For Anyone Considering Varsity Athletics At USNA

LWS95

5-Year Member
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Jan 24, 2013
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I am a current plebe on a varsity sports team. If anyone has any question pertaining to Navy varsity athletics I'm here to answer them.
 
First off, thank you for taking the time to answer these questions.

How much does a varsity sport interfere with plebe summer? I've heard that most athletes become exempt from certain duties such as the pro-knowledge tests and such. What's the validity of that?
 
My first question is what sport do you play? I plan on swimming for Navy in the fall and love the atmosphere of Bancroft and the guys on the team. First off, is it a good thing to have these preconceived connections to upperclassmen? Does every mid, whether NARP or athlete, do the same military drilling all four years or are there exemptions that athletes have over NARPs? I understand no matter what all midshipmen participate in PT unless of course you are in a varsity sport. However, can varsity athletes participate in say, the parachute team or SCUBA? Also during my official visit to Navy back during the Navy v. Delaware game, many plebe swimmers were in the stands watching the brigade march upon the field. Shouldn't they have been on the field as well performing the march? Perhaps I am asking too much but I still might have some other questions. If I am incorrect in any way please point that out. I don't want to seem arrogant in any way.
 
Baseball

Thank you for the opportunity to ask questions.

My son is very interested in playing Navy baseball. He participated very succesfully the past two years at the Navy basbeall camps and some major tournaments and does have offers from some JUCOs, D2s & D3s and, most recently, some interesting conversations with a very good D1 about his pitching but no offer, yet.

IF he is appointed what can you tell me about walk-on opportunities in regard to the baseball team? Number of current walk-ons?, etc. I think it will be tough since the team has 10 new pitchers alone in their 2014 freshman class.....

Regardless, my son has no questions about wanting to attend the USNA even if a D1 offer from another school came. His dream is to serve as an officer and, hopefully, earn his wings as a fighter pilot.

Thanks again.
 
Varsity D1 Football and Sprint Football

I have a similar question as Muffin Man except regarding football. My son barely played his senior year because of politics so tape is limited to mostly special teams on him. If he doesn't make the D1 team would he still be able to try out for the Sprint team? He has filled out the form on the Navy Sport site but has not received any calls from the coaches. Should he contact the coach regarding his interest? Also can you play more then one sport. My son also wrestles and is interested in that also? Thank you for your time.
 
What wrestling style do they practice at USNA?
Is it free style,greco-roman or both?
 
First off, thank you for taking the time to answer these questions.

How much does a varsity sport interfere with plebe summer? I've heard that most athletes become exempt from certain duties such as the pro-knowledge tests and such. What's the validity of that?

It does not interfere with plebe summer at all. Once the academic year starts, NCAA regulations can mean that you don't participate in morning workouts/PT kind of things (but you still have to be there so don't think you can sleep in), and if you can't practice for parades you're not marching in them (in season). But academic/professional knowledge type stuff? You will still have the full plebe-year obligations.
 
How do offensive lineman who are 250 pounds pass fitness test ?

They can get a waiver to ride the stationary bike instead of doing the run component while their football career is ongoing. However, they've finished their last football season (eg December first-class year) they will need to pass the PRT with run prior to graduation (and often have to drop a lot of weight to do that).
 
To clear a few things up regarding Plebe Summer... Only Falls sports will have impact upon Plebe Summer. Football tends to miss more than the others. Soccer players, water polo, volleyball and the others do miss parts of the Plebe Summer, but it is very little. It is like the week prior to Parents Weekend. At least during my summer, they missed parts of Parents Weekend too for practice. So as you can see, just like all varsity sports its a trade off. During the academic year plebes who are varsity athletes still have to pass all professional knowledge tests, have come arounds, etc. Sometimes schedules don't match up, but its part of time management to schedule these things and complete the requirements.

Just because Navy doesn't have traditional athletic scholarships, doesn't make them any easier to walk on to. Yes most teams will hold a "try out," but to be honest don't get your hopes up. Some teams like sprint football, crew, etc are easier. That is simply because sprint football doesn't really exist in high school and crew is such a small sport at the high school level. Also remember Navy brings in full recruiting classes from NAPS and direct each year. So at football try outs there could be 60+ plebes. Baseball could have 20+, basketball 10+ players. Varsity sports are hard, time consuming, physically demanding. They are a blast and worth it, if its something you truly want to do.

The football team determines based upon height and weight, position, etc who runs or rides the bike. Each player knows. If they do not pass the PRT prior to the start of camp, no practice. A few years ago one of their starters missed the Ireland trip because he didn't pass the PRT. They all do pass the test before graduation. Its amazing to watch some of these guys go from 280+ to 225 in a matter of months. The team doesn't abandon them to do this on their own, but helps they slim down and builds a cardio plan. My next door neighbor passed his PRT the week of commissioning. He worked so hard. our entire company was out there cheering him on. He went from 295 to 220 in 4 months.
 
