Army West Point Athletics
Meet the Coaches
February 27, 2015 | General
NEW YORK - The common theme concerned a commitment to excellence. "Goals and standards." Forget about raising the bar. It has been raised and is in place. The lofty standard has been set and is revealed the moment a cadet arrives on the historic West Point campus. As the New York Chapter of West Point's annual Meet the Coaches dinner, the concepts of service, loyalty and expectation of the extraordinary being the ordinary were consistently emphasized. Coaches representing the dinner organized by John L. Buckheit Esq. had another common thread to commend. Support.
The U.S. Military Academy fields 28 sports with 1,100 cadets participating. An impressive number and situation where support is of the utmost prominence. The support provided by many of the 200 plus in attendance goes beyond what may be considered the `flagship' sports of football and basketball. It reaches through the athletic program speaking volumes regarding the feeling graduates and boosters both have toward the academy and its mission.
Men's soccer coach Russell Payne remembers attending his first coaches day about five years back. "A few people asked me what I needed," he recalled. `I spoke about a few things we would need in training to compete at the level we wanted. I got everything I needed." Today the soccer program flourishes. Coming off of its best season in four decades, and with eyes next year on a Patriot League championship, Payne enjoys returning to this event each year. Not just to say `thank you' for the support but to meet new people he eagerly informs regarding his program.
Several other coaches echoed the sentiment, including Paul Peck in women's tennis. A wonderful upgraded tennis facility has made training more efficient and also served as a recruiting tool for a program looking nationally for commitments.
Softball coach Michelle DePolo spoke of her team and planned trips to tournaments in slightly warmer Southern locales. Again, the idea of support, so vital for a successful program, was referenced with a tone of gratitude.
Sprint football coach Lt. Col. Mark West spoke of after being hired in 2008 he was advised to give alumni the call. He did not hesitate nor regret it. Today alumni not only give monetarily but visit regularly and even play in an alumni game. The return to campus gives undergraduates an opportunity to meet their predecessors who literally spell out `what success is all about'.
Superintendent Lt. General Robert Caslen Jr. and football coach Jeff Monken both spoke of the `culture of excellence'. The common theme was seeing this culture spread and build into a `brotherhood'. The group attending this special night is all part of the `brotherhood'. The evening was more than commitments of financial support. Rather, it was the support of being there, recognizing how special the academy and mission is.
The event is through the fruition of Buckheit and the West Point Society's efforts. It is a testimony to effort and commitment, with Alumni, friends and coaches taking time on a February evening to meet and/or get to know each other. Support is not always just through monetary measures. It can be the simple meeting of the coaches, showing a genuine interest in their efforts. The entire affair is a true testimony to what makes the U.S. Military Academy the special place it is.
