+1,000,000.
As soon as I saw the title of this thread (and the NAPS thread) I was wondering how long it would take before someone NAPS or varsity athlete bashed in the thread.
I was a NARP (non-athlete) for all my years at USNA but, by and large, I was actually pretty impressed by the quality of the athletes at school. Teamwork, dedication, and fitness go a lot farther in my mind than being some weedy nerd who got straight As in high school but can't talk to people. And I say that as someone who is more "weedy nerd" than athletic.
Yes, there are a few bad apples who give athletes a bad name. The same can be said for pretty much any group that comprises a relative minority in the Brigade. NAPSters, females, and, frankly, minorities. It's mostly that, by being in a subset of the Brigade that's not white non-athlete males their failures are a lot more visible. But the bottom line is that the majority of mids, regardless of whatever "other" status they have, are there for good reasons and if they're not they either leave or figure it out.
Some of my best friends at school, including my roommate of four years, were varsity athletes. Most of my (Academy) classmates at TBS are athletes. They're all great people and just as motivated to serve and put out as the NARPs.
One of my good friends, a recruited athlete who probably would not have gotten in on high school grades alone, is without a doubt one of the best natural leaders to come out of my company. She was team captain our 1/C year and IMO is going to be a phenomenal officer. She also missed every Thanksgiving break, most of every Christmas break, most spring breaks, and countless weekends in order to play for Navy.
So, yes, please, continue to try and tell me how varsity athletes/NAPSters/whatever are uncommitted or somehow "unworthy" of attending a service academy.