Sports

jotis0226

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
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8
Do I have to play a sport to attend USAFA. I can play football and b ball but I am more of an ROTC kind of guy.
 
Short answer: Yes
Long answer: Do a search on this forum about sports/athletics. The topic has been discussed way too many times.
 
Just for grins and giggles I'd like to report that only 79% of the members of the class of 2017 (as of I-Day) earned varsity letters in athletics. 21% is a lot of cadets without a varsity letter in athletics. USAFA really does look at the whole person. Just sayin'.
 
Not earning a varsity letter doesn't mean they weren't involved in athletics. Also just saying. :smile:
 
jotis0226 said:
I am more of an ROTC kind of guy.

Out of curiosity what does that mean? For a ROTC scholarship it is also a WCS system and they are going to want to see your PFA scores and ECs.

Remember, a large majority of AFA candidates will apply for an AFROTC scholarship as their plan B. AFROTC selection boards do not talk to AFA admissions regarding if the candidate was awarded an appointment. Plus, AFROTC is a national selection, not geo-centric. You will be competing against everyone in the nation, not just your congressional/state districts. Statistically only about 18% of all AFROTC applicants are awarded a scholarship. Want that Type 1, it is best than that you understand out of that 18% awarded only 5% will get that scholarship. Type 2 is only 15% of the 18%.

Just putting it out there that if you think being more of a ROTC kind of guy means athletics won't be just as important for selection, you would be wrong.

Granted just like the AFA there are AFROTC candidates that will not have athletics, but not having them will greatly decrease your chances.

Even if you plan on just doing AFROTC with no scholarship as a walk on, you will do PT 2-3X a week. That PFT score will be 15% of your WCS for SFT selection as a sophomore (C200), no SFT will equal dis-enrollment. No commissioning.
 
Thanks Full Metal.

jotis,

If Full Metal is correct, than let me give you anecdotal info. Our DS.

We were in a state that MOCs did not talk, thus you could get 3 MOC noms. Our HS had AFJROTC. DS was not in JROTC. His athletics was competitive TKD outside of school, and his PT job was life guarding. His academic rigor was all APs, including his electives. Had he been in JROTC it would have taken up an elective, and his course curriculum would have been impacted.

7 AFJROTC cadets at his school applied for noms, and AFROTC scholarships. Not one of them got either a nom or an AFROTC scholarship.

Our DS got all 3 MOC noms, and an AFROTC scholarship. The other student to get an AFROTC scholarship was also not in JROTC.

I am not against JROTC, I am only trying to illustrate that it is a Whole Candidate Score. Your PAR will be 60% of the score. JMPO, but I think what hurt them because of how that school system worked was JROTC from an academic rigor perspective. The 3 yrs of electives meant that our DS took harder courses. He finished with 2 foreign languages (french and Latin), APUSH, AP Euro, AP Gov, APENG, APLIT, AP Physics, AP Calc, AP French because JROTC was not a schedule confliction. He had a PT job that was deemed athletic because he did not have JROTC commitments after school or on weekends. Same with TKD.

It is great to be in JROTC, but my 0.019754 cents, not if it means it is inhibiting success in the other areas of the WCS. They want a well rounded cadet that can show leadership and academic strength. JROTC can give the leadership, but are you sacrificing academics for JROTC?

Remember there maybe a kid like mine applying. I will tell you, in his graduating class of 300 students, he was the talk among the AFJROTC SRs. They felt rooked that he got it, and never did one day in JROTC. However, he had the WHOLE package.

You can max the PAR, but if your ECs are impacted due to JROTC, you lose points on that 20%. 60 + 0 = 60 out of 80. 75%. 50 PAR + 15 EC is 65. Highest WCS wins the nom. That is the system.
 
It all depends on where you live, honestly. In my hometown, every high school in the county has a very large and usually renowned JROTC program (quite a few are upwards of 600 students, over half of the student body at some highschools). Our MOC knows this and it would definitely raise his eyebrows as to why you want to go to an SA and didn't participate at least somewhat in JROTC. However, AP's also work very differently from most areas in my district (most kids are required to take some minimum of AP classes and our district pays for everyone's test, however that doesn't inhibit the students that want to excel academically, since they still have the opportunity to take TONS of AP classes (the minimum is one or two your freshman and sophomore years) and bust their butts getting 5's on all of the corresponding tests).

Long story short, you know your district better than any of us. You know what will look better both on paper and in person where you come from. Metro DC is not rural orange groves and swampland. You know what will look better coming from your home.
 
+1 Full Metal.

Every school is different.

Talk to your ALO, they know your area, more importantly they also know the MOC nom results from history. They have a unique perspective.

It varies a lot. The fact is you need a nom to be appointed. Don't wrap yourself around the WCS and athletics without understanding to get an apptmt. you need to be an MOC slate, and you will now be 1 of 10 vying for the apptmt based on a WCS.
 
And the other side of the coin...