Is there enough food to accommodate heavy bulking cycles or do you need to complement your diet with outside food (whey, oats, etc.)? Just wondering because it didn't seem like you could get a ton of food unless it was a weekend buffet.
 
To clear a few things up regarding Plebe Summer... Only Falls sports will have impact upon Plebe Summer. Football tends to miss more than the others. Soccer players, water polo, volleyball and the others do miss parts of the Plebe Summer, but it is very little. It is like the week prior to Parents Weekend. At least during my summer, they missed parts of Parents Weekend too for practice. So as you can see, just like all varsity sports its a trade off. During the academic year plebes who are varsity athletes still have to pass all professional knowledge tests, have come arounds, etc. Sometimes schedules don't match up, but its part of time management to schedule these things and complete the requirements.

Just because Navy doesn't have traditional athletic scholarships, doesn't make them any easier to walk on to. Yes most teams will hold a "try out," but to be honest don't get your hopes up. Some teams like sprint football, crew, etc are easier. That is simply because sprint football doesn't really exist in high school and crew is such a small sport at the high school level. Also remember Navy brings in full recruiting classes from NAPS and direct each year. So at football try outs there could be 60+ plebes. Baseball could have 20+, basketball 10+ players. Varsity sports are hard, time consuming, physically demanding. They are a blast and worth it, if its something you truly want to do.

The football team determines based upon height and weight, position, etc who runs or rides the bike. Each player knows. If they do not pass the PRT prior to the start of camp, no practice. A few years ago one of their starters missed the Ireland trip because he didn't pass the PRT. They all do pass the test before graduation. Its amazing to watch some of these guys go from 280+ to 225 in a matter of months. The team doesn't abandon them to do this on their own, but helps they slim down and builds a cardio plan. My next door neighbor passed his PRT the week of commissioning. He worked so hard. our entire company was out there cheering him on. He went from 295 to 220 in 4 months.

Thank You Navy Hoops for your response. In general when do most walk-ons make the football team. I heard that during Plebe year it is difficult to make the D1 football team. What happens if you are cut is there a JV team like at Air Force? How about the later years, is it easier for walk-ons to make the team?
 
There is a JV team. If you look at the entire football roster for the program there are somewhere around 100 players or so. Only 60 or 65 dress for a game. On Senior Day they usually honor around 20-30 players. Probably only half are players that we have heard of regularly. Some of these guys will only dress for that game. It can make for a long 4 years and really challenge someone to think if they really want to play. Not trying to dash dreams, just put the reality out there. Not sure how they handle walk ons now, but when I was there it was essentially a 1/2 day try out during Plebe Summer. Not sure how it is done now. The coaches can cut you completely or leave you to be on the JV squad. It won't be easier to make the squad later. Yes, there is plenty of food. Team tables for the football squad get double rations. There is plenty of food, you will never starve. The things like supplements are monitored closely by the athletic trainers. They will tell you what supplements to take. In fact when I was there, when I was there all the supplements were provided to us by the trainers. Supplements bought off the shelf do not always match what is on the ingredients. The trainers ensure we can pass all drug tests by monitoring our supplements closely.
 
DS is a cross country/swimmer/track athlete. He is not D1 level and has thougtht about doing light weight crew at USNA. He was told by a parent who attended USMA that he would be ideal candidate for crew and this person rowed for Army. Any info on crew team? He is making contact with crew coach. thx
 
DS is a cross country/swimmer/track athlete. He is not D1 level and has thougtht about doing light weight crew at USNA. He was told by a parent who attended USMA that he would be ideal candidate for crew and this person rowed for Army. Any info on crew team? He is making contact with crew coach. thx

Where are you at? My DS was 2 years Varsity Cross Country and 4 years Varsity Crew. He is a heavy weight but might give you some insight to the sport. It is really a great sport to participate in.
 
We are in Central NY.

Here is a list of upcoming regattas within the state that you could ask questions

https://www.regattacentral.com/regattas/index.jsp?c=&s=NY&t=

As you are in snow country the first ones are indoor in the erg machine. If he could hook up with a local team and learn some proper erg technique it would really help him.

Here is a list of clubs and they have their location on the upper left hand corner on each box

https://www.regattacentral.com/clubs/

Please do not think that the crossfit folks using the ergs will know the proper techniques for the machine, they usually do not and will teach bad habits.

I am on the west coast or I could help a bit more :)
 
Where are you at? My DS was 2 years Varsity Cross Country and 4 years Varsity Crew. He is a heavy weight but might give you some insight to the sport. It is really a great sport to participate in.

Is your son at USNA now or are you talking high school sports? We wondered if anyone does 2 varsity sports at USNA? DD is Div 1 Rower in Boston and her coach wouldn't allow it.

DS is about to get 5 Varsity letters for HS this year (water polo, kayaking, canoe paddling, track, and volleyball) and he does triathlons on top of that. Rowing coach has been in contact with him as well as triathlon coach a while back (we know this is club, but he's doing a half-IRONMAN in May) but the water polo coach has never replied to DS' emails.
 
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