There was never a question that Navy fall sports programs would operate in some form or fashion, according to athletic director Chet Gladchuk.
Varsity athletics plays an important role in achieving the Naval Academy mission to develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically.
“It is a critical component of what the Naval Academy is all about. It’s all part of the educational process at a service academy,” Gladchuk told The Capital on Monday. “It’s extremely important for 4,400 midshipmen to break a sweat each day in a competitive, athletic environment.”
For Gladchuk and Vice Admiral Sean Buck, the Naval Academy superintendent, it was simply a matter of determining what the institution’s fall sports programs could accomplish in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.