Midshipman Athletes

[Phantom Hawk]

Hey, I was wonderin if any Alumni could tell me how much different life at the Academy is for athletes. Im tryin to play baseball there, in fact athletics is probably my best chance to get in. Any replies would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[smittyrunr]

It helps, SOME, especially plebe year. But everything is a trade off. It's nice to have a locker room you can get away from the company in, (to go sleep in). It's nice to be able to go to practice Saturday morning and not participate in training. It's great to get away from Annapolis, compete in what you love doing, and see how people at 'normal' colleges live. The downsides: You are away from your company so much you have to work twice as hard to look involved and get the good performance grades/not earn the scorn of your company mates for missing out on training. Also, you really do have to spend a lot of time with the team- time you may really need to spend studying, especially plebe year.
I ran cross country my plebe year, really enjoyed it, but quit after that to spend more time on things like grades. We have team tables sometimes then, not sure if they still do that. Good luck with the application, feel free to ask if any more ?s

 

[Phantom Hawk]

Hey Smitty, thanks for the info. Im hopin to play baseball there if all goes well. That was another question I had, if the whole baseball thing doesnt go well it is still possible to stay at the Academy? Thanks for the reply

 

[smittyrunr]

Yup, if you get hurt, don't make the team, find another sport, or otherwise don't play any longer, you absolutely can/will stay. You're accepted as a midshipman and future officer 1st, ball player second.

 

[LoneSailor]

Isn't it a requirement to pick a sport or some kind of extracurricular activity at the academy?

 

[smittyrunr]

Yes, you have to play some sport each season (fall, winter, spring). Either varsity, club, or intramural. Or Drum and Bugle Corps, not really a sport, but it counts anyway.

 

[Phantom Hawk]

hey thanks smittyrunr, i see you fly E/2 C's. My dad used to fly them too in VAW-123. Just wonderin if youve ever been there too.

 

[usunkmybship]

What is the difference between club and intramural?

 

[Phantom Hawk]

I would think intramural is more into sports whereas a club can be a non athletic activity.

 

[smittyrunr]

Club sports are between varsity and intramural. Club sports compete against other schools, but don't have the funding varsity sports have. Intramurals are like any other college intramural, you compete within the school. It's company vs company for color points and bragging rights.
Basically, Club sports get enough money for travel, and you pay for everything else, or the other way around. Club sports, at least as of '02 are NOT drill exempt, which if you go to USNA you will learn more about, but for now that means on two days a week when there is parade practice you have to go and either do not practice your sport or have to do so on your own time later. As a club sport you may be competing against a team that is considered varsity at another school, or it may just be a group who is doing this for fun. I had a great time with the 2 club teams I competed with. Most people have some background in the club sport they want to play, but I didn't know what a rugby ball looked like when I went out for that club team. Most of the club athletes played their particular sport in high school and either USNA doesn't have a team or they really aren't at the D-1 level to play it. See the website, and you can get a list of all club teams. Don't see your sport? Find enough people and start a club.

Phantom- still in training, haven't been outside of Texas yet. There are plently of clubs outside of sports, but they don't count for the requirement to play a sport every season.

 

[NAPSmom05]

Hi Smitty:
Thanks for your informative post. My daughter will be attending NAPS this year and I was wondering if they get hurt there if they can still be accepted to the academy. It wouldn't make sense if, say, a football player at NAPS blew out a knee and then was ineligible for the Academy. I mean, why play then? Hope this makes sense. Thanks.
Naps05mom

 

[smittyrunr]

I didn't go to NAPS, so I'm not totally sure, but as far as I know as long as the injury doesn't automatically disqualify you from service you will still go to USNA. Unless it's changed, my impression of NAPS has always been that unless you resign, don't pass your classes, or commit a felony you already have a place in next year's plebe class. This applies to recruited athletes as well- if they get hurt and can't play their sport any longer, they have still been accepted and if they still want to go to the Academy and earn a commission, there is no reason they can't. Since everyone's education is paid for, it's not like a civilian school where you would lose your scolarship if you can't play.
Now if, for example, you blow out your knee 2 weeks before I-Day you obviously can't participate in plebe summer and I assume they would just roll you back to next year's class unless it was an injury they don't think you would recover from.
Hope this answers your question. If not, feel free to PM. Good luck to your daughter at NAPS and USNA.

 

[xof]

Further word on sports

Although it's a requirement for everyone to be involved in a 'sport', keep in mind that some sports entail much less time and commitment. Intramural half-marathon team, for instance, was scheduled for three races last semester, but two of them got rained out. (and did I mention no practices?) Offshore sailing is out on the water from the end of school until after sunset pretty much every day. Most everything else falls in between. So, pick your poison.

 

[usunkmybship]

I'm not in a sport here at NAPS but we all have to participate in intramurals which are fun. Sport practices take a lot of time and committment but those who play love what they do and that's why they're here. We have lots of sports and now we can sign up for scuba and surfing lessons.

 

[flyboy85]

Club Sports

Does anyone know if the coaches of the various club teams recruit candidates for the Academy? Do they have any influence with the Admissions Board to get candidates appointed like the varsity teams?