athletics

[Just_A_Mom]

My daughter was pretty excited to get a very nice email from the track coach... she is planning on responding today. Anyone out there had any experience with athletic recruiting or contact with coaches?

 

[FatherOfFive]

I'm curious, how did the track coach find out about your daughter?

Was it from her application?

Is she ranked in her state?

Does this mean she is being recruited? If so, then in the words of my son - "this is huge".

I've profiled about 10 families who have a son at an academy and by far the one who had the easiest time getting in was the one who was recruited for athletics. Although his SAT scores exceeded the minimum standards, the rest of his application was simply a matter of submitting the paperwork as the road had "been paved" for him. As his mother told me, one of his Senators was 'told' to give him a nomination. His SAT/academics were lower than any candidate I had profiled - including a person who didn't get in.

-FoF

 

[villian]

Athletes

I've profiled about 10 families who have a son at an academy and by far the one who had the easiest time getting in was the one who was recruited for athletics. Although his SAT scores exceeded the minimum standards, the rest of his application was simply a matter of submitting the paperwork as the road had "been paved" for him. As his mother told me, one of his Senators was 'told' to give him a nomination. His SAT/academics were lower than any candidate I had profiled - including a person who didn't get in.

-FoF

From my experience as an alumni and the father of a recruited athlete at the Naval Academy, the fact that the candidate is a recruited athlete gives one a substantial "leg up" but does not guarantee an appointment. A "blue-chip" athlete may have somewhat lower academic credentials but still must have demonstrated the apptitude to complete the course of study at the Naval Academy. Athletes with lower academic credentials may be required to attend the Naval Academy Prep School first. The recruited athlete has an advocate (the coach) on the inside who personally presents the candidate's case to the admissions board. This advocate also helps to remove road blocks that pop-up during the application process. If the recruited athlete meets the academic requirements, a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) will likely be awarded in the fall prior to plebe summer. This LOA is a signal to the senator/congressman that the Naval Academy has reviewed the candidate's file and an appointment will be offered if the senator/congressman chooses to give the candidate a nomination.

I would strongly encourage all athletes to attend camps at the Naval Academy and/or contact the coach. Being a recruited athlete is a differentiator and helps the candidate standout from all the other over-achievers.

 

[Just_A_Mom]

During the online application process it asks you something like if you want to be recruited..... that takes you to an athlete questionairre.... she filled it out but it took a while... and the whole process timed out when she hit send so we didn't know if it really went or not. Apparantly it did get sent.
We are mostly wondering if "self-recruiting" works.....

She is not ranked in her state, she did make it to district competition. This actually was her first year in track and she had never a race (other than gym class) before this spring! Her times are in the middle of the pack for current Navy runners in her events. She played soccer for 11 years before giving it up for track and also plays field hockey. She has a DII school wanting her for field hockey..... that would be plan B.

She is well aware of the leg up that recruiting gives an applicant... a student from her high school was recruited last year and is a plebe this summer....

Academically, she is middle of the pack... her math SAT's are great, but her CR SAT's need work which we expected... she is taking the ACT's this fall.....

About NAPS.... that would be fabulous if they liked her enough to send her to NAPS for a year....she had a blast watching them and Army Prep run at the Penn Relays... her hs relay was faster!!

Thank you very much for your information.....