What Student-Athletes Can Learn from the Herndon Monument Climb

Subtitle: How One U.S. Naval Academy Tradition Reflects the Journey of Athletic Growth

Header Image Suggestion: A high-resolution image of midshipmen working together to climb a lard-covered monument during the Herndon Climb. Overlay text: “Climb Together. Rise Together.”

The Herndon Climb: More Than a Naval Tradition

The U.S. Naval Academy’s Herndon Monument Climb is a rite of passage that marks the end of a freshman’s plebe year. A 21-foot obelisk, slicked with 200 pounds of lard, stands as the final obstacle. It must be conquered not alone, but as a team.

On May 14, 2025, the Class of 2028 faced this challenge under heavy rain. They worked through exhaustion, slips, and chaos until one of them reached the top and replaced a white plebe cap with an upperclassman’s cover. The entire class cheered—not because one person succeeded, but because they all did.

Student-Athletes Face Their Own Monument

Every student-athlete has a version of this climb. It might not be greased stone, but it is pressure, expectations, self-doubt, and adversity. The same themes from the Herndon Climb apply directly to athletic development.

4 Lessons Student-Athletes Can Apply Today

1. You Will Not Succeed Alone

Athletes win games, earn scholarships, and build reputations through consistent support systems. Coaches, trainers, teammates, and families form the base of every successful athlete’s “climb.”

Reflect: Who helps you rise when you slip? Who can you lean on when you are fatigued?

2. Conditions Are Rarely Perfect

The Herndon Climb was soaked in rain. Student-athletes deal with sprains, slumps, and setbacks. Waiting for ideal circumstances will only delay your progress.

Tactic: Compete through the conditions. Adapt your mindset, not just your game.

3. Leadership Comes From the Middle of the Pack

No one assigns a team leader mid-climb. Someone simply steps up. Athletic teams are no different. Leaders are not always captains, they are the ones who speak up, lift others, and model accountability.

Challenge: Lead without a title. Show others how it is done before you are asked to.

4.Milestones Matter More Than Medals

Replacing the cap at the top of Herndon is symbolic. It is about what the moment represents: transformation. For athletes, milestones may include your first varsity start, a highlight reel viewed by a recruiter, or getting back in the game after injury.

Mindset: Celebrate the climb, not just the podium.

Game Plan Takeaways

• Use team-building exercises to sharpen collaboration and trust

• Normalize discomfort as part of every athlete’s growth journey

• Encourage peer-led leadership roles in practice and travel

• Document and celebrate key achievements, no matter the size

Final Thought

The Herndon Monument Climb reminds us that personal victories are built on collective effort. That greasy obstacle in Annapolis is not just a monument, it is a mirror for what every student-athlete faces. Keep climbing.

Ready to Build Your Climb Strategy?
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