Contact Sport Senior Year?

Ghostjwm said:
Your choice to do what you want but as the father of a recruited athlete my son who played 2 sports, wrestling and rugby skipped the spring rugby season under recommendation of his coaches. I know many cadets who play their sport and nothing happens and they have no issue reporting but I also know of several who tore their acl, broke a collar bone and fractured a foot who were unable to be cleared in time. Again anything can happen so it's your choice but an injury can derail your plans which typically is a major worry.
Click to expand...
I second Ghostjwm. My DS CO 27 skipped Club Spring Rugby, but he did finish high school Rugby. He used his free time to improve his run time and hit the gym to work on other PRT categories. He also had time to hang out with his friends that otherwise he would not be able to since he travels a lot for rugby.
 
My Interest In Sea Power said:
Hello, I received my appointment for the Class of 2028 at the beginning of January, and have accepted, as well I am on my school's Lacrosse team.

Our season starts next week, and I will most likely receive a lot of playing time as a Senior, but I worry about potentially injuring myself before I-Day. I have received multiple suggestions, from either not to worry about it at all or not even play. I would like to ask for advice on how I should approach this season/sport to make the best decision for a hopeful future at USNA.

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Don’t do reckless stuff but you have to life your life. If it’s your destiny to be ready to go on I-Day, you’ll be ready. If not, wrapping yourself in bubble wrap could cause a latex rash..

Congrats and make sure you show up ready for DAILY physical fitness.
 
The above poster makes a good point. If you do decide to opt out of LAX, be sure to stay fit. That means running, strength training, swimming, biking, etc. USNA provides a guide for incoming plebes for about 8 weeks out, but better to start right away if you're not involved in an organized sport. If you become a couch potato now through I-Day, it will not go well for you during the summer.
 
Do whatever you feel makes the most sense for you. Our DS (class of 2027 at USMA) chose not to play his spring sport because he didn’t want to risk injury. His coach was very supportive. Coincidentally a friend of his tore his ACL last spring at practice and couldn’t report to R day. Only you can make this decision.
 
Risk Assessment
---------------------------------------
Summary: What is risk? Risk is the gap between your mission and resources. (Can be applied in combat all the time).

Mission: Report on time for USNA I-Day. Successfully take the Oath of Office. Fulfilling a lifelong dream; once in a lifetime.

Resources: 100% healthy body/mind; injury free, absolutely ready to go.

Risk Assessment:
-- high risk {widening the gap}. Engage in contact/violent sports; survival treks; traveling to war zones-DOS warnings. Reporting to USNA with injuries... medically disqualified during processing.
-- low risk [shortening the gap]. Engage in non contact sports, running in track (non city streets or get hit by a drunk driver), yoga, swimming, weight lifting.
 
Risk statement - Given that the activities involved in "X" sport may result in catastrophic injury, there is the likelihood the candidate may not be able to report for I-Day due to that injury.

Likelihood? 1 - 2
Consequence? 4 - 5

Likelihood is the assessment on whether or not an event will take place. Consequence is the severity if that specific likelihood actually happened.

A 1X1 means there is very little risk of a very small consequence. A 5X5 means a very high risk of a catastrophic event. In the NASA world, that means complete failure of a mission (rocket blows up, or total failure of a spacecraft to power up once on orbit - they call these "anomalies" in our field), or (even worse) loss of life.

In this case, I'd say an active starting athlete in a contact sport probably is in the 2X4 range. Not a super high likelihood, and the injury may not be a catastrophic level where someone could not report.

But, I'm not you, and your risk assessment might be different. My kid ran x-country/track as a distance runner, so the risk assessment for him would probably have been a 1X3.
 
I'm not saying this to tip the scales one way or the other, but there is another thing to consider.

Weighing the risk of sports based on the amount of contact can be a fool's errand because of the number of noncontact injuries that occur.

Case in point: A couple weeks ago, a basketball player in our area drove the ball one or two dribbles, jump stopped, and crumbled to the floor. Torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus.

Another case in point: A few years ago, a volleyball player in our area went up to spike the ball with no one around her, landed totally normally, and broke her leg.

