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To
me, the greatest thing about coaching is the relationship that you
get to enjoy with the players. Most of the guys can tell you how
much fun we have had on the sidelines with both the basketball and
football teams. Two years ago when the Railers went to the state
playoffs, when I got off work and went to practice every day, the
first player I sought out was Preston. He would give me a quick
summary of how the first half hour had gone. It didn’t take long
for our friendship to develop a solid bond.
Last
week, former Lincoln resident Gary Klockenga and I spent two days
with Preston, who is now a sophomore midshipman cadet at the
Merchant Marine Academy in King’s Point, N.Y. Preston was in
charge of the Presentation of the Colors during the daily parade
march before classes began. As the cadets assembled and marched to
their spots, the band began playing our national anthem and Carnahan’s
crew hoisted the flag up the pole. Later, while he was on his 4 to 8
a.m. watch, he gave us a tour of the ship that they perform their
drills on.
[Cadet Midshipmen march to class in the
"yard".]
If
you could see Preston representing the city of Lincoln, his family
and Lincoln students, I think you would be as proud of him as I am.
He may not be getting the headlines that his former teammate Brian
Cook is getting, but he’s making as big an impact a thousand miles
away. This week the LDN goes inside the life of Preston Carnahan. .
.
Q:
Preston, let’s start by having you describe an average day here at
the Merchant Marine Academy.
A:
Reveille is at 6:30, so I have to be up and out by 6:45. I have
color guard practice at 7:00 which lasts until we present the colors
at the daily morning parade at 7:40. As you saw, it is there that I
either help raise the flag or I oversee that it is done properly.
Classes start at 8:00 and they run until 11:20. Our lunch break
lasts from 11:20 until 12:30. Our afternoon classes start up again
at 12:30 and I’m done at 2:40. I then like to get a good workout
in, which includes weightlifting and running. Actually, I’m glad I’m
able to run. I’ve been injured, but I’m doing better now. We
then have dinner, followed by several hours of homework. That’s
probably the most important thing of my day. I’m usually in bed
between 11:30 and 12:00. I always want to go to bed earlier...it
just never happens! Everyone else seems to stay up later, which
makes it harder to get to bed earlier.
[Preston Carnahan chats with LDN Sports Editor Jeff
Mayfield while giving a tour of a merchant marine academy ship in
Kings Point, NY.]
Q:
How many cadets are there?
A:
There are 900 students enrolled here; 700 of them are here on campus
and 200 of them are always at sea; 92 percent of the cadets are men
and 8 percent are women. The female population has been increasing
slightly over the last two years by a percentage point or two.
(To
top of second column)
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Q:
Tell us about the classes that you’re taking, as they probably
differ from the ones that most college students from Lincoln are
taking.
A:
A lot of the classes I’m taking are directly applicable to the
duties that I will soon be responsible for...sailing on a merchant
vessel. I’m taking terrestrial navigation, which is navigation by
buoys, lighthouses and landmarks. That class has taught me how to
get bearings from the ship. I’ve taken celestial navigation, which
is navigation using the stars, taking asmus using a sextant. This
class is very applicable in case any of your electronic devices fail
or you don’t have any land masses to navigate by. I don’t take
any classes that I really don’t need. Right now I’m taking a
class called SOLAS: safety of life at sea. It is required before you
go out to sea. It teaches you how to use life rafts and life vests
and what to do when you have to abandon ship or in case there’s a
fire. I’m taking a class that I’m sure most college students don’t
take and that is firefighting. In fact, I’ve got firefighting
school coming up before I go out to sea.
Q:
Preston you’ve been here for more than a year now what are the
highlights so far?
A:
I would have to say...when we go into the city with the color guard
to present the colors at a variety of different events. We get to
represent our school and we get lots of compliments for serving our
country. We performed at Shea stadium for the Mets opening day
festivities. We’ve gone on the Enterprise, which is a retired Air
Force carrier, where we met the French ambassador to the United
States. I’ve met senators and congressmen and other VIPs who like
to help out in any way they can.
[Merchant Marine Academy sailboats.]
Q:
How many of your classmates are from Illinois or from the Midwest?
A:
About 15 or 20. There’s just not too many from our part of the
country. Those that are, are from the Chicago area.
Q:
You didn’t know all that much about the academy before you came
out here. So, how would you rate your experience here? Has it been
everything you thought it would be and more...everything you thought
it would be and less...or exactly what you thought it would be?
A:
In the regimental part, it hasn’t been what I thought it would be.
I thought it would be much more ‘military’ than it is. I thought
the academics would be a little easier than it actually is.
Physically the standards are easier than I expected. In the
classroom I’m putting in twice the time that I thought I would be
spending there. BUT, it’s definitely been everything that I’ve
wanted it to be! It hasn’t let me down so far.
[Jeff
Mayfield]
(Note:
This interview will continue with postings on Friday and Saturday.)
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