News Article Release

Mids vs. Johnnies: Q&A With USNA’s Croquet Team

April 18, 2012

The 30th annual Navy croquet match against St. John’s College is set for April 28 on the lawn at St. John’s.

According to legend, the rivalry between the two schools began in 1982 when a midshipman boasted that the mids could beat the Johnnies in any sport. “What about croquet?” was the Johnnies’ retort.

St. John’s tradition holds that “Johnnie” Kevin Heyburn proposed the match to a group of midshipmen in the interest of fostering better relations between the schools.

Of the 29 matches played, the midshipman have won only five. Their last win was in 2005.

The Naval Academy team is comprised exclusively of members of 28th Company, chosen at the team captain’s discretion. Here, members of this year’s team answer some questions, including why they play such an unusual sport in the first place.

Why croquet?

• Midshipman 1st Class Ben Aspholm: “For the excitement and the crisp clean air.”
• Midshipman 1st Class Joseph Walter: “Because I want to be popular. Being on the Navy croquet team makes you popular.”
• Midshipman 3rd Class Kenyon Williams: “I play croquet because of the sweaters.”

Favorite book?

• Midshipman 1st Class Branden Roy: The Croquet Handbook
• Midshipman 1st Class David Johnsen: 1984
• Midshipman 1st Class Peyton Waggener: Goodnight Moon

Yourself in 10 years?

• Midshipman 2nd Class Matt Foran: “Retired and golfing while raising wolves.”
• Midshipman 1st Class Andrew Rubi: “Driving huge Navy ships and launching Tomahawk missiles.”
• Midshipman 2nd Class Luke Stephenson: “Playing a banjo in a boxcar on the 5:15 to Tuttle, Oklahoma.”

Favorite pump-up song?

• Midshipman 1st Class Branden Roy: “Eye of the Tiger”
• Midshipman 3rd Class Kenyon Williams: “Put On by Young Jeezy. His lyrics, ‘I put on for my city,’ makes me think this isn’t about me. It’s for my team, my family, my friends, or whoever I am representing at the time. It gives me motivation to try my hardest and to do my best.”

Greatest hope?

• Midshipman 1st Class Praveen Murthy: “Beating St. John’s in croquet.”
• Midshipman 1st Class Colton Kawamura: “Chipotle will stop charging for double meat.”
• Midshipman 3rd Class David Murtha: “To become rich.”

What would you like written on your epitaph?

• Midshipman 1st Class David Johnsen: “He lived, he loved, he flew and played croquet sometimes.”
• Midshipman 2nd Class Matt Foran: “The best is yet to come.”

And, finally a rousing croquet haiku, courtesy of Midshipman 1st Class Peyton Waggener:

oh croquet is here
we all love to laugh and jeer
must be Navy’s year

Let’s hope so.