Sports a USMMA

My son's primary sport is swimming, and he also loves cross country. He had decided not to compete in college, as he's known several kids who have gone on swimming scholarships to traditional colleges, and not done well, as they couldn't handle the stresses of long practices, competition, ( but they also were not very good students, while son is). What is it like being a member of a sports team at USMMA? I know he would enjoy continuing swimming and the carmraderie of being on the team, but it sounds like he will have quite a bit on his plate already!

Sscott, congrats and I sent you a private message.

DS does cross country and track. The major advantage for him as a plebe was the ability to get off campus and be "the team" rather than 1/C, 2/C, 3/C and Plebe. It's a relief from the regimental routine. Now, as a 1/C, he's tried to pay it forward for the plebes. Yes, there are a lot of practices and time on the road; we won't see DS for spring break since he will be training for the outdoor track season. You do need to develop good time management skills; DS is on the road most weekends.

One advantage with Division III sports is that the students who are participating are there because they love the sport and the competition. They don't have scholarships and, unlike Division I athletes, aren't "owned" by the team. (We have a niece who played Division I soccer - only now that she is into her last semester of college does she have what most people would consider a "normal" college life.)

Let me echo and expand on everything already said here by kdbax. In addition to that speaking from very dated first hand experience, the friendships I made with teammates thirty years ago are still my closest and in addition I'm pretty sure particpating in sports at USMMA are what kept me sane especially at those times that were roughest for me (we all have them an they are different for everyone).

More recently I saw my own son, a very recent grad, also found some respite from the routine and sanity builders in sports at USMMA. Finally just last year one coach told m he was compiling data that indicated most mids actually did better academically when their sport was in season, than when it was not.

That said, time management is indeed tough at USMMA and Plebe Year has a lot of many things but sleep and free time are not two of those things in abundance.

Congrats and good luck to your son, strap in, make sure the seat bar is in position and locked before he reports and enjoy the ride!

Some of my best memories of KP are from Team Movements. Especially as a plebe it affords not just the time away from campus and the regiment that you wouldn't otherwise get, but the extra hours of sleep in the van. If you dare fall asleep amongst a bunch of 18-22 year olds that is.

KPEngineer said:

Some of my best memories of KP are from Team Movements. Especially as a plebe it affords not just the time away from campus and the regiment that you wouldn't otherwise get, but the extra hours of sleep in the van. If you dare fall asleep amongst a bunch of 18-22 year olds that is.

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I played rugby and enjoyed the two season aspect of the sport and the "authorized" post game team movements. . . . although the "team" had club status. Things worked better that way.

I would mention to ANY Plebe (or upperclassman for that matter) to get involved in a team or a club. You are right. Team movements can be a great break from the routine, and they can often be organized via clubs, or at least we were able back in the day. Fine Arts Club team movements to concerts in Manhattan, Outdoorsman Club team movements to the Delaware River, complete with vans and gas and others.

I have also heard of some upperclassmen getting on Team Movement rosters and using that time away from school for other purposes. . . . . Not that I would know of course. . .

Excellent point cmakin, it doesn't have to be a sport. Anything that gets you out of the zoo for a few hours is a good thing.

We ... I mean They ... had "Parks and Recreation Committee" Team Movements to KP Park on the weekends.

cmakin said:

I played rugby and enjoyed the two season aspect of the sport and the "authorized" post game team movements. . . . although the "team" had club status. Things worked better that way.

I would mention to ANY Plebe (or upperclassman for that matter) to get involved in a team or a club. You are right. Team movements can be a great break from the routine, and they can often be organized via clubs, or at least we were able back in the day. Fine Arts Club team movements to concerts in Manhattan, Outdoorsman Club team movements to the Delaware River, complete with vans and gas and others.

I have also heard of some upperclassmen getting on Team Movement rosters and using that time away from school for other purposes. . . . . Not that I would know of course. . .

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I agree with the above statements. I was on the baseball team for 4 years but broke my elbow 3rd class year. I volunteered to be statistician that year just so I could get on the TM's and get away!