Recruited for sports

nsbUSNA

5-Year Member
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Oct 23, 2013
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It seems that a lot of the people I know who have gone to/are looking at SAs have been or are being recruited for sports. How much of each incoming class is made up of recruited athletes? How harmful is it if I am not recruited for sports?
 
Looking at the class of 2017 profile, 90% of the class plays varsity sports. That doesn't mean they were recruited for sports, but being a SA, I would imagine a good percentage have been. My daughter has been recruited for rowing.

(Just my thinking) all the SA are very physical fitness oriented. It makes sense therefore that the varsity teams are intense. Also, in camparison to other D1 schools, the # of students is low - heck we have high schools bigger than most SA here in MO. My point is to "cover" all the sports teams, most students are playing a sport.

Frankly, I think you should take it as a compliment being awarded an appointment to a SA without sports. My daughter's test scores were fine, but not great - rowing got her over this bump.
 
I believe approximately 25% of the Brigade in whole participates in varsity athletics at Annapolis.
 
First we need to define "recruited."

My opinion, "recruited" means either going to the prep school first or using one of Supe's nomination to get an appointment. Of course there are varsity athletes that will win appointments on their own merit.

So I think around 100 to 150 "recruited" athletes. My understanding is that each varsity sports, on their importance, get so many slots, so with rough estimates on the number of varsity sports, and number of likely freshmen class (i.e. women's lacrosse team carries between 30 to 40, which means at max 10 per year to keep the roster full. But counting on walk on's and own merit, women's lacrosse might be able to live with 5 supe's appointments).
 
I believe an athlete is considered to be a "recruited athlete" by the NCAA when he or she is extended an offer to take an "official visit" to the college by a varsity coach. Letters of interest sent to an athlete by a coach and even phone calls to an athlete showing interest do not make that athlete a "recruited athlete". Athletes are allowed to go on a maximum of 5 official visits in their senior year. If 25% of the Brigade participates in varsity sports at Annapolis, somewhat less then 25% were actual "recruited athletes" given the various varsity sports at Annapolis with rosters made up primarily of walk on athletes. Sports such as Sprint football for example. Sports such as Football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse and even swimming and water polo have rosters made up primarily of official recruited athletes. I would estimate 15 to 20% of each incoming class at the Naval Academy is made up of recruited athletes.
 
River 3434's definition of a "recruited athlete" is partially correct. The following is the NCAA's definition of a "recruited athlete."

A prospect is considered a recruited athlete if the college takes one of the following actions:

•If they provide the prospect with an official visit.
•If they have an off-campus contact with the prospect or the prospect’s parents or legal guardians.
•If they offer the prospect a National Letter of Intent or an athletic scholarship agreement.
•If they initiate a telephone conversation with the prospect or his parents or legal guardians more than one time.

Hope this is helpful.
 
JJBsDad thanks for the clarification on the recruited athlete definition. Good information. I would be interested to know if recruited athletes actually sign a "national letter of intent" for the USNA. Civilian colleges do this but I do not know if a recruited athlete at Navy actually signs. The process is somewhat different at the service academies as athletic scholarships are not actually offered.

I do know that like civilian colleges USNA extends "official visits" to prospect athletes and these visits are paid for by Academy when an athlete visits. It is also my understanding that at USNA a "blue chip" recruited athlete will get points added to their whole person score. The majority of recruited athletes are not classified as "blue chip athletes" however. I assume each sport gets a quota of how many prospect athletes can be admitted under the "blue chip" designation.

Non blue chip recruited athletes receive assistance with admissions as admissions is aware when a candidate is classed as a "recruited athlete". This undoubtedly weighs in their favor when their admission packet is reviewed for an appointment. Non Blue chip recruits however do not get points added to their whole person score.
 
USNA and other SA do not do the letter of intent (although my daughter's HS is posing her in the picture on signing day as signing a letter) since she was recruited athletically.

someone said something about the amount of recruits per team - this is also correct - Victoria was one of 6 for women's rowing.
 
Recruiting Trips

My son is currently being recruited by the track coach at USNA. He is a junior in HS and the coach told him that the Academy will fly him to Annapolis in the Fall of 2014 for a recruiting trip. So, its my understanding that USNA provides recruiting trips for their prospective student/athletes.
 
My son is being actively being recruited by both the USAFA and USNA for water polo. Both academies flew him out for an official visit.

He has a LOA for the Navy. And was blue chipped for Air Force. He's received nominations to both.

I just wish he'd receive the official letter of appointment in the mail... and his other civilian universities acceptance so he could make some decisions!
 
The great thing about being recruited and playing at a service academy is that your "scholarship" is not contingent on playing the sport like it is at other universities. You can be recruited - show up for I-Day - get sworn in and decide, "Nah, I don't think I really want to play basketball, after all." There's nothing they can do about it.

Also, sometimes the sports career does not pan out like the athlete expects. They do not end up being the contributor they (or the coach) expected. They may lose their position to an underclassman. They do not end up as a starter. They lose their passion for the sport. They start thinking, "Why am I subjecting myself to time consuming practices just to watch everybody else play?" You can quit the sport with no repercussions. Try that at the University of Alabama.
 
^ that's what I'll talking about! There is a lot to discuss civilian college vs academies and sports!
 
Blue Chip Recruit

My son spoke to a USNA track coach tonight. The coach told him that he is a "blue chip recruit." What does that exactly mean?
 
If he is designated a Blue Chip recruit he will get points added to his whole person score to give him a significant advantage over other candidates to receive an appointment. Basically, your son is in a really great position. Congrats!
 
River and Memphis: Thanks for your responses re: blue chip recruits. I appreciate it.
 
He will have no problem with the basketball throw on the CFA!!
:yllol:
 
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