We are attending this month for a football event and will be returning for a football camp in the summer, but I have told him often how he cannot hang his hat on this being his only path, and that if he really wants this he should be prepared to apply without any potential for athletics being considered (as a Recruited Athlete). He is very talented football player but there are so many of those that will not get past PCQ.
I do not have the same knowledge and background as many of the posters who have already commented on this thread, but one thing I would offer is that it can be very dangerous to come to USAFA with a single-minded emphasis on one particular aspect of the experience, such as playing a sport. I have seen/talked to multiple athletes who didn't enjoy their USAFA experience and/or struggled greatly as cadets because they weren't aware of the whole picture when they chose to attend. Some people have visions of joining the starting lineup or starring at conference, only to find out they are not likely to receive significant playing time for multiple years. Others go on academic probation and have to drop their sports. I believe a significant majority of football recruits are either cut from, or quit the team at some point during their time at USAFA.
My point in bringing up these instances is
not at all to scare you/your son away, or argue that he shouldn't try and be recruited. I would, however, encourage him to have a solid "Plan B" in place. And I'm not talking about a fallback school if he doesn't get into USAFA--I'm referring to the possibility that he
does get in, but finds out at some point that he cannot remain on the football team. It happens to a lot of people, and it's obviously a disappointment. In these cases, what quickly becomes clear is where the individual's motivation is derived from. Are they just here to play a D1 sport, or are they focused on commissioning and serving as an officer? The outcome to their cadet career tends to be highly dependent on the answer to this question.
Again, I am not trying to say that playing sports at USAFA shouldn't be a goal. However, taking any single activity offered by USAFA and making that the sole objective of attending is analogous to putting all one's eggs in one basket. I have only a few years of experience on which to draw, but I have already seen that basket fall in a lot of ways, for a lot of different people. It's always recommendable to consider contingencies, especially with regard to a decision as large as attending USAFA.
Good luck to you both as you prepare for the journey.
