The RoundHouse | 11/8/2018 6:22:00 PM
By
Paul Suellentrop
ANNAPOLIS, MD.
The sights at the United States Naval Academy are impressive – imposing architecture, midshipmen marching and monuments to battle. "Beat Army" signs and Navy flags adorn almost every house and cannons decorate lawns.
Wichita State's basketball team toured the campus on Thursday and what they will remember are the words and spirit of the midshipmen. The culture of trust, service and selflessness described by the Navy students resonated with the Shockers.
"We needed to hear some of the things they said," Wichita State freshman
Dexter Dennis said. "The Naval Academy is really, really interesting . . . how they help people grow as individuals with life skills, leadership, teamwork, accountability. We could learn from them."
The Naval Academy's mission statement is present on plaques and monuments throughout the 338-acre campus in the Annapolis harbor at the confluence of the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay. It describes its purpose to "imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty."
"It was a great experience . . . seeing how they conduct themselves, seeing what they value," Wichita State freshman
Jamarius Burton said.
The Shockers, as did teams from Maryland, Providence and Navy, witnessed the lifestyle designed to produce those ideals during their tour and lunch on Thursday. Seniors
Markis McDuffie and
Samajae Haynes-Jones, with coach
Gregg Marshall, started the day by helping raise the Morning Colors (the United States and Navy flags).
The Shockers looked at Marine helicopters and boarded a Yard patrol boat. They met with Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuck Jr. and toured Bancroft Hall, the dorm where the 4,000-plus midshipmen live.
The midshipmen take six classes a day and their time out of uniform or away from the academy is limited. Dennis described the schedule as crisp and disciplined. Burton reconnected with a former high school teammate who now plays basketball for Navy and plans to pursue dentistry.
"They're very disciplined and I feel like we can use that and take what we learned from the Naval Academy and add that to our program," Burton said.
One of the highlights of a Naval Academy tour is noon meal formation, when the Brigade of Midshipmen assembles, calls roll and marches to lunch in King Hall. The Shockers paired up with midshipmen for lunch – Wichita State's
Brycen Bush ordered a chicken sandwich – to spread out and learn more about life on the Yard.
"Everything that they go through is incredible," Bush said. "That was really cool to see how on point everyone was and in tune everyone was. It shows that we have to have the same thing, everyone has to be on the same page. They trust each other. That comes back to us."
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
