie and rapport among the various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Customs participation in the recent International Law Enforcement Games (ILEG) in Ottawa, Canada, accomplished many objectives. It gave participants a much needed break from being on high alert status for nearly a year, provided an opportunity to make new friendships and renew old acquaintances, to relive memories or past accomplishments, and to create new ones. While the Games represent only a few days of competition, it takes our employees months to hone their skills for competition - enhancing their readiness for other challenges.

This year it took an individual with exceptional interpersonal skills to pull off our 117-medal performance against athletes from around the world. Senior Inspector William F. Kuntz (Newark International Airport) successfully negotiated a minefield of obstacles to pull the team together for one of the most successful Customs performances ever.

Of course Kuntz had great material to work with. Senior Inspector John Zeigler from Atlanta was nominated on July 1, 2002, for induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in Macon, Ga., for his achievements at the police and fire games. Zeigler received 97 gold swim medals in the Florida L.E. Games, 25 International L.E. Games gold medals, and 6 World Police & Fire Games golds with 2 WPFG world records.

Once again the athletes of USCS have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with-thirty athletes competed and all thirty medaled.

Congratulations to all the participants and special thanks to William Kuntz for helping to make it all possible.

Results from Ottowa: Office of Investigations Richard Alchuler 1 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze Peter Lattanzi 1 gold James MacDonald 5 gold Susan McCormick 3 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze Ellen Pierson 1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze Michael Pullman 3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze Edward Wesa 1 gold, 1 bronze Internal Affairs Melvyn Kay 1 gold, 2 bronze Office of Field Operations Linda Amyot 3 gold, 1 bronze John Deitze 2 gold Kirk Gomes 1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze William Kuntz 1 gold Peter McAfee 2 gold, 1 bronze Robert Minshew 1 gold William Mitchell 1 silver Raymond Purser 1 bronze Karen Robbins 2 gold Lorraine Spina 1 gold, 1 silver James Sweet 3 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze Joseph Tidd 1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze Steve Vonwiller 2 gold Timothy Walker 2 bronze John Zeigler 14 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze Field National Import Specialist Donna Gillespie 2 gold, 1 bronze Office of Training and Development Donald Perryman 1 gold, 1 silver Retired Robert Carroll 2 gold Richard Costello 1 gold Charles Hughes 8 gold Michael Moore 2 gold