One false step no matter the sport can lead to anything. You just never know.
 
.
The moment an applicant receives & has accepted the Appointment … all the analysis/metrics change right then …. You are in full-on protection mode to mitigate any risk of joining your Naval Academy class on I-day …

The OP is already worried … and the worry will probably increase if he is soon standing on the sideline for practice, followed by scrimmage & real competition …

… standing there as anxiety increases, breathing becomes shallow, chest starts to tighten, vision becomes narrow, legs become wobbly …

… full-on panic attack … or worse … an injury where his parents can’t throw him over the fence onto the Naval Academy Yard …

Forget all Nostalgia …. Sit out the Spring Lacrosse season …. No “I told you so’s”
.
 
Last edited:
IronmanDaremo said:
Risk statement - Given that the activities involved in "X" sport may result in catastrophic injury, there is the likelihood the candidate may not be able to report for I-Day due to that injury.

Likelihood? 1 - 2
Consequence? 4 - 5

Likelihood is the assessment on whether or not an event will take place. Consequence is the severity if that specific likelihood actually happened.

A 1X1 means there is very little risk of a very small consequence. A 5X5 means a very high risk of a catastrophic event. In the NASA world, that means complete failure of a mission (rocket blows up, or total failure of a spacecraft to power up once on orbit - they call these "anomalies" in our field), or (even worse) loss of life.

In this case, I'd say an active starting athlete in a contact sport probably is in the 2X4 range. Not a super high likelihood, and the injury may not be a catastrophic level where someone could not report.

But, I'm not you, and your risk assessment might be different. My kid ran x-country/track as a distance runner, so the risk assessment for him would probably have been a 1X3
Click to expand...
... Concur.
Ok, tracking. I think all parents remember that
"Walk" to
Alumni Hall with their kid
(Plebe-to-be). Assuming that during the walk, the Plebe-to-be have a twisted ankle, slightly swollen; then the risk analysis
for the following:
*Parents.3/3. Hoping for the best.
*Plebe-to-be.1/2. I'm Mr. Macho.
*Detailers/Firsties. 4/5. I'll k1¢k y0uR @$$. I'll make you DOR.
*Processing Physician: 5/5
Catastrophic Failure aka
Go Home for listening to your
Parents to play sports after
winning a USNA Appointment.
 
Last edited:
Everyone should do what they think is best. That said as a longtime BGO, alum and parent of an alum, I did NOT have my son sit out of his final season of High School sports before reporting for I Day. I know quite a few alumni parents who likewise did not remove their mid/cadet to be from their sport.
In fact, I can't think of a single alumni parent that I know in real life who did that.
 
.
Appointments start to roll in about end of Fall/start of Winter …

How long did you work for that Appointment? …. A very long time.

Do you manage risk? Or do you throw caution to the wind — do you like to gamble?

If the Appointee is living under my roof, they will NOT do any injury prone activities from that moment the Appointment is accepted …. I will help them make THE right decision if that is what it comes to …

### Appointment accepted … get Kid over fence into Yard injury free ###
.
 
Last edited:
99Gold said:
This made me laugh...@ThomasJ


OP, As a mom of lacrosse player, I thinknitbis a good question to be thinking about. My USAFA cadet played his senior year because he felt that he owed it to his coach and his team. He was a team captain. Finished the season unscathed.

My.current candidate will also play his senior year but has requested a to play a "safer" position. He is not a game maker and coach will play him as a defensive middle to diffuse some of the risk. He loves his team and coach and really wants to play.

I agree with others that you can get injured doing almost anything so it is a very personal decision.
Click to expand...
Totally agree with your opening response!!! :)
 
My son was an All-State baseball player. Played baseball in the spring because the ramifications to his team if he had sat would have been disastrous and because it was his senior year and they were coming off a run to State finals the year before, but it wasn't without worry. When that season ended and it came time for travel ball, he made the decision to sit out until I-day because the injury risk was just not worth it. I fully supported his decisions and agreed with him 100%. Spent his time working out and with his pitching coach instead.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top