Access to Plebe at Football Games

2

2013MidDad

10-Year Member
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Jun 3, 2009
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Assume you have a typical home football game with a 3:30 start time. And assume your plebe is as available as any other plebe would be on that day and weekend. Is there a typical "plebe availability" schedule or routine for home football weekends? I have been told that it might be better to visit on non-football weekends if your intent is to spend some (maximize) time with your kid. Any advice?
 
Your plebe will be in a duty status until the end of Blue and Gold being sung at game end, and will probably not have had town liberty or Yard liberty prior to the game. He/she is not supposed to be wandering around during the game. The staff officers/senior enlisted and midshipman duty group who monitor this can vary in their strictness. There are some other threads on here which address this. Post-game, there will be town liberty until a specified time, which has not yet been set forth for this year. These kinds of things get adjusted/reconfirmed when the Brigade reforms in August. It's been 2200 (10 PM) for plebes for town liberty on Saturdays, though if they show good spirit and Navy wins, could be midnight. Yard liberty will apply for Sunday, which means you can go see him/her, but he/she can't come out. Plebes will also be in a regular duty section on some weekends, which usually means no liberty.

Non-football, non-duty weekends are the best, I think. Though I think plebes are pretty happy to see any family who can help them escape the Yard even if for a short period and a quick post-game meal...

See new thread I'm going to start in a sec with the latest copy of MIDREGS I could find online. Home football games are covered by a separate instruction, but there's a key phrase: a. Midshipmen shall:
(1) Maintain Brigade seating integrity.
 
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If you go to the game, enjoy the game. You may be able to meet your Plebe at the concession stands under the Blue Side for a brief period but they will be very nervous and looking over their shoulders. On the Yard, you can watch them form up and march out Gate 8 toward the Stadium but then you will miss March On at the Stadium. If you have "Bill The Goat" tickets with siblings at the North End (or even regular tickets and go to the North end grass area) you can get up close and "maybe" your Plebe can "slide" down to the north end of the bleachers and be near the end of Brigade seating. If sibling is young enough they may hoist him/her into Brigade seats. Other than that, MJ is right on. Non-Football Non-Duty weekends are the best for family visits and her MIDREGS posting is as it is. Midshipmen shall: Maintain Brigade Seating Integrity. That sometimes gets tough for 28, 29 & 30 after March On at Notre Dame and Navy/Army. They sometimes get to wander around for lack of seats.
 
Town liberty on Saturdays ended at midnight this past year.
 
Quick question.
Why is it that attendance is mandatory to all home football games, but not other sports? Seems a little silly to me. I feel like attendance should be mandatory to one of the sporting events, not only football.
 
Commonly called being voluntold to attend other sporting events....
 
March on at Football is a tradition and mandatory (AND A GREAT SHOW). Other sports are also "voluntold". Basketball (NO BOOKS ALLOWED FOR STUDY AND NO SLEEPING IN THE STANDS) is one example.:yllol: I don't know about other sports. Club sports have sparse attendance although the cheering is just as intense.
 
CurrentMid said:
Commonly called being voluntold to attend other sporting events....
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's quite likely that you'll end up having to go to more of the "other" sporting events throughout the year than football games.
 
At various times got ordered to go to basketball, lacrosse, and sprint football (that one entailed getting on a bus to New Jersey for the day). Basically anything where there might be some visibility, you might get forced to go. At another point they tried to mandate that plebes would go to one sporting event a week, but when everyone pretty much ignored the rule, they backed off it.
 
At another point they tried to mandate that plebes would go to one sporting event a week, but when everyone pretty much ignored the rule, they backed off it.
Click to expand...

This was a requirement in our day. If you didn't go, you could be fried. Honestly, it wasn't the worst thing they made us do -- it helped ensure that some of lesser-attended sports had folks cheering for them.
 
