Norfolk Academy football team wins on Military Appreciation Night
NORFOLK, Va. — Remnants of a hurricane couldn’t stop Norfolk Academy (NA) from paying tribute to military service members and veterans during the school’s fifth annual Military Appreciation Night.
The night provides a way for the Norfolk Academy Military Appreciation Club (NAMAC) to highlight and thank current and former service members. Earlier in the week members of the club personally present t-shirts and thank you notes to the many veterans who serve on the faculty and staff at the academy.
Approaching Hurricane Ian disrupted the planning for this year’s ceremonies, as the varsity football game that activities are centered around was moved up one day. Still, on a windy Thursday, September 29, the celebration began just before the game against Fork Union Military Academy, with students involved in NAMAC inviting current and former service members onto the field at Wynne-Darden Stadium to present the American flag. The flag measured about 20 yards long and dozens of service members joined in to assist as it extended near midfield. Not an easy task as the wind whistled, but the group managed a perfect formation.
After securing the flag, the national anthem played. Then, Bob Needham was called onto the field for the coin toss. Needham, a retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander and has worked at NA since 1984. He taught physical education and coached multiple sports for more than three decades and now assists in the athletics department.
At halftime, faculty and staff who served our nation were honored, along with varsity football and cheerleading family members currently serving or who have served in our country’s military. In all, almost four dozen names were read aloud as the “Armed Forces Medley” played and the large crowd roared.
As the game ended, with Norfolk Academy winning 32-6, one final salute over the loudspeakers: “Thank you to all the women and men serving our nation around the world.”
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