Hi!
8 Varsity letters is a great achievement!!!
Okay, now an ALO reality check: I wouldn't put too much on the number "8" as I would, as PIMA stated, her election/selection as captain of the team, not once but twice. The Captain is the leader, the acknowledged "representative" of the team and in a way of the entire school. While its true a lot of teams, groups, etc., make this about popularity, the fact remains that the teachers/coaches have to "buy into" the choice and they usually are more objective. So when I meet a "team captain" it's usually very obvious that this person has EARNED that honor and they're universally very impressive!
So a student-athlete that comes to me with 1 varsity letter and being either "the" team captain, or in her case "twice selected as team captain" would actually recieve a higher modicum of respect from me than would a student that simply was a really good athlete.
The academy is filled to the brim with good athletes! What we really are searching for are leaders: students that have shown the ability to lead and to "step up" and take a positive stand (team captains have done this by default). THAT is our goal: to find the future leaders of the air force.
Because when it all is said and done the question is this: can I as an ALO see perhaps the future Chief of Staff of the Air Force in this candidate before me? I realize that sounds silly but...you can see things with these amazing kids. I look at classmates of mine that I went to prep school with. Back then...we were 18...and we could see several folks that just "stood out" and were impressive leaders amongst us then.
Today? The ones I know really well?
They're wearing the stars of general officers. And I fully expect one of them to make it all the way to 4 stars.
Worry not about your daughter. I'm certain her ALO will be VERY impressed with her and his/her evaluation will be suitably laudatory!
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83