RUMSON – Kevin M. Alter, a lifelong resident who led Rumson-Fair Haven High School to its first Shore Conference Tournament Final in 2011, graduated from the Naval Academy on May 22. Alter, 21, is now a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
Better known as “Pookie,” Alter was captain of the Naval Academy Basketball team during his senior year. He appeared in 80 games during his four years on the team, hitting 43 career three-pointers; despite being the shortest player in the country (5’6”), at the Division I level. Among others, Alter received the team’s Rear Admiral Ronald Marryott Award, bestowed upon the player who demonstrates a commitment to character, leadership and his teammates.
Alter also received the Charles DiBona Prize, which recognizes the graduating midshipman who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the study of international economics.
He was selected as one of only ten college students in the nation out of 158 nominees to the 2015 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Allstate Good Works Team, which recognizes a distinguished group of scholar-athletes who have demonstrated a strong, ongoing commitment to community service. The recognition sent him to the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament in Indianapolis with a guest – his older brother Matthew, a RFH soccer player.
Locally, the Alter brothers run an annual stickball tournament to support various causes. This year’s event, scheduled for June 13, will host over a dozen teams to benefit Homes for Our Troops, which helps build adapted homes for veterans with life-altering injuries.
Kevin’s RFH basketball coach Chris Champeau, who traveled to Annapolis to witness Alter’s Naval Academy graduation, said, “In my eyes, it’s loyalty and integrity that sets Kevin apart. I’ve never met anyone with more grit. He’s got a fire inside to always work harder than anyone else. I never had a son, but if I did, I would like him to be like Pookie.”
“He’s got the heart of a lion,” said Navy Head Coach Ed DeChellis, who noted that Alter’s selection as captain was unanimous among players. “Any time there’s an issue, any time anybody’s got a question, they go to Kevin Alter. When I needed something done with the team, I go to Kevin Alter. There’s nobody I respect more. He has that magnetism that draws everybody towards him. That’s the kind of person he is.”
Kevin works with many charities and has already received more awards than most achieve in a lifetime. “Anytime you get a chance to work with the Special Olympics, it’s always an honor,” Alter said. “These kids really care about the game. It doesn’t matter what they are going through, they always know that the game of basketball can take them away from some of their everyday struggles.”
Among those joining Alter on graduation day were his grandfather, William Alter, a longtime Rumson resident who graduated from the academy in 1954 and was a member of its Board of Directors.
“The big thing for me is the fantastic poem ‘Invictus’ by William Ernest Henley that helped me get through a lot,” Alter said. “It’s about controlling the controllable. I can control my attitude and my effort. Life is 10 percent what happens and 90 percent your reaction to it.” He will head to Basic School at Quantico, Virginia, in June for seven months of training.
Those who followed Alter’s high school basketball career still talk about his proficiency as a clutch player, making big shots and key plays late in the game, including a three-pointer with a minute left and his team up one in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals during R-FH’s 2011 postseason run. In the tournament final, Alter scored 24 of his team’s 35 points. He was named first-team all-conference and all-state,
“I have to bring it every day and play as hard as I can every second I’m out there,” Alter said. “There are no days I can afford to take off just because of my size. I think it’s really been a blessing for me.” He credits his parents, John and Janet Alter, his coaches, friends and large extended family for the role their support has played in his successes.
“They all had a huge influence on how I try to carry myself and hold myself accountable,” he said. “My high school coach made a huge influence on my career and my life and why I came to Annapolis. He always preached honesty, accountability, and hard work.”
