Official athletic visit

[Aggiepilotmom]

Howdy! My 1st post.

Our daughter (junior) has accepted an invitation for an official visit at USNA. (Official visit meaning USNA is paying for our flights/food/accommodations etc…)

What happens at an official at USNA? We’ve been on officials to some other div 1 schools and are curious what will be different about a visit to a service academy.

Coaches have mentioned she would likely be designated a “blue chip.” Can anyone enlighten me on what that means?

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[justdoit19]

What happens, depends upon the sport. My son had one, and they wine and dine them. Pair them with the team. They are selling the program!!

A Blue Chip is a great thing. It’s the highest level of recruitment. Make sure your DD asks all questions she has. They want HER to join them. Make sure she understands the commitment to serve after her 4 yrs at USNA.

It’s also not a ‘sure thing’. She will have to gain an appointment, be found fully qualified. Idk her academics/resume, but she may need to consider a year at NAPS before joining her USNA graduating class.

She has time to do research. And welcome!

 

[severn]

... so sending my many congratulations !
While there, enjoy the yard... incredible with all its history {same for that other school next to the Hudson}. Definitely a bucket list moment. Visit the midstore and discover that it's 0K to splurge.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

As a parent and coach I have been thru this a few times. She will I would assume stay with a pleb, attend class with that pleb, meet with the coaches, possibly attend a game or a match. There might be an evening social occasion. It can very much depend on the team. It does tend to be more laid back than the kind of party experience a civilian college visit might see.

And you daughter does have to pass a physical but the coaches will have a very good idea if she will qualify or not grade wise either for direct admit or possibly prep school.

So if they do say——we want you——and if she says yes —-then she can call the other coaches recruiting her and tell them she is off the market.

Prep school , if that ever does become an option, is seen as a very demanding year but it prepares someone so very well for pleb year at the academy

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

And just a mention about that physical she must pass. If she is a recruited type virtually the only thing that can hurt her is some condition that cannot be waved.

For the recruited types in my family , both got an initial DQ , and then a quick waver from the USNA. This is very typical not just for those being recruited but a lot of kids.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

Blue Chip is not really an official term but it’s a term used a lot. It means you are officially recruited for a specific sport and wanted by the USNA. When coaches make these offers they have to be pretty darn sure this is a person that can be admitted.

If someone wants a SA being a recruited type is the way to go.

 

[Aggiepilotmom]

And just a mention about that physical she must pass. If she is a recruited type virtually the only thing that can hurt her is some condition that cannot be waved.

For the recruited types in my family , both got an initial DQ , and then a quick waver from the USNA. This is very typical not just for those being recruited but a lot of kids.

Thanks! Big bro is an Air Force pilot (went through Afrotc) so our families got a little experience with dodmerb and flight physicals. I know the medical aspect can disqualify a lot of kids.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

Thanks! Big bro is an Air Force pilot (went through Afrotc) so our families got a little experience with dodmerb and flight physicals. I know the medical aspect can disqualify a lot of kids.

If you know of any physical condition that you are even a little worried might be problematic run it by the coaches. We knew a waver (s) would be coming even before the physical was taken,

 

[Aggiepilotmom]

Blue Chip is not really an official term but it’s a term used a lot. It means you are officially recruited for a specific sport and wanted by the USNA. When coaches make these offers they have to be pretty darn sure this is a person that can be admitted.

If someone wants a SA being a recruited type is the way to go.

Thanks! We had never heard that term.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

Thanks! We had never heard that term.

It’s a term that means nothing. The SA has either made an offer or it has not.

Many kids though are seen as walk-ons. They may be listed in a magazine as a recruit. They are being admitted to a SA and they play a sport. But those kids have not been made an offer directly from coaching staff and it’s highly unlikely any of them have been brought in for an official visit. But they could end up on the team.

 

[OldRetSWO]

It’s a term that means nothing. The SA has either made an offer or it has not.

Actually, within the Admissions world, it means quite a bit.
An Athletic Rep does sit in on Admissions Boards and generally, being "blue chipped" means that the Athletic rep will participate on
this specific applicant's behalf. There are limited numbers of Blue Chips authorized and yes, they are limited by sport/team.
I can't tell you much more about them.
A good friend and former shipmate attended Harvard as an Ice Hockey player. He is a genuine smart guy (and great officer) but
he would be the first to tell you that hockey got him into Harvard. He'd have had a very little chance otherwise. It was clearly
their version of a Blue Chip.

 

[A1Janitor]

Actually, within the Admissions world, it means quite a bit.
An Athletic Rep does sit in on Admissions Boards and generally, being "blue chipped" means that the Athletic rep will participate on
this specific applicant's behalf. There are limited numbers of Blue Chips authorized and yes, they are limited by sport/team.
I can't tell you much more about them.
A good friend and former shipmate attended Harvard as an Ice Hockey player. He is a genuine smart guy (and great officer) but
he would be the first to tell you that hockey got him into Harvard. He'd have had a very little chance otherwise. It was clearly
their version of a Blue Chip.

