Major Carter Reading, USMC, is in his second year as head coach of the Navy sprint football team. As a former player, who graduated in 2016, Coach Reading talks to the Navy Letterwinners Association after a 3-0 start in the Collegiate Sprint Football League. Read about the legacy his team is trying to uphold, as they prepare for a much anticipated showdown with the Black Knights.
 

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Letterwinners: How did you get involved with sprint football coming out of high school?

Coach Reading: I was a running back for Saint Charles East HS near Chicago. So, when I got into Navy and learned about sprint football over plebe summer, it seemed like a great option. I never left. I enjoyed the grind and the culture. Navy Sprint pushed me to new heights and that's what we, as coaches, try to accomplish every day.

Letterwinners: Can you talk about the history of officers coaching the Sprint Football team and the use of TAD officers?

Coach Reading: The head coaching position for sprint football is a Marine Corps billet, so when I applied, there were 70 other applicants. As a graduate and a former sprint football player, it's been an honor to come back and coach the team. We also have quite a few Temporary Assigned Duty (TAD) officers, who just graduated from the team, who are able to coach and support the program until they head to their next duty station. It's just a part of how we do things here for sprint football and a key part of our success.

Letterwinners: As a 2016 graduate of the Naval Academy, can you talk about your experience as a sprint football athlete and how things have changed since you were on the Yard?

Coach Reading: So, when I was on the team, it was a three-year process to win our championship. More recently, we've had a great tradition of winning, so last year's loss to Army was a tough blow. This year, the senior class is really tight and everyone has a unified goal in restoring dominance on the field. But, the players and their passion remain the same. I watch the players in the trenches, see the numbers on their jersey, and envision my teammates behind the face masks making big-time plays for the team. 

Letterwinners: Do you have a team mantra? 

Coach Reading: We lean heavily on the idea that "the legacy is not ours, but ours to uphold." We also have our own internal mottos, some passed down from Coach Sparky Renforth, who instilled a fierce competitive nature within our team. 

Letterwinners: You just hired a full-time associate head coach, Tony Verducci '80. How has he helped develop the team for this year?

Coach Reading: Coach Verducci brings a great perspective to the team. He's a USNA graduate, former officer rep, high school football coach, and has a wealth of knowledge in the sport of football. He's been a great addition to the team. As associate head coach, he should be able to carry some consistency for the program moving forward. 
Letterwinners: What's the scouting report on Army this year? 

Coach Reading: Army looks good. They lost some key players, but they're well-coached. They're still running the same offense. They still run hard down the line and their defense looks tough. But we will be ready for them. I feel much more confident in our preparation this year.

Letterwinners: How are the alumni still involved in the program?

Coach Reading: Each reunion weekend, we seem to have different classes come back, talk to the team, and relive their time with the program. It's fantastic. It means a lot to the Mids to see these guys come back from all different communities and hear about their time on the team. We are hosting an alumni tailgate for our Molloy game during homecoming weekend. It's a small way to say thank you to all of our alumni. It should be a great event.

Letterwinners: What does the alumni support mean to the team and its future success? 

Coach Reading: Everything. Our alumni support allows our players to feel like the professional team that we never thought we could be. Whether it's new sleds, new field goal posts, or help in our travel expenses, our alumni support is raising the level of competitiveness within the program. I, constantly, remind the players of what we are able to do because of the alumni support. I don't want them to take it for granted. One day they will be alumni and will need to pay it forward. I want them to see that the faces might change, but the culture is still the same and it remains strong.