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FAQ
The Five-Year Initiative was created to increase sustained unrestricted support to The Fund for Athletic Excellence. The Initiative encourages five-year commitments at the Rip Miller Society and Friends of Navy Athletics levels in order to provide current and long-term funding for Navy Athletics. In recognition of their leadership and generosity, donor's to the initiative are recognized on a prominent donor wall in the lobby of the new Ron Terwilliger Center opening later this year.
Maureen '85 & Charlie Cragin
Tell us about your time at USNA?
Maureen: I was athletically driven and recruited to be on the swim team, but academics was not my strong suit during my time at USNA. Plebe summer was amazingly easy for me as I was very fit from being a swimmer. It was also a breeze for me mentally as I tend to be an upbeat person and always seemed to have fun even in the midst of adversity.
My father had been a basketball coach at Navy when I was in first and second grade, so I knew a little bit about what the Naval Academy was about. Before I entered, he gave me some advice in saying, “they’re going to try to break you in everything you do – mentally, physically, and academically. Remember, it’s a game. Play the game”. So, whenever the stress would get to me, I would remember my father’s words to just “play the game”. Even when someone’s in my face I would sometimes even giggle a little as I tell myself “I can do this”.
What made you want to come to USNA?
Maureen: I never thought about going to the Naval Academy until I was being recruited by both Army and Navy. During the recruiting process, I never took Army as seriously as I took Navy, and this was mostly because my father understood the lengthy application process and how it was unlike any other school. While he candidly did not want me to go to Navy, he pushed me to make sure I completed all the tests and application requirements – it starts early and is quite rigorous. My senior year of high school I visited Annapolis and stayed with diving coach Joe Suriano and his family. Lee Lawrence was the head coach of both the men’s and women’s teams, but even when there was a women’s coach I swam with the men. When given the opportunity to go to classes with the Mids and swim with the team, I loved the Naval Academy.
I had gone on a few recruiting trips, including to the University of Alabama. Those trips were so much fun. But, when I came home from my trip to the Naval Academy, I was serious and calm. I knew I wanted to go to Navy. My dad was stunned, he thought I wanted to go to Alabama for sure. Deciding to go to USNA just felt like the right thing and it felt like something bigger.
Charlie: Navy is the only place Maureen ended up applying to – lucky she got in!
How did being a part of the women’s swimming and sailing programs shape your experience at USNA?
Being a part of the swimming and sailing teams helped me stay focused and it gave me an outlet to relieve stress. These programs also gave me a great group of friends – I picked up sailing my last two years at Navy and was introduced to all new people and a sport I had never done. Swimming and Sailing were a great way to stay fit and focused.
Even in my upperclassman years, sports kept me humble because you don’t always win! I also developed leadership skills, as I would sit with Coach Lawrence and talk strategy. As the captain of the team, I would recommend who should swim which event. Begrudgingly, I would recommend that I swim the 400 IM or the 200 M fly or some other ungodly event where I knew I could get the 1 point!
I used to swim the Chesapeake Bay swim every year. One time in the early 2000s while I was a Commander in the Navy, we went over to the Yard after finishing the Bay Bridge swim. The pool deck door to Lejeune was open so I walked in and Coach Lawrence was right there standing in the doorway. It turned out that a few Navy swimmers also swam, and I had beat their times!
How have these experiences and lessons you learned while at USNA translated into your life after the Academy?
Maureen: I always tell everyone that I’m the person that I am today for two reasons: One, I have amazing parents and, two, because of the Navy. I tried to bring the lessons, discipline, and focus that the Naval Academy teaches you to everything that I do.
I worked at Boeing for 16 years, My Navy experience was helpful to my work on the defense side with the Pentagon customers. Having my background and personal experiences from the Naval Academy helped me explain to my co-workers that never served in the military the importance of our work – the lives of our service members depended on the weapon systems that we built. No matter how many years you were in, everyone in the military has that shared experience that brings us together and there is a special bond there, like a secret handshake!
