JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- The Air Force recently announced its 2019 Male and Female Athletes of the Year -- a commander’s action group director and an acquisition officer turned world class athlete.
The Female Athlete of the Year is Maj. Amy Natalini, director of headquarters 8th Air Force’s commander’s action group at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. She is a championship half-marathon and marathon runner who, as team captain, led the U.S. Air Force Women’s Marathon Team to a first-place finish at the 2018 Department of Defense Championship. In total, she completed eight full and two half marathons during the award period, typically finishing in the top 1 percent of women athletes.
Natalini said she was honored by the award, but that it wasn’t solely hers.
“This is an accomplishment that needs to be shared with my family, friends and supporters who travelled with me, got up early to cheer at countless races, challenged me to be better and supported me through highs and lows, injury and illness, winning and losing,” she said.
As CAG director, Natalini led a team through the largest unit reorganization in four years while providing analytics support to the nation’s nuclear operations. She attributes some of that success in uniform to her dedication to fitness and running.
“Athletics, and my sport especially, bring out the best in people,” she said. “Commitment to an endurance sport proves that you’re willing to put in the hard work and dedication to something that not just anyone can do. It speaks volumes to the military, as we sign up for something and commit to something that not everyone would be willing to do.”
When not working at 8th AF or running competitively during the year, Natalini coached 35 elementary school runners during practices and at cross country meets; shaping healthy lifestyles for the young athletes. She also led 15 run clinics and coached more than 200 runners to help minimize running injuries.
“I was at an Airman Leadership School graduation when I was a lieutenant, and our guest speaker, a chief master sergeant, said ‘Never do anything to impress someone. Always do it to inspire them,’” Natalini recalled.
“I don’t do what I do to impress people, because that’s not going to change their mindset on fitness or physical resiliency,” she said. “But if I can inspire one Airman, or one elementary school runner, or one parent, and make them a part of the larger running community that supports and roots each other on in running and in life, then I’ve done my job.”
Coaching and molding young people is important to Natalini.
“First and foremost, I want my daughter to know she is strong and can do anything she puts her mind to. She started her run streak this year on Jan. 1, and has run a mile every day since then. But if we can impart that healthy lifestyles should be started at a young age, then kids are more likely to hold on to that and take it with them as they get older.
“I want kids to get outside and play with their friends, rather than the iPad. They’re happier and healthier that way,” she said.