Hello, I have a couple questions about what counts as a sport. I am homeschooled and looking to attend the USNA. I also live on a 56 acre ranch in the middle of nowhere, and there aren't much opportunities for sports. I am in a 4H group, and I am part of their sharpshooters club, where I do archery. There are weekly 2.5 to 3 hour practices, were we shoot arrows, adjust sights, and help out younger members. There are also competitions, of which I have gotten 3rd, 1st, and 4th in the 3 I have done. You can also go to statewide competitions (I have yet to do one). Would this count as a sport to the USNA admissions board?
Sports?
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Davy Read
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I'm not sure, but I know there is a really long list of sports that covers everything from football to bowling on your candidate activities record. Even if it is not on that list, you could still put it in the remarks. I would advise you to put a lot of effort in to that sport and try to become a captain, and also try to add another one. I know my HS trap team requires a lot of effort and I don't know of any of them playing another sport, but none of those kids were applying to usna.
There are plenty of home school kids in your shoes. Couple of items. Make are to knock it out of the park on your CFA. With not having many athletics on your record, it will be looked at very closely. Ensure your full participation including the archery is clearly documented and portrayed to your BGO. They can help to identify how to best document it. If needed, with your circumstances, your BGO may have your coach write a LOR to outline your participation and role to include highlighting leadership. See if there is a local running club or spotters league you can join. Demonstrating fitness would help. Also run some 5ks and pull your official scores to demonstrate your times. All these things can help paint a full picture of your fitness level. Playing a sport is more than fitness, it's about working as a team, so even a rec sport is great to demonstrate that.
Thank you so much for that information. It's a bit of a confidence booster lol. As for fitness I am in civil air patrol as well, and we have PT once a month. On top of that I'm trying to set up a daily regiment of 50 push ups, 100 sit ups, 5 pull ups (to increase soon) and a mile run once a week (currently my mile is at 6:52 minutes). Thank you for the tips!
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As NavyHoops said....knock the CFA out of the water. Be prepared to talk about your exercise routine during your BGO interview...if you exercise hard and often, the CFA should help support that. I will say that a one mile run, once a week isn't a lot (towards the end of plebe summer -- at least they use to do it -- all plebes run a 10K [6.2 miles]). Remember...the run, for most MIDN, is the hardest aspect of the PRT.
The one mile run a week will gradually become twice a week and so on. I actually like running. My 6:52 time was without working out or running for about 3 years... so I hopefully will get faster soon. Thanks for the info!
HopefulDad3210
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Remember, for the CFA what's important is your mile time after having done the other events in sequence with the prescribed rest intervals. DS is a sub-5-minute miler and ran a 5:24 when it counted for the CFA. Good luck.