Charlie: I started out very young and joined the Navy when I was 17, so I had a number of years as enlisted before I got commissioned. I understood what it was like to have to take orders and you are able to see different experiences from different perspectives. It also gives you many leadership opportunities along the way. I spent most of my time in the Navy reserves, so I had a civilian career that was running along on a parallel track and a political career. I served at the Pentagon in a number of capacities and was the Chairman of the Board of Veteran’s Appeals. I had a multitude of experiences and the Navy was just it – everything good that happened to me happened because of the Navy, including meeting Maureen in 1989!
How long have you been an A&SP Trustee and what influenced your decision to join the Trustee group and remain active?
Maureen: I’ve been a part of the Trustee group for 9 years. ADM Lynch asked me to consider joining after we met through the distinguished graduate committee. It was really a no brainer decision for me, and it was great to have Sharon Disher as my sponsor. I had been surrounded by Navy Athletics from a young age. My dad was a men’s basketball coach under Dave Smalley, he was in the Marine Corps with Al Cantello and when we lived in Annapolis, we spent every Sunday at the Cantellos, and then I had my personal connection as part of the swim team under Coach Lee Lawrence.
I’ve also always supported the Naval Academy Foundation prior to being an A&SP Trustee – I started giving a year or two after leaving a career in government and joining Boeing. Once I started making more money, Charlie encouraged me to start giving back to my school.
Maureen & Charlie: Before we were married, I brought Charlie to one of my class reunions. Even though he is not a big sports guy, I dragged him to a football game as that was homecoming weekend, and I was introducing him to all the traditions. Everything made him excited, from the tailgate, the march on followed by the Leap Frogs bringing the game ball down, and the F/A-18s zooming by at 1500 feet. Charlie really loved his game day experience and has always enjoyed the A&SP events as well.
Charlie: I had always supported Maureen in giving back to her school, and especially with her athletics. I was commissioned in 1968 so I have a group of friends from that era, and then also I have Maureen’s classmates that I have met as well. I saw a lot of crossover and mutual friends with Maureen’s A&SP trustee group and enjoy attending their events.
Why have you chosen to support The Fund for Athletic Excellence and participate in the Five-Year Initiative?
Maureen: I learned about the Five-Year Initiative through the A&SP Trustees and ADM Lynch. We went to him because we were interested in being a part of the USNA Foundation’s campaign, “Called to Serve: Daring to Lead”. I wanted my dollars to go towards Athletic Excellence as it was such a big part of who I am and my experiences at USNA. It’s been very enlightening to see just how important A&SP and their partnership with NAAA to raise Athletic Excellence dollars is. We have a competitive advantage over the other service academies as well as any other school we meet on the playing field. For a while, I was the Executive Focal for all the dollars that Boeing gave to the Naval Academy. Boeing was very generous to all three service academies, and I had counterparts in this position for each Army and Air Force. Because of this relationship, I got to speak to these colleagues about Navy’s giving process, and Army and Air Force were envious of the way we run our programs and fundraise. It’s neat to watch and be a part of how support comes together in our efforts for Navy Athletics.
What would you tell others who are considering supporting The Fund for Athletic Excellence?
Maureen: When I am at my class events especially, I talk to them about giving – first and foremost to the Foundation and how they can support areas of their interest. I speak about how I support Athletic Excellence because of my ties to Navy Athletics and A&SP.
‘Morally’ and ‘mentally’ is very important, but people often forget about the ‘physical’ contribution to developing officers. I remind folks of this and encourage them to support The Fund for Athletic Excellence, but I also mention that they can target their dollars to a specific program they are passionate about. The Fund for Athletic Excellence is a great place to give because it allows the athletic department to have more flexibility with how they handle their dollars and give support where necessary when you give to the unrestricted, general fund. I really would like to see Athletic Excellence be a larger part of the class of 1985’s giving and am vocal on our Zoom chats.
What are you most excited about for the future of the NAAA?
Maureen & Charlie: We are most excited about getting out of this quarantine and getting back to Annapolis! It is so sad that we didn’t get to play Notre Dame, as that’s a longer tradition that Army-Navy. We are excited to see Navy getting back on the field.
