By Midn. 2⁄C Stanley Gray
Special to Trident
Those who attend the Navy vs. Johns Hopkins lacrosse game April 19 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium will not see the uniformly attired sea of Midshipmen they are used to seeing at sporting events.
Nearly 400 Midshipmen will be out of uniform as part of Team Bright Out, benefiting the Annapolis chapter of the Salvation Army.
The idea for the special Midsh-ipmen cheering section came from the desire of three lacrosse fans to do something special for the local community. Midn. 2⁄C Stanley Gray, Midn. 2⁄C Erika Hubbard, and Midn. 2⁄C Sean Ublacker also wanted to see the lacrosse team’s losing streak come to an end, so they came up with the perfect solution.
Other universities sponsor ‘‘black-outs” and ‘‘whiteouts” for intense rivalry games, during which the stud-ent body coordinates to create a solid wall of color. Gray, Hubbard and Ublacker decided to offer an incentive to the most spirited of Midshipmen.
Gray and Ublacker found a stack of gold shirts in a storage locker, and put them to use. To earn a free Navy lacrosse t-shirt, also known as a ‘‘Golden Ticket,” all the Midshipmen had to do was be one of the first 400 to provide a generous non-perishable food donation to the Salvation Army.
‘‘We had thought about donating in a couple different areas, but in the end we all felt like the right thing to do was to help those less fortunate in our adopted hometown,” said Hubbard.
Working out the logistics was a bit more challenging, as attendance is mandatory for the Brigade and the original plan called for the Mids to march onto the field in summer whites. Gray, Hubbard and Ublacker worked closely with Brigade Comm-ander Midn. 1⁄C Zerbin Singleton and Midshipman Action Group President Midn. 1⁄C Andrew Radcliffe to make their idea a reality.
The Midshipmen hope to donate at least 1,500 food items to the Salvation Army. All three agreed that a chance to add to the festivities of one of the most fun-filled weekends of the year was also a motivating factor.
‘‘We’ll be helping the community while hopefully adding positively to the atmosphere,” said Hubbard.
The Midshipmen accomplished one goal thanks to the giving spirit of the Brigade, and no one will be compl-aining if Men’s lacrosse can score a victory to make this event truly memorable.
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