Swimming during BCT?

H2Opolodude

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
85
Will there be swimming during basic cadet training? If so, how will that work with students who wear glasses and cannot see without them?
I normally wear contacts in the pool... thanks!
 
No, no swimming unless you do it as an intramural (not 100% sure how that works, only a couple people did it from each basic flight). You take swimming and water survival during the school year (normally as a 3 dig)
 
I am a recruited swimmer and the coach told me that we get to swim about 8-10 times throughout basic.
Not sure on glasses/contacts question because I will have the same issue. :smile:
 
No, no swimming unless you do it as an intramural (not 100% sure how that works, only a couple people did it from each basic flight). You take swimming and water survival during the school year (normally as a 3 dig)

Okay, thanks!
Now, what if you're trying out for the IC water polo team? I've spoken to the coach, who told me we would have activities during BCT. Would they allow you to wear contacts (if you brought them) in that event?
 
I am a recruited swimmer and the coach told me that we get to swim about 8-10 times throughout basic.
Not sure on glasses/contacts question because I will have the same issue. :smile:

Haha okay, glad I won't be alone. I definitely wouldn't be able to play polo without contacts.
 
Everyone gets glasses during BCT. We have intramurals during BCT, and the only way you will swim is if you are being recruited for some water-sports. They will probably give you goggles for that then.

But no, under normal circumstances, basics will not be swimming
 
swimrun95, the coach is referring to intramurals, which if you are an IC or trying out for an IC sport, are an opportunity to try and keep your skills up (I did this for tennis). As far as contacts, you will not be allowed to wear them in basic at all, so they may not even let you keep them. The best thing to do would be to meet up with the coach before in-processing and give them to him to keep. That is what I did with all of my tennis equipment (shoes, rackets)
 
Thanks for the info USAFA10s. I will definately look into doing that.

H20polodude maybe try prescription goggles if we cant have contacts?
 
swimrun95, the coach is referring to intramurals, which if you are an IC or trying out for an IC sport, are an opportunity to try and keep your skills up (I did this for tennis). As far as contacts, you will not be allowed to wear them in basic at all, so they may not even let you keep them. The best thing to do would be to meet up with the coach before in-processing and give them to him to keep. That is what I did with all of my tennis equipment (shoes, rackets)

Thank you! I'll definitely ask my coach if that's a possibility.

Swimrun--I don't use goggles for water polo, but if we end up just swimming laps or something, I'll probably just go without contacts :rolleyes:
 
Swimming and water haze are usually 3 degree classes. Generally, the thing for people with glasses is "suck it up." You don't need to see very well to do any of the tasks for either class.

When I did the 10m scenario for water haze, it was more like "that big white thing looks like the bulkhead. I'll swim that way." It worked.
 
H20polodude Ouch! I cannot swim for a long time without goggles.. but i guess water polo is a lot different to swimming :smile:
 
Fascinating Thread

This is a fascinating thread to me, because it shows how times have changed. When I went through BCT, we had two swim tests. The coaches watched, but recruited swimmers did not do other swimming; at least I didn't. But then, Coach Arata knew my real desire was to run cross-country.
 
This is a fascinating thread to me, because it shows how times have changed. When I went through BCT, we had two swim tests. The coaches watched, but recruited swimmers did not do other swimming; at least I didn't. But then, Coach Arata knew my real desire was to run cross-country.


Back then if you had bad eyes you couldn't really get to AFA? Unlike today a lot have prescriptions...
 
bad eyes in the 70's

jbsail:

While admittance was stricter on eyesight, it varied with the need for pilots. Generally, if you needed glasses, you were considered "non-pilot qualified" (as were all all women -- our gender medically disqualified us) and you needed to have SAT/ACT scores better than 70% of the entering class (That's why I needed an athletic recruitment to get it, even though I got on Dean's List almost every semester). If you were in the Class of '77 with bad vision, you could not get a pilot slot. For the Class of '80, however, you could get into USAFA and pilot training with 20/50 vision. And by the time I graduated, even women :smile: could go to pilot training.

We were not allowed contacts until Parents' Weekend. Until then, we wore the "anti-rape" glasses:smile:: glasses so ugly that no boy would want to be with us.
 
Yes, Its definitely interesting to hear about how much things have changed...

Haha yeah I'm definitely looking forward to checking out those glasses :cool: I hear they changed the style?
 
Thanks Ms F! Yeah thats I thought. Cool that you played a hs sport, that was harder to get into in those days. Now a days, its kinda easy to play hs sports, practically anyone that wants a V letter can get one :rolleyes: .


Yes, Its definitely interesting to hear about how much things have changed...

Haha yeah I'm definitely looking forward to checking out those glasses :cool: I hear they changed the style?

Yeah the style looks more awesome compared to what she had, haha! They should allow contacts at BCT, must be a non-contact wearer for sports that made the rule. Those that wear em for sport know how to deal with it.
 
With regards to water haze, my daughter is a 3C3 and is in the process of taking water haze. Her vision is fine but jumping off the 10m was quite scary. She finally did it on the last day possible with no problem. However cadets do have a history of injuring themselves such as severely hurting their back( this just happened to one cadet and she is on bed rest for 3 months), dislocating shoulders, fat lip, etc. So all of this was playing in the back of her mind as she was attempting the jump. Luckily she came through victorious! There are some cadets who just plain refuse to jump.
 
I'm dad of swimmer. IC swimmers and intramural also those interested in possible swimming and polo players swim during bct 1 on intramural days. I think they swam about 4-6 times maybe more. Not much of a work more of a time trial swimming different events.

If you have a low prescription you will probably be fine with goggles since they magnify some. I got my kid -2.5 goggles which you can get at most swim shops or even order online I think they were like 20 bucks. Coaches will tell you what to bring to the pre bct meeting they have the night before like goggles and stuff they will keep them for you.

you get wet keep the water feel but don't worry you won't get out of shape. My son took a year plus off and is swimming again in prep for sr year - his technique needs a few tweaks but he is keeping up or ahead of most of the team. You don't get out of shape at the academy unless you really try to. Plenty of running and training.

Good luck and don't worry about swimming during BCT, focus on learning and getting to know your comrades.
 
Last edited:
Yeah the style looks more awesome compared to what she had, haha! They should allow contacts at BCT, must be a non-contact wearer for sports that made the rule. Those that wear em for sport know how to deal with it.

Sports isn't the reason that contacts are banned during BCT.
 
Back
Top