Three soldiers, selected as the athletes and coach of the year for 2011, were honored and recognized Feb. 24 at the Association of the United States Army Winter Symposium and Exposition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.First Lieutenant Charles Ware, III, a competitive world class runner assigned to the 304 Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., was recognized as the male athlete of the year.Capt. Danielle Cork, a competitive volleyball player now attending the Adjutant General Career Captain Course at the U.S. Army Soldier Support Center, Fort Jackson, S.C., was honored as the female athlete of the year.Lt. Col. Liam Collins, All-Army running coach who is the executive director of the Special Forces Combating Terrorism Center at the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., received the award for being the coach of the year.The three soldier-athletes were presented their awards by Gen. Raymond Odierno, Army chief of staff; Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command; and Gen. Robert W. Cone, commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.Ware was a member of the All-Army – Army Ten-Miler Team that won the International Division in the 2011 race.He also ran with the All-Army Marathon Team that won the Gold Medal Armed Forces Individual and Team Championship."He also reflected great credit on himself and the U.S Army by winning the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes, 16 seconds," the citation read.This was the best finishing time in the marathon in 15 years.Cork was selected to play for the All-Army Woman’s Floor Volleyball Team, the All-Army Woman’s Beach Volleyball Team and the U.S. Armed Forces Woman’s Floor Volleyball Team.She competed at the 2011 World Games in Brazil as a member of the Armed Forces Floor Volleyball Team, and later was elected the teams captain for the 2011 Military World Games.Cork was awarded the U.S. Army Europe, G-1, Frederick E. Vollrath Human Resources Award of Excellence, and earned the highest Army Physical Fitness Score of 323 in the Adjutant General Captain Career Course.Collins has served in Afghanistan supporting Army Rangers and special operations forces.During his special operations career, he has also served in Iraq, Bosnia, Africa and South America.He has successfully coached and participated in All-Army and Armed Forces running teams, and volunteers to coach and mentor male and female cadets on West Point running teams to include track, cross country, marathon and steeple chase.His All-Army Team won the 2011 Army Ten-Miler’s International Division for the second consecutive year.The All-Army Cross Country Team received the Gold Medal, at the Armed Forces Track and Field Championship. He also coached the All-Army team that received a Gold Medal for first place in the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon’s Military Division."Coach, athlete, mentor, warrior, scholar and educator, Collins has, by his example, contributed immeasurably to Army athletics, his soldiers and the ‘Profession of Arms,’" his citation stated."These three outstanding soldier-athletes," Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, USA, Ret., AUSA president, said, "represent the best of America’s Army as they serve in their assigned duties and also compete in athletic competitions for our Army and our nation. We are very proud of you."