As a retired Army officer, eight-time All-American, and Olympic silver medalist, Coach Mike Anti understands the legacy of Navy Rifle that needs to be upheld; especially, since his father was once a former Navy rifle coach himself. Having just been awarded with the Navy Athletic & Scholarship Program (A&SP) Winter Sport Coach of the Year, Coach Anti sat down with the Letterwinners Association to discuss the sport of rifle and the recent success of his team.

Letterwinners: You were an eight-time All-American at West Virginia University, then four-time Olympian, with a silver medal in 2004. Where did your love for rifle start and how has the sport changed since your time in college?

Coach Anti: So, I started shooting when I was 10 years old. The main reason was so I could go hunting with my dad. He got me started at the Acorns Junior Rifle Club near Quantico, Va., which is where he was stationed. I won my first competition and thought that was kind of cool, so I just kept doing it from there. During my time in the sport, the equipment and technology has just evolved so much. We used to shoot in thin cloth coats with those big rubber shooting pads. Now, we use very stiff material in our shooting jackets to help support the body and improve accuracy. The guns and ammunition have also changed quite a bit. Even the events have changed over the years to create time limits and make the targets smaller. Everything is much different now.

Letterwinners: As a career Army officer and part of their World Class Athlete Program, did coaching at a military school come easy for you?

Coach Anti: I believe my experience in the Army definitely helped my coaching career. I understand the military aspects of what the midshipmen go through here. So, even though I did not attend a military school, I understand the demands of our student-athletes and recognize their daily challenges. 

Letterwinners: No stranger to the Naval Academy, your father was the Navy rifle coach for 12 years. What are your fondest memories of his tenure here at Navy?

Coach Anti: My dad was a retired Marine Corps officer, so when he started coaching at Navy, I was already in college. I remember coming to visit him in Annapolis and thought it was a beautiful area. He used to live in a small apartment in Hubbard Hall, the Navy boathouse. I met the midshipmen on the team back then and saw that my dad coached for the love of the sport.

Letterwinners: Your team just won the President's Trophy over Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard for the first time since 2008. What do you attribute to the success of this year's squad?

Coach Anti: Our success has come from a lot of time and dedication during practice. Every day, the athletes arrive around 1430 and, by 1500, we're on the line shooting and we'll shoot until 1800. These athletes are doing it for the love of the sport, for the love of the academy, and for the love of competition. My assistant coach, Coach Lou, and I are very active in coaching the athletes. We're on the line, the whole time, trying to improve their positions and technique. They have been very accepting of our coaching and are very dedicated to the sport they love.

Letterwinners: Catherine Dely is your team captain. Can you talk about her leadership and what she brings to the team?

Coach Anti: When Catherine first came to us as a plebe, she did not have a lot of experience, but her hard work and dedication has put her in our top five shooters. She's doing an outstanding job as the team captain. She is very collaborative with the coaches and makes sure all the athletes take care of their responsibilities in the Hall. She will make a point to sit down with the coaches, 3-4 times a week, and go over team dynamics and understand what the team needs to focus on next. She plans to be a Submarine officer and I know she will have a lot of success in the next stage of her military career. She's just been a great team captain.

Letterwinners: Even though your team beat Army already this year, what are your expectations for the star match at West Point in February?

Coach Anti: So, I try not to live off of expectations. Army is always tough, and it doesn't matter what the stats show prior to the star match. Both teams always bring their A game and, in my career here, it has always been competitive. One of our mottos is "our best is the standard". We practice so that on competition day, we don't have to rise to the occasion. If we are dedicated during practice, we know we will succeed on the day of competition.

Letterwinners: How many teams qualify for the NCAA Championships and what are the expectations for the post-season?

Coach Anti: The NCAA only invites the top 8 teams to the championship, so it is very competitive. Currently, we are ranked seventh in the nation, but we are just focused on our next match. 

Letterwinners: What do you want the alumni to know about your program?

Coach Anti: I'm very proud of our program and the sacrifice and commitment of our athletes. I'm also really proud of our team culture and how our athletes interact with each other. They work as a team, have mutual respect, and support each other. As for our alumni, I would like to thank them for their generous and on-going support over the years. Their support contributes, significantly, to the success of our program and our athletes would not be able to participate and compete in a sport they love without it.