CFA

Airborne1

Airborne1

10-Year Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2012
Messages
35
I'm going into my senior year... I'm going to be playing football in the fall, when should I be taking my CFA? Summer or Winter after football? also, when is the latest I could take the CFA? any benefit to taking it earlier?
 
You should take your CFA when you are fully prepared for it. That might be in the fall, it might be in the winter, it might be right now. Train towards the specific events so that you can max as much as you can. The benefit to taking it early is getting it over and done with, and having that portion of your file to complete. It is better to have it done now and not having to worry about it, than put it off and rush to get it done.
 
This is very helpful, thanks USMATx2017. Is my football coach eligible to administer the CFA?
 
Do it this summer and coaches aren't authorized to give the CFA. Would have to be a PE Teacher.

Main reason to do it this summer - are you going to get injured this fall playing football? Chances are you don't know the answer to that question. Every year someone tears an ACL and has to have surgery. By the time ey recover, it's too late for the CFA which has to be complete prior to the File Completion Deadline at the end of February.
 
I believe your football coach would be okay. I did mine for USNA and my baseball coach was able to administer it with no problems. A word of warning here though.

I too played football for my high school, 4 year starting quarterback. Fourth game of my senior season I broke my collarbone. I got it cleared at the end of November, but I actually took my CFA a few days before that. While the injury didn't hurt me much there, it hindered my training for it ten fold. I'm not sure when the USMA deadline for applications is, but remember that you have up until then not only to take it, but retake it if necessary.

Basically, what I'm saying is make sure you are 100% ready for it so you can get the best possible score.
 
845something said:
Do it this summer and coaches aren't authorized to give the CFA. Would have to be a PE Teacher.

Main reason to do it this summer - are you going to get injured this fall playing football? Chances are you don't know the answer to that question. Every year someone tears an ACL and has to have surgery. By the time ey recover, it's too late for the CFA which has to be complete prior to the File Completion Deadline at the end of February.
Click to expand...

You beat me to my post. Sorry, I wasn't trying to show you up! :wink:
 
Unless they are certified PE teachers, coaches cannot administer the CFA. I ran into this issue.
 
I feel the easiest way to do it would be to ask your MALO or FFR (assuming they are military) to administer it. This is in accordance with the guidelines that it be administered by an officer or NCO.

If I were in your position, I would absolutely try to get the CFA done before your sports season begins. Like has been said here, injuries do occur and they may prevent you from performing your best or, in the worst case scenario, at all.
 
Sooner is better, but you have to be ready enough to pass all the events. Failing any event out of six events will result in "failed." CFA is not a multiple choice test, so you can't guess and get lucky.

Not to scare anyone, but a candidate needs his or her Regional Commander's permission to retest. What's the reason for failure first time?

Share some CFA stories

one candidate was allowed to retake CFA again to improve his scores as he took it early enough

another candidate was not allowed to retake CFA again to improve his scores as hs took it about a month before the deadline

one candidate took the CFA on the day of deadline and failed. Coulnd't retake it.
 
Yes. I took my CFA the first time and was doing great on all of the events except the mile run (I had to bulk up for football season - linebacker - as per ordered by coaches, ergo my mile time suffered. You might have this issue - it's not worth it). So I failed my mile time and since I took it early enough, I was issued a retake (or perhaps there were other factors involved).

Regardless, the earlier the better.
 
Have you done some practice CFA's? Until you know where you are at you won't be able to answer the "when should I take it for score" question.

It's not hard, does not require special equipment other than a stopwatch of some form and a track or gym.

Get a parent, buddy, or coach to help.

If your baseline is strong it might be to your advantage to do it early. If not it's more of a judgement call. But either way you should be doing practice CFA's as it will be very different from your individual capabilities!

What's strong? based on multiple inputs: Maxed several of the CFA requirments, including key items like situps and pushups AND at least halfway between average and max on the ones that you did not max.

Others can and should comment, but that's the read I have received.
 
From my own personal experience, I would take the CFA before the football season.

Like you, I wanted to wait until after the season with the hope that I would be in great shape and therefore do extremely well on the CFA.

Unfortunately, I twisted my ankle around Thanksgiving right before the playoffs, and I had to walk around in a protective boot outside of practice. After the State Championship, I was forced to rest so it could heal properly. By the time it was 100%, it was the end of January, and I was out of shape and in no position to retake the CFA.

Bottom line, take the CFA before football starts. The risk of injury is high in the sport and you will be in a tough situation if at the end of the season you are injured and you still havent take the CFA...
 
Will I pass?

BB throw: 84'
shuttle: 8.5
pull ups: 4
pushups: 50
Sit-ups: 77
mile: 8:00
 
I have also bulked up for football in off-season training. We won our state championship and after that I gained 20 lbs. in 6 months. While this is really good for football (coaches like it and Army is now recruiting me), it has hurt my running time. Will I pass the CFA with the following scores?

BB throw: 84'
shuttle: 8.5
pull-ups: 4
pushups: 50
sit-ups: 77
mile: 8:00
 
I can't really say if you'd pass or not -- I leave that to more experienced forum members -- but I will say congrats on your state championship and potential Army recruiting!
 
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