On Friday, ahead of the 125th Army-Navy Game between the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, American Military News sat down for interviews with leaders from both sides, as well as several cadets, to get their take on the rivalry game on Saturday.
During Media Row, hosted by USAA at the Women’s Military Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, American Military News interviewed U.S. Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Yvette M. Davids, West Point Superintendent Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland, and four West Point cadets: Kayla Teeuscher, Brigade Operations Sergeant Major; Mitchell Campbell, Deputy Brigade Commander; Slade Streeter, Brigade Command Sergeant Major; and Caroline Robinson, First Captain of the Corps of Cadets.
The Army Side
For the cadets, the Army-Navy Game is an opportunity to highlight both a beloved 125-year-old rivalry and West Point itself.
“As cadets, it’s about graduating and serving the soldiers that we’re leading, and I think that this really gives us the opportunity to put that on display for the entire country,” Campbell said. “I just think that the the ability to compete against each other is something that’s really special and it allows us and gives us a platform to show America that we’re working really hard to do our best to develop and graduate as leaders of character.”
”We’re extremely lucky to be here at the game representing Army-Navy,” Teeuscher told American Military News. “Although we’re fighting over who’s going to win – obviously it’s going to be Army – at the end of the day, we’re going to come together and be on the same team fighting for the United States of America.”
The cadets said the historic rivalry also serves as an opportunity to showcase the young leaders’ commitment to excellence.
”I think we’re all working very hard throughout the entire year to really demonstrate excellence, and everyone’s doing it in their own way. Whether that’s academics, military, the NCAA or club sports, but over the course of the semester, we’re able to compete against Navy and truly demonstrate this excellence,” said Streeter. “It’s an amazing rivalry to really gather behind the Army team and be able to compete with Navy.”
“At the end of the day, we’re really brothers in arms and sisters in arms. So, we’re able to compete against each other and at the end of the game, shake hands and move forward and look forward to serving with each other,” he added.
Robinson echoed her fellow cadet’s message, highlighting the opportunities that West Point has to offer.
“ It’s our opportunity to demonstrate excellence, but I also think that tomorrow’s game is a reminder of everything that we go through throughout the entirety of this season,” Robinson told American Military News. “Obviously we’ve got the football team that’s going to be competing, but we have so many teams that compete this season.”
“With the Corps of Cadets that’s going to be marching on to the stadium tomorrow, we’ve got women’s volleyball, we’ve got hockey, soccer, we’ve got so many competitive teams that have brought home the star this season. We’re excited to cheer on the Army team to victory,” Robinson said. “But it’s really an opportunity for us to excel and just cheer on our teammates no matter where they’re at and just a reminder of what our future service is going to look like with our brothers and sisters in arms.”
West Point Superintendent Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland brought attention to how unique the Army-Navy Game is.
”It’s America’s game. Where else, where else, whether it’s in football or whatever sport, in competition, do you have two institutions that come together and the teams represent both the United States Military Academy and the Naval Academy and what those young men and women are expected to do for our nation in the future,” Gilland told American Military News.
”And the fact is, as you look around, [the cadets] all come from everywhere and it’s about representing the citizens of our nation and what America means,” he continued. “Not only when we think about it from being here in the United States of America, but what does America mean on the global scale? People look to us. People look to the United States of America to lead. And they’re the future leaders of this nation. That’s pretty powerful.”
The Navy Side
U.S. Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Yvette M. Davids said the Army-Navy game is also a celebration of American history.
“Every single Midshipman that comes to this game, they know that they are representing so much more. They’re representing their institution. They’re representing the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. They’re representing an incredible rivalry that ties us to our history,” his game goes back to 1890. That is 125 years of game play,” Davids said. “We can never forget that there are so many that came before us and served their nation so honorably. We’re just carrying the baton forward. That’s important and that’s heavy.”
“It’s them representing so much more of their history and of their future. And it’s exciting to see when they understand that,” she added.
Davids also expressed confidence in Navy’s football team.
“We’re all in. Our football team is good! The entire brigade is behind them,” Davids said. “We are looking forward to winning because of the excitement that’s going to happen once we get back [to the academy]. It’s exuberance, it sets the tone for the rest of your year.”
The historic game kicks off on Saturday at 3:10 p.m. ET.
