Walk-On Sports

jagger19

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Jan 21, 2016
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Hey all, I haven't found a post that directly seems to answer my question, so I thought I'd make a new one.

During Beast, I was told that if you were not recruited for a sport, there are walk-on tryouts. I plan on running track/ cross-country, if possible, and am curious to know if I'd be able to try out. Hell, I'd like to know, if anybody else does, what my chances are of making it; I run a 4:35 mile, and 16:35 5K, for reference. Thank you!
 
I did an Internet search of West Point Men Cross country - found 2013 results, the result for West Point team range from 15 min plus to 17 min plus, so you are within the range I think. The best thing to do is contact the cross country coach with your stats.
 
I did an Internet search of West Point Men Cross country - found 2013 results, the result for West Point team range from 15 min plus to 17 min plus, so you are within the range I think. The best thing to do is contact the cross country coach with your stats.
Would you mind sharing the link to this information? I'm a cross country/track runner as well, and I too want to know if being recruited/walking on is a possible option for me.
 
I had found the page for athletics, but I was unsure if they had walk-on tryouts. I was in contact with the assistant coach, but haven't been able to get ahold of him since receiving my appointment.
 
@paperplaneenthusiast sorry for being rude.
They have a facebook page, you could post on it to find results.
You are correct the search is not easy. Found this for an indoor track meet army v. navy
times were between 4:56 to 5:17
http://united-states-army-west-poin...le.php?mgroup_id=29419&do=news&news_id=314159
here are results from 2012 https://xc.tfrrs.org/results/xc/5354.html 5K results between 6:07 and 7:37
here is one from 2015 army vs maine. http://goblackbears.com/sports/w-xc/2015-16/releases/2015090531bzq5 3.11 miles Army won with a 18:39 but it looks like some army slower times were between 20:22 and 20:33
Do you think you are in the range?
 
@paperplaneenthusiast sorry for being rude.
They have a facebook page, you could post on it to find results.
You are correct the search is not easy. Found this for an indoor track meet army v. navy
times were between 4:56 to 5:17
http://united-states-army-west-poin...le.php?mgroup_id=29419&do=news&news_id=314159
here are results from 2012 https://xc.tfrrs.org/results/xc/5354.html 5K results between 6:07 and 7:37
here is one from 2015 army vs maine. http://goblackbears.com/sports/w-xc/2015-16/releases/2015090531bzq5 3.11 miles Army won with a 18:39 but it looks like some army slower times were between 20:22 and 20:33
Do you think you are in the range?
All is well.
My current 5k PR from last season is on the lower end of the range, though it's definitely within it (19:42). This has been my first cross country season though, so I'm improving pretty rapidly. My mile time is about 30-45 seconds off (current PR is 5:40), but again, I'm training hard, and track season has only just begun.
I do appreciate you sharing these links with me. I've been searching for those times for a while now (to no avail), so it's nice to finally get them. Thank you!
 
WP is a NCAA D-1 school and so they must follow NCAA rules. Which includes a certain amount of players a team can have. You may be able to walk on if they have a spot. I would send an email to the coach. I don't know what year you are in school and they may not be able to contact you but you can contact them

Good Luck

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
Follow Tug Boat's instructions to email coach (individual coaches' emails are available on the specific sports links on goarmysports.com). I would imagine the coach would follow up w/ walk on information for you.
 
With respect to the coach contacting you or responding to your email, remember the NCAA also has blackout periods that limit contact with student-athletes. That could be the source of the delay (or snow days or indoor season or . . . .).
 
With respect to the coach contacting you or responding to your email, remember the NCAA also has blackout periods that limit contact with student-athletes. That could be the source of the delay (or snow days or indoor season or . . . .).
The SAs don't follow, or are not governed, by NCAA recruiting rules. But, thats not to say that they may have their own self imposed black out period.
 
The SAs don't follow, or are not governed, by NCAA recruiting rules. But, thats not to say that they may have their own self imposed black out period.]

I respectfully disagree.

From my own experience as an Officer Rep with a USNA varsity team, I had to review and sign off on the NCAA rules regarding discussions with recruits and families during visits. There were prohibited conversations and time periods, and I had to demonstrate my knowledge of this to the Naval Academy Athletic Assn compliance official. See this link. While there could be some aspects of NCAA compliance which do not apply to a SA, I believe most of it does.

http://m.navysports.com/m/compliance/navy-compliance.html



And a Google search on "USMA NCAA compliance" produced:
http://www.goarmywestpoint.com/news/2009/6/9/Compliance_At_West_Point.aspx

And USAFA:

http://www.goairforcefalcons.com/compliance/afa-compliance.html

I stopped here, assuming USCGA and USMMA, as NCAA participants, also comply.
 
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The SAs most certainly do follow NCAA rules. They are an NCAA participant and therefore it is required. Each SA sports department even has compliance officers who live and breathe NCAA rules compliance. USCGA and USMMA being D3 schools follow the rules which are slightly different at that level.

If you go to the Army West Point athletics page and look up XC and/or track you will see the times. There is also link to fill out a questionnaire with your info. If the coaches are interested they will contact you. In the meantime, my recommendations are to do your homework and see if you are really in line with times to hang with the team. Also as a distance runner, they will have you run XC, indoor and outdoor track. That means 3 sports, year round. That is an enormous time commitment. The other thing you can do is get yourself registered for the NCAA clearinghouse in case you do decide to run and make the team. Because there are no scholarships at stake, the SAs tend to have large teams. This doesn't mean you will be suiting up for races and competing. It can mean months upon months of practice and never running in a race. Look at the football team. They probably have 100 or so players and only 60 or so get to travel and suit up.
 
The SAs don't follow, or are not governed, by NCAA recruiting rules. But, thats not to say that they may have their own self imposed black out period.

I disagree. USMA and USNA most certainly do follow NCAA recruiting rules. It's non-negotiable per NCAA. Per NCAA. and USMA and USNA, contact (phone call) FROM an athlete can happen anytime a coach picks up the phone. Contact TO an athlete from the coach can be initiated by a coach after Sept 1st of their Junior year.
 
I disagree. USMA and USNA most certainly do follow NCAA recruiting rules. It's non-negotiable per NCAA. Per NCAA. and USMA and USNA, contact (phone call) FROM an athlete can happen anytime a coach picks up the phone. Contact TO an athlete from the coach can be initiated by a coach after Sept 1st of their Junior year.
I have to disagree. Service academy coaches are permitted to call an athlete starting July 1st after the athlete has completed their sophomore year. I know this from direct experience as well.
http://m.navysports.com/m/compliance/navy-compliance.html
 
There are "ways around", "loop holes", etc. that can manipulate "the recruiting system" but it is my belief that most coaches that my DD has interacted with have been rule following. Also note that there are distinct differences between D1, D2 and D3 NCAA rules to recruiting.
 
I have to disagree. Service academy coaches are permitted to call an athlete starting July 1st after the athlete has completed their sophomore year. I know this from direct experience as well.
http://m.navysports.com/m/compliance/navy-compliance.html
Interesting. I know from personal experience that this was not the case for my DD. She was told by the USMA AD that no contact could or would be initiated from USMA coaches prior to Sept 1 of her Junior year. I read the link you posted and it says that contact for SA's is July 1 after your sophomore year. Thanks for the link!
 
Remember recruiting periods, dead periods, early/late signing periods can be different for each sport. And USNA and USMA may impose their own restrictions that differ from NCAA rules.
 
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