Hello!

[TomW.]

Hi there, my name is Thomas White. After this summer I will be going into my freshman year of High School (9th grade), and I am trying to figure out all of the things that I can be doing to make myself an attractive applicant to USNA when my Jr. year comes around. Currently I do not play any varsity sports and my ECA's are kinda nerdy (marching band, games club) and when the school year rolls around again I am hoping to be able to start up a parliamentary debate club. Currently I cannot do much more than 20 push ups, 70 sit ups, and an 8:30 mile (with a 3 mile pace @ 9/mile). These are obviously below standards. I know that I have 2 years to train and that I should not worry too much about this yet, but I was wondering if any of you guys (or girls) have any specific ways that you work out/trained for your test. Anyway, that's it for my introduction, hoping to learn a bunch more than I have on here than just scouring the web!

[sg2019]

You should really consider running cross-country as a varsity sport this fall. Most runners are a little nerdy. You will blend right in. I am only a rising high school sophomore but cross-country will get you in shape before you know it. Long, demanding practices, great friends, and a strengthened upper-body( at least in my case).I have a couple of friends that were able to do marching band and cross-country. Just contact the coach and give it a try. In the end what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[TomW.]

Thanks, I was thinking about doing Cross Country, but I definitely will now! :) I did cross country as a club in my middle school, hopefully I will make the team :)