Our DS held several positions up to and including Commander of his AFJROTC detachment. And of course two varsity sports including Team Captainship, Honors/AP, Volunteerism, Job and all the rest like so many here.

His MOC interviews all wanted to talk specifically about his JRROTC involvement and he was totally convinced it helped to address the "do you really want to serve in the military" concern they had. By the way... He garnered 3 of 3 Noms including a Principal and 1st Alternate (plus an AFROTC scholarship and merit money at an SMC).

******************

The messages all seem to come down to the same couple of things:

1) There is no magic formulae. It really is about the Whole Candidate.
2) Your competition, MOC preferences, school profile, class options, etc will vary. Control what you can control and stay focused on that.

Hope this helps and good luck!
 
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Agree it depends on alot of factors, some of which you control and others that you don't. My experience was a 180 from MedB's DS. I walked in to my interview as the only kid who was not in an AFJROTC uniform. The biggest thing on my resume besides grades and all the extra stuff everyone has was I was a fairly decent athlete. I think the panel was actually happy I was different as they told me every person they have interviewed that day had said, "I want to go to Air Force (Navy #2), be like my Dad, major in Aeronautical Engineering, and fly fighter jets." Nothing wrong with all that, but I was different, I think that helped. The focus of my interview was on my sports and how I balanced it all, why Navy over my other schools, and why only Navy. As you can see interviews vary for nearly every person. If you do not have a sport, what other items show strong leadership and what activities show you are fit (besides a CFA, does your JROTC have alot of PT)? What will make you interesting and stand out among the crowd. Not just a million different clubs, but leadership roles. Not just volunteering, but what was the impact and difference that it made. Sometimes quality over quantity can speak volumes. As Pima said, your ALO should be to help guide you on alot of this stuff. They know the area the best.

One factor I have not heard on here, is do what you makes you happy! I read alot of these posts by high school students about what someone should do to get into an Academy. The bottom line is you have to enjoy what you are doing also. You are only a high school student once! Have some fun in between the AP classes, volunteering, extra curriculars, solving world peace/hunger/poverty/etc. Don't burn out before high school is even over and enjoy life!
 
One factor I have not heard on here, is do what you makes you happy! I read alot of these posts by high school students about what someone should do to get into an Academy. The bottom line is you have to enjoy what you are doing also. You are only a high school student once! Have some fun in between the AP classes, volunteering, extra curriculars, solving world peace/hunger/poverty/etc. Don't burn out before high school is even over and enjoy life!

Well said. IMHO this is great advice. And not just about applying to an Academy at the detriment of a high school experience but about life in general. Focusing only on getting into a SA, State University, or whatever is short sided. Getting in is just the beginning and really is the easiest part. Excelling during school, graduating, and excelling in a career while balancing and enjoying the rest of life is the challenge.
 
I am wondering why our OP would tell us he's not a "sports" type of kid, and he's applying to a Service Academy (or to ROTC). Certainly, even a quick glance through the myriad of posts here on sports would indicate that even those high school students who are involved in local JROTC/CAP units are all into some type of sports, whether school related or not.

To our Original Poster: ROTC/CAP are great activities and will open many doors but I would think you are involved in some type of sport on a regular basis?
 
Sad

I plan to do the rifle team in my ROTC unit. Would that count as a sport to getting accepted? I am not a very football kind of guy nor basketball. I am in the 10th grade so I have almost 8 months till I guess I apply to Westpoint , USNA, USAFA. I really want to be in the military and I understand that fitness is key. I guess I'll play football junior year?!.
 
You go to a school where you can just decide to play football (or any other major sport) in your junior year?

I live in the smallest school district in our state and even I know that just doesn't happen (very often).
 
To be fair to the OP, there are often "camps" that HS students fall into.
Without naming all the stereotypes, I think we can all agree this is often the case. And from what I have observed, far too often students in one camp do not cross over into others.

This may be what he means when he says he's an ROTC guy, not a sports guy.

That being said, and I mean this with respect... That is typical. Typical is not what the SAs want.

They want the exceptional "whole candidate" that is not monolithic. They want smart AND athletic AND a proven leader AND involved in community AND artsy AND etc etc etc. That's who your competition is for these coveted opportunities.

So certainly do what you love. And certainly excel in everything you can control. And do do things just to do them. But know that if you limit yourself to just one "camp", you may be putting yourself at a disadvantage for an appointment.
 
That's perfect, Melinda! BE YOU! Be your best YOU. If you love JROTC, great! Do it to the best of your ability, but also realize that to attend a service academy, you also have to be doing several other things very well.
 
I think I understand what the OP is saying. My school didn't have CAP or JROTC but I think I understand what they do.

I will say that at any academy, you WILL be involved in sports. PE and intramurals. You probably won't get a choice of intramural sport, or PE class...so if you don't like or do any sports at all, it will be a bit tough.

I would say, for your own sake, get involved in some kind of team sport...flag football...something.
 
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