Varsity sport while in ROTC

[Dial the gate]

Hello everyone!

Son #2 is a high school sophomore and wants to do one of his sports (diving or football) in college along with ROTC (either Navy or Army). How common is this? Son #1 is in NROTC at the Univ of Michigan and there is at least one person that he knows of that does a varsity sport.

I would imagine it may vary by unit and the number of things available that you are involved in, but just curious what your experience with this is.

 

[-Bull-]

I have had friends or known people that played just about every sport while in ROTC, and I went to a fairly large D-1 school.

It's definitely not easy with balancing academics, athletics, and ROTC, but it can be done. My cadre (and it will differ with each school) were very easy to work with allowing the cadets to miss PT for team workouts and making up certain things at different times, and the coaches were flexible on their end. I wouldn't say it's common, just based off numbers, but athletics are desired by the Army, so they tend to be more forgiving with it over say the varsity chess club.

I will say that a good number of those I knew that played some of the major sports ended up picking one or the other when reality of the future set in. I.E they realized they were going pro as a soldier, not as a football player.

 

[goaliedad]

My daughter played DIII Ice Hockey while in ROTC. You definitely have to be well organized. Most important thing will be having that talk with the coach up front and having the coach on board with your ROTC. If there is any hesitation in the first conversation with the coach, that probably isn't going to work. ROTC is always supportive of varsity sport participation, though.

 

[Dial the gate]

Thank you Bull and goaliedad. Excellent advice about talking to the coach up front and seeing how they respond about the ROTC.

Definitely no desire to go pro or to the Olympics, he is starting to get some feedback from college coaches that have come to watch the seniors and wants to give college level a try.

 

[soccmomer]

My DS played soccer at Norwich (SMC, D-3) this year. ROTC mil lab and class is at a time when sports practices do not occur. He may have missed a few of those if they had an away game. My impression was that the sport came first. I do believe if they missed FTX they had to attend a make-up FTX later in the semester.(Although as a freshman he did not have to make that up). They were allowed to miss AROTC PT during their sport season. He seemed to do fine juggling academics, soccer and Corps of Cadets activities, but he is pretty laid back. I would say that at least a third of the cadets on his floor did a fall varsity sport, about a quarter did winter, and not sure about spring. They are all in ROTC.