My friend’s daughter got an offer in tenth grade for women’s hockey from Brown.

She played very limited time - she got injured early on.

It got her into Brown, and she has done very well academically.

 

[Heatherg21]

BGO training this summer walked through the admission panel process. The alethic rep provides information on the recruited athlete, then leaves the room. They do not have a vote. @Don't Give Up the Ship correct me if you recall differently, but that is what I have in my notes.

 

[OldRetSWO]

BGO training this summer walked through the admission panel process. The alethic rep provides information on the recruited athlete, then leaves the room. They do not have a vote. @Don't Give Up the Ship correct me if you recall differently, but that is what I have in my notes.

Yes, they do not vote but their briefing is for the particularly desired athletes and carries a lot of weight.

 

[MidCakePa]

Keep in mind that college athletic recruiting can be a bit slippery. I’m not saying that coaches lie. But they can be fickle. An athlete deemed “blue chip” today can be relegated to lower status if someone better comes along. Coaches have only so many chits to use and it’s a very dynamic process.

So it’s terrific that she’s being recruited. Regardless of her status, work on Plan B, C, D, etc.

 

[NavyHoops]

Keep in mind that college athletic recruiting can be a bit slippery. I’m not saying that coaches lie. But they can be fickle. An athlete deemed “blue chip” today can be relegated to lower status if someone better comes along. Coaches have only so many chits to use and it’s a very dynamic process.

So it’s terrific that she’s being recruited. Regardless of her status, work on Plan B, C, D, etc.

Great point. The ‘list’ of recruits and their order changes by the day. One day, you might be their top recruit. The next, maybe several spots down the list.

 

[justdoit19]

Keep in mind that college athletic recruiting can be a bit slippery. I’m not saying that coaches lie. But they can be fickle. An athlete deemed “blue chip” today can be relegated to lower status if someone better comes along. Coaches have only so many chits to use and it’s a very dynamic process.

So it’s terrific that she’s being recruited. Regardless of her status, work on Plan B, C, D, etc.

Absolutely. There could be a whole coaching change. And boom you aren’t the top recruit. That’s the world of recruiting.

ALWAYSSSS have solid alternate plans.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

Actually, within the Admissions world, it means quite a bit.
An Athletic Rep does sit in on Admissions Boards and generally, being "blue chipped" means that the Athletic rep will participate on
this specific applicant's behalf. There are limited numbers of Blue Chips authorized and yes, they are limited by sport/team.
I can't tell you much more about them.
A good friend and former shipmate attended Harvard as an Ice Hockey player. He is a genuine smart guy (and great officer) but
he would be the first to tell you that hockey got him into Harvard. He'd have had a very little chance otherwise. It was clearly
their version of a Blue Chip.

I agree we are saying the same thing just different terminology .

My point is that all actual offers made by the coach then are Blue Chip offers. And those recruits getting an offer from the coach are looked after during admissions by that academic rep. When the coach says we can get you in they are not guessing and hoping.

The term Blue Chip does make a lot of sense. I have never heard a coach use it.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

Keep in mind that college athletic recruiting can be a bit slippery. I’m not saying that coaches lie. But they can be fickle. An athlete deemed “blue chip” today can be relegated to lower status if someone better comes along. Coaches have only so many chits to use and it’s a very dynamic process.

So it’s terrific that she’s being recruited. Regardless of her status, work on Plan B, C, D, etc.

This is often misunderstood by parents

A USNA coach making an offer to a HS kid, and that offer was accepted , and the USNA coach later pulled that offer, , after the player had said yes, because they found a better player , that USNA coach would be crushed within recruiting circles and online. Their reputation would be dirt. And every other university would use that against Navy.

This visit for this OP is a we are likely interested in you we hope you might be interested in us. But once an offer is made to a recruit and accepted people have given their word. Assuming no acts of god or DUIs etc.

 

[Korab]

This is often misunderstood by parents

A USNA coach making an offer to a HS kid, and that offer was accepted , and the USNA coach later pulled that offer, , after the player had said yes, because they found a better player , that USNA coach would be crushed within recruiting circles and online. Their reputation would be dirt. And every other university would use that against Navy.

This visit for this OP is a we are likely interested in you we hope you might be interested in us. But once an offer is made to a recruit and accepted people have given their word. Assuming no acts of god or DUIs etc.

This. Can what @justdoit19 warns about happen? Conceivably. But absent a change in the head coach or something very concerning about the recruit coming to light, it would be a very rare thing. If Navy is paying for the kid to come out, it isn’t because they want to get to know her better. They are going to make an offer.