Photo By Sgt. Kelsey Simmons | A cadet on the U.S. Army Black Knights football team wears the ivy leaves of the 4th...... read more read more
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WEST POINT, N.Y. -- “Touchdown, Army!” yelled the announcer over the Michie Stadium speaker system.
It was a sunny autumn day at the historical U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. – perfect for football. The U.S. Army Black Knights were up against the Colgate University Raiders. The clash of armored bodies slamming against each other was heard throughout the stadium. Cheers and jeers erupted from the crowd, making their opinions of each team loudly heard. Wearing the ivy leaves of the 4th Infantry Division on their helmets, the Black Knights were ready to fight and win.
Each week, the Black Knights of West Point highlight a different U.S. Army division during Saturday night football games. The Ivy Division was the unit of honor on Oct. 15, 2022.
“It makes us incredibly proud to wear the patch of the week,” said Jeff Monken, head coach of the U.S. Army Black Knights.
Attending the game were six Ivy Soldiers, the 4th Inf. Div. commanding general and division command sergeant major, and Black Knight and Colgate fans from around the world. A sea of gray and white stood out from the crowd as hundreds of USMA cadets, including a few prior service cadets from the Ivy Division, filled a section of the stands.
“I feel honored that I’ve had the opportunity to serve with the 4th Infantry Division,” said Cadet Angela San Luis, a former specialist assigned to 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div. and current organizational psychology and leadership major at USMA. “I feel a sense of pride every time I see the patch. It feels amazing that we’re honoring a division that I used to be a part of.”
As the team fought against their opposers, they embodied the 4th Inf. Div.'s philosophy -- the "Ivy Spirit." The Ivy Spirit is believing in yourself, your teammates and your leaders to ensure victory together as a cohesive team.
It was evident each player believed in themselves and knew their individual purpose on the team – a quality which applies to being a Black Knight, a cadet and a Soldier.
“I think it’s definitely important to believe in yourself here at West Point,” said Cadet Tanner Murray, a former specialist assigned to 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div. and current geospatial information science major at USMA. “You have to have the confidence to complete the task in front of you. You also have to believe in others around you. You can't succeed here alone.”
Cadet Jemel Jones, the Black Knights quarterback, said believing in his teammates is another value which is crucial to succeeding both on the football field and on the battlefield.
“We always tell each other to believe in ourselves,” Jones said. “It carries over as a cadet when we’re living our everyday lives with school, the military and football. Being here at West Point, we have to trust the guys next to us to get us through the hard days, but we always push through and support each other.”
Monken and his coaching staff yelled out plays and motivational cues to consistently fire up the team. Each player, tired but not showing any sign of slowing down, enthusiastically nodded in confirmation. By believing in their leaders they knew a win was guaranteed.
“I believed in the game plan that we had from the coaches, and I knew I had to go out there, do my job, and execute the way we know how to do it,” Jones said.
The Black Knights repeatedly closed the final yards towards the end zone, and by embracing the 4th Inf. Div.’s “Ivy Spirit,” they ensured a victory with a landslide score of 42-17.
“They go out and play for each other,” Monken said. “An Army unit also trains and works together every day. They go through hard times and challenges together and that develops a bond and closeness within those units. Our guys are the same way. They go out on the field and fight for each other just the same as an Army unit goes out and fights for each other.”
After the game, Maj. Gen. David Hodne, commanding general of the 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson, gave the team some final words of encouragement in their locker room to congratulate their victory.
“For about 105 years, the Ivy Division has been about closing the final yards,” Hodne said. “Army team, thank you for honoring my Soldiers from the 4th Inf. Div.”
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| Date Taken: | 10.15.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 10.18.2022 14:36 |
| Story ID: | 431538 |
| Location: | WEST POINT, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 435 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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