Naval Academy Athletics

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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. 
   

Tell us about your time at USNA?
Howard: I attended USNA through the then Rip Miller program, which is now the Athletic & Scholarship Program. I was sponsored to go to Wyoming Seminary, which is still one of the A&SP prep schools, with the hope of coming to the Academy and playing football. I played plebe football, and participated in athletic activities but eventually ended up joining the crew program. Because I was tall and looked like I could pull an oar, the Coach asked me to come out to join the team. We all played sports in high school, but crew was one which was out of reach for a kid from a Philadelphia area public school. I liked it. It really is a unique sport that I always thought represented the epitome of sportsmanship. We actually bet our racing jerseys against our counterpart on the other team. When I graduated I had a cruise box half full of competitors’ jerseys, which my kids used for painting smocks in later years. I ended up being in a boat that went to the Olympics in Rome in 1960. So after all of that, though I didn’t end up playing football, I was still able to participate in a varsity sport at the Academy.

What made you want to come to USNA?
Howard: There was a movie called “The Long Gray Line” which was about West Point. I was watching it with my father and he asked me if I’d be interested in going there and I said, “No, but I might be interested in the Navy”. That led to further investigation and I became determined to attend the Academy.

How did being a member of the Crew program shape your experience at USNA?
Howard: Being a member of the crew team--it was central to my experience. When you’re at Navy, your friends generally come from previous associations, your company mates and whatever extracurricular activities you’re involved in. For me, that was crew.
Susie and I still get together every year with my friends from my Naval Academy company and from the team. In fact, every 5 years we have a reunion with the 1960 Olympic crew. Our Olympic Team Captain, Pete Bos ’60, makes sure we continue that tradition. We get together and until our 50^th reunion, we would row in College Creek out into the Severn River. Now each year we attend the Pull for Navy Crew Banquet as well.
Last year we celebrated 175 years of Navy Rowing and filled Dahlgren Hall with alumni and current team members. It was a central part of my life at the Academy and has continued to be. It’s something we identify with and enjoy.
This Friday was meant to be our 60^th reunion! We were excited to honor the team and the program by dedicating a new shell to the team. We are planning to get the team together sometime later this year or perhaps early 2021.

Why do you support NAAA as Season Ticket Holders?
Howard: We appreciate the competition and the support. When we decided to retire, we were living in New Jersey and we thought, “If we ever need a support group we’ll probably come down to the Academy”. We’ve been able to attend events and have friends who are local and friends we’ve made through this activity. It’s led to an interesting life for us. I am also very fortunate to be married to someone who likes sports as much as I do…maybe even more.
Susan: I played high school basketball and was elected captain my senior year. Just like Howie, we played lots of sports and received accolades. We’ve made friends for life by attending games and coming to different events.
Howard: In fact, one of the hardest things about what is happening right now is knowing our spring athletes have had their season’s cut short. Baseball, Crew, Lacrosse, Women’s Lacrosse…all of these young athletes who we have watched for three years now. They put in so much hard work and they were going to have really strong year. We feel bad for them that they have missed that opportunity, but we are still very proud of them. We are already looking forward to next year’s competition.

Why have you chosen to support The Fund for Athletic Excellence?
Susan: We love sports, so we like going to the events and being season ticket holders. As a donor, it has acquainted us with a lot of nice people and we’ve been able to build really special relationships.
Howard: The NAAA is an organization that we want to support. It is a place where we feel that we get back as much as we give because of the friendships, the recognition, the relationships and the success we’ve seen at the NAAA. We really believe in the product they put out. We are honestly so proud of all the midshipmen—every young woman and man that we meet is respectful, interesting and seemingly interested in speaking with us. They are really good people. The Academy brings in great people and makes them even better.
Supporting The Fund for Athletic Excellence has also given us a great opportunity to make friends, enjoy the friends we have and attend and enjoy the many Athletic and A&SP events that happen every year. While we have been sequestered here at home, the people who have reached out to us and worried about us are our NAAA family—Chet, Rusty, Tim, the crew coaches etc. They care.
 
Why did you choose to participate in The Fund for Athletic Excellence Five-Year Initiative?
Susan: When we decided to commit to the five-year pledge, we were all for it. We love NAAA and we have always supported the program so Howie and I made this decision together. And I encourage other families to consider and make the decision as a family.
Howard: For us, it was pretty simple. We were planning on giving at that level each year, and when that initiative was launched we knew we wanted to continue to be at the Rip Miller Society level so we could continue to make an impact and get a lot of benefits in return. We knew that by committing to a five-year pledge, we could help the NAAA make long term financial plans based on the knowledge that they could rely on our sustained support.

What would you tell others who are considering supporting The Fund for Athletic Excellence and the Crew Excellence Fund?
Howard: I think people want to give and are just looking to be directed on how and where to give their support. I recognize that Navy Athletics is a central part of the midshipman experience and I know that all of these programs need private funding and support to achieve the level of excellence they hope to pursue. The Fund for Athletic Excellence helps do that.
I have seen firsthand with the Crew team how private support can help them excel. In our case, we joined my teammates in supporting the program and we’ve seen the team now have state-of-the-art shells to use. Our support helps keep the team as highly successful as possible. We have recognized the need and we want to be a part of answering it.

What are you most excited about for the future of the NAAA?
Howard: The opening of the Ron Terwilliger Center for Student-Athletes is what I am most excited about right now. A place to celebrate the Physical Mission. From what I have seen, it’s a modern, up-to-date facility and going to be very special. It will be very cool for future student-athletes and recruits to be able to envision themselves as a midshipman. My classmates and I are also anxious to see the Heisman Trophy exhibit with Joe Bellino and Roger Staubach.