MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Virginia -- MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Virginia – Approximately 30 members of St. Louis University’s (SLU) Men’s Basketball Team and staff attended a lecture about Marine Corps virtues at the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC) in Triangle, Virginia, Jan. 11, 2018.
Paul Kalsbeek, the acting chairman of the board of directors for The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (MCHF) and member of the board of directors for SLU, influenced the team to come visit the museum to learn about Marine Corps values and how it translates to their lives on and off the court.
“We are pleased to have the men's basketball team from St. Louis University come visit,” said Jennifer M. Vanderveld, the Vice President of Marketing and Development for MCHF. “We hope they will gain an appreciation for our nation's history as seen through the eyes of Marines.”
The MCHF’s mission is to conserve and promote Marine Corps history, tradition, culture and educate all Americans in its virtues. Further, it affords guidance, direction and monetary supervision to support and expand programs of the NMMC and beyond its walls.
“The goal is to not only give them an understanding of what Marines do, but also to benefit them in their athletic endeavor’s – make them a better team and a better unit,” said Capt. Edward Pinnell, an officer selection officer with Officer Selection Station St. Louis and former student athlete from SLU.
Major Ryan B. Cohen, a command and staff student at Marine Corps University aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, delivered a speech about honor, courage and commitment and how those core values can be used by everyone to benefit their lives.
“I admire and respect the challenges you accept everyday as students, athletes, leaders and role models within a community,” said Cohen. “The reason I admire it is because you do it with honor; you do it with courage; and you do it with commitment; and you don’t even know it yet.”
Cohen, a Silver Star recipient, emphasized that the “every-day fight” to and from class, the gym, games and homework, they continue to persevere. He respects this persistence because he understands that their drive to succeed is not done strictly for themselves, but for their fellow teammates sitting “to their left and right,” as he pointed to the athletes who listened intently. He said they’re not so different from the Marines in that aspect.
Several members of the team noted that they took a lot away from Cohen’s lecture, particularly his points on teamwork and being a part of something bigger than themselves.
Travis Ford, the head basketball coach for SLU said he believes that both his team and staff were given a great opportunity and will be forever changed by it.
“We wanted our players to experience the museum and learn what the Marine Corps is all about,” said Ford. “You hear about it; you read about it; but coming here and listening to Marines like Major Cohen speak, it becomes real. I think this is something that will stay with these guys forever. This is a real life-changing experience and really puts it all into perspective.”