GOMIDS: Will Midshipmen will be able to
support their classmates at sporting events, on the Yard, during the week.
Or will they be required to be in Bancroft Hall, studying?
USNA: Midshipmen who are
satisfactorily meeting academic and professional requirements may be able to
attend on-Yard sporting events during the week as their duties permit.
GOMIDS: Does the Superintendent plan on
attending away football games (starting with Temple)?
USNA: The Superintendent and
members of his Senior Leadership Team, as well as select members of the Brigade,
to include Cheerleaders and the Drum and Bugle Corps, will attend away football
games. (And) the Superintendent plans to attend the
Temple game.
GOMIDS: Will Midshipmen be able to
watch the televised Navy-Pitt football game on Wednesday, October
10th?
USNA: Upperclass Midshipmen who are
satisfactorily meeting academic and professional requirements will be able to
watch the Wednesday evening game against
Pittsburgh.
GOMIDS: Can you describe the procedure
the Admiral went through when deciding to make the cuts in Midshipmen traveling
to away football games/sporting events? Was his decision based on money or
something else? Did he receive input from the AD? Several alumni have
offered to start a fund to help bring Mids to sporting events. With past bowl games, there is even a
precedent for this. Would the Admiral support such an
effort?
USNA: Since the Superintendent’s
change of command on June 8th, he has been using the CNO’s approach for taking
on a new position of responsibility: listen, learn, and lead. He spent the
summer listening and learning, and after obtaining input and recommendations
from his Senior Leadership Team – which includes the Athletic Director - has now
begun leading. As the new academic year begins, the Superintendent,
together with is Senior Leadership Team, is ensuring the Academy’s course is set
to prepare midshipmen to become the best junior officers in the Fleet;
officers with competence, character, and compassion.
The decision to limit away football
game travel by midshipmen was not driven by budgetary issues, rather its intent
is to ensure midshipmen remain focused on moral, mental, and physical
development. All other activity is secondary, optional, and
conditional. To this end, the Superintendent intends to remove
distractions and guide development.
GOMIDS: What was the last Navy sporting
event the Admiral attended prior to being named the
Superintendent?
USNA: Like many alumni, Vice
Admiral Fowler has returned to the Academy at various occasions since
graduation, including certain homecoming games and events.
GOMIDS: When Paul Johnson last extended
his contract with Navy, in his brief statement he mentioned the importance of
the support he has received from the Brigade of Midshipmen. Fans are
worried that the Superintendent has made a decision to cut into that
support. Are these concerns justified? Is Vice Adm. Fowler committed
to keeping Paul Johnson at Navy?
USNA: The Superintendent is very
pleased with the Naval
Academy’s athletic program. It
remains a vital element of the Academy’s mission of moral, mental and physical
development of midshipmen. The Navy Football team and Coach Johnson will
continue to receive strong support from the Superintendent, the staff and
faculty, and the Brigade of Midshipmen.
GOMIDS: In Adm. Fowler's mind, what
role does Navy football and sports in general play in
developing quality officers?
USNA: Navy football, like all
Academy athletic programs, remains a vital element of the Academy’s mission of
moral, mental and physical development of midshipmen. The Navy Football
team and Coach Johnson will continue to receive strong support from the
Superintendent, the staff and faculty, and the Brigade of Midshipmen.
GOMIDS: The Superintendent
made these decisions before class was in session, before attending one
away football game as ‘Supe,’ before attending one on-the-yard sporting
event as ‘Supe.’ He said there was “no crisis at the Naval Academy”
- but his actions lead people to believe that changes needed to be
made now, and even before he had a chance to personally
compare the before/after effect of his new policies. Why not take a
few months and make a personal, in-person assessment prior to making such
drastic changes?
USNA: Since the Superintendent’s
change of command on June 8th, he has been using the CNO’s approach for taking
on a new position of responsibility: listen, learn, and lead. He spent the
summer listening and learning, and after obtaining input and recommendations
from his Senior Leadership Team – which includes the Athletic Director - has now
begun leading. As the new academic year begins, the Superintendent,
together with is Senior Leadership Team, is ensuring the Academy’s course is set
to prepare midshipmen to become the best junior officers in the Fleet;
officers with competence, character, and compassion.
My complete reaction to these answers
will appear in the next addition of Off
the Yard. In the meantime, I
invite you to discuss the Winners and Losers based on these answers, from a Navy
athletics and Navy fan perspective, in the forum.
As
always, if you have a comment for David, send him an email.