Laptops make it easier for those above Plebe. They can bring it with them and watch movies or do some school work. :biggrin:
 
2013MidDad said:
Assume you have a typical home football game with a 3:30 start time. And assume your plebe is as available as any other plebe would be on that day and weekend. Is there a typical "plebe availability" schedule or routine for home football weekends? I have been told that it might be better to visit on non-football weekends if your intent is to spend some (maximize) time with your kid. Any advice?
Click to expand...

Your Plebe MAY be available to see you on the Yard between their SMT (Saturday Morning Training) ~noon, and formation for the marchover to the football game, ~2 PM. However, this can change based on their company, their completion of assigned tasks, etc. They will probably be available for Town Liberty from after the singing of Blue and Gold until liberty expires, which was midnight Saturday last year. On non-home football game weekends, Plebes will usually have Town liberty from after SMT until liberty expires. So, on a non-football weekend, you'll gain something like 4-5 more hours of Town liberty time with your Plebe.

On Sundays, Plebes have Yard liberty, not Town liberty, unless it's a 3-day weekend.
 
I think that you should not visit your kids for any reason other than the special weekends (Parents Weekend, Herndon, Commissioning). Toughen them up and get them ready for the real world where they will work and only get to go home every so often. I'm sure they're probably as sick of seeing you as you are of paying for all of their friends to eat at Phillip's. Stay home and redecorate their room as you settle in to empty nesting.
 
Are you serious, Marvin? Or just kidding? (Maybe I do not want to know the answer to that!). Our family genuinely enjoys getting together several times per year. I am enroute to PPW now. Have football tickets in Oct and for Army/Navy. Would never dream of attending church on the yard just to sneak time w/ plebe. Or meeting at concession stand during game. Firmly believe he needs to tend to business at USNA first and foremost. But looking forward to possibly a supper after a football game is hardly refusing to let them grow up.
 
Marvin - I am sensing that you have issues with your parents. Certainly hope that you get over it as having that attitude is not healthy. A healthy relationship in families makes for a much better "employee."

Jenny - there is absolutely nothing wrong with going to Chapel with your plebe once the academic year starts. One of the best times we had plebe year was going up for the Midshipman winter musical. We saw the performance on Saturday night, went to Chapel with our then Plebe Sunday morning, followed by taking him and two roommates to the O Club for brunch. Plebes may go to the O club with parents. Was a wonderful weekend. Remember that Plebes do have yard liberty on Sunday's so it is alright for you to visit them on the yard. The Plebe just cannot sit anywhere outside on the yard, so it does make visiting a bit more difficult.

Check out the O Club table at the Academic Display on Thursday afternoon Friday morning.
 
Profmom:I will check that out! I was referring to parents who go to church services in an effort to meet up w/ their plebes during plebe summer!
 
Give Marvin a break, he has a good point. Saw too many mids whose parents constantly visited, or mids who constantly went home as upperclass, or some such variation. It's one thing to drop by for Army/Navy or one weekend or something, but there was too much hovering going on.
 
Maybe some of the marine parents applied some of their CAS (close air support) style combat to being helicopter parents! Seriously, there needs to be a balance.

Years ago, when my oldest (now in vet school) was a new freshman at Texas A&M, he was riding a bike on campus and was hit by a car. Stitches, bruises, etc. I was in the area at a meeting. The next morning he sounded fine, so instead of making the 90 mile drive to see for myself, I got back on the plane and went home. It can be tough to let go.......but necessary to let them grow!
 
AF6872 said:
March on at Football is a tradition and mandatory (AND A GREAT SHOW). Other sports are also "voluntold". Basketball (NO BOOKS ALLOWED FOR STUDY AND NO SLEEPING IN THE STANDS) is one example.:yllol:
Click to expand...

One of the long list of Plebe Year things I DON'T miss at all. :shake:
 
I have a pretty healthy relationship with my parents and I think I have held my own in the Navy today. I guess that would mean I am a good "employee," if that is what you are referring too. Like SteveHolt said, some Mid parents just go over board and turn into stalkers. Cut the cord and let them grow up.
 
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