Proud of #63

(Bert, Martha Kate, Blake, & Jena McJunkin)

The following is a quote taken from a US Naval Academy message board concerning their October 25 football match-up against SMU. The young man mentioned in this piece is a former student in our ministry...one I actually had the privilege of meeting one-on-one with weekly for a few years when he was in junior high. I couldn't be more proud of him.

I am a 1983 graduate, father of a current US Naval Academy senior, retired Navy Commander, and Navy football season football ticket holder. I’ve seen a lot of Navy Football. Some of you have certainly seen more.

Today’s game was a good Navy victory. The elements took SMU out of their game. That said, today I observed the most impressive moment by a visiting player of any I have observed in my 29 years of Navy football.

At the end of the game, all the SMU players got of the field very quickly except one. I really can’t blame the SMU players. I sit on the visiting team sideline behind their bench. Those guys were very cold, wet and miserable. All game long, most were hopping up and down trying to stay warm. I am sure that when the game ended and they shook hands, their thoughts were all about getting to the locker room, into the showers under hot water. All except one, player … Blake McJunkin, #63, a freshman offensive lineman. I don’t know if he played a down.

As I stood, at attention singing “Navy Blue and Gold”, I could not help but to notice a lone SMU player standing at attention in the endzone. There was Blake, standing at attention, through the entire singing of the song. At the end of the song, he relaxed, took a look at the entire stadium, a final look at the Navy Team; then ran into his locker room.

What an amazing moment. As a parent of a Navy Midshipman, I pray that my son’s service means something to someone. Today, I saw that it did, in the simple, honorable actions of a young man from Texas.

I plan to write Blake, his coach, and the SMU President. It was an impressive moment.