Varsity Letter/ Individual Sports

M

mforesta

5-Year Member
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Nov 21, 2010
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I don't have a varsity letter. Throughout the past four years I've been doing Judo. Will this hurt my chances at the academy. I also used to Box, should I maybe pick that back up again to help my chances next year? Is there anything I can do to help me in this department?

In regards to leadership I was

LPO in Sea Cadets
Senator on student government (probably president next year).
Member of flying team
Member of forensics (speech and debate) team
Honors Program
Two honors societies
Ski Instructor (paying job)

I'm also an assistant instructor in Judo if that helps.
 
Varsity Letter/Individual Sports

MFORESTA

Sports is a big plus. It is looked from a teamwork leadership standpoint. The military as you know is all about teamwork. What you have listed looks good. Remember, don't forget the academics.

RGK
 
Mforesta: my sons never went to "regular" school but were huge into (wait for it)... fencing! Never earned any type of school letter or award for this individual sport.

Clearly document your accomplishments in the sport, include your coach's name/CV, include perhaps a DVD of your gold medal ceremony... you get the idea.

You'll be fine.
 
You included a dvd of medal ceremonies? I don't know that I have any.
 
I had track listed in my senior year, and 3 years of a weight training class. I'm not sure if they counted my weight training classes as an equivalent.
 
I had four years of Varsity Track and Field with Captain in 12th grade but no Varsity letters.
 
Mforesta, I just meant that you should send what documentation you have available. I remember some of the fencers my kids knew in High School were sending DVDs of their best bouts, medal ceremonies, etc. to Div I coaches. We never had those items...

I know there was a judo club at USAFA but I recall there was some controversy or scandal surrounding it. Could be mistaken, though, and it wouldn't be the first time.
 
Martial Arts is a good

The boards have seemed to value martial arts perseverance from those I have spoken with. It is an activity which encompasses many of the traits which the selection board is looking for. Being an instructor has helped many a HS graduate obtain scholarships at civilian schools, I'd think that would have to be good for Academy selectors as well.

Academics are the key, though. The weighting system assures that. If you aren't going to letter, don't stress about it. Stress won't help. Knock out the parts you can. DS was never a captain of anything, he worried about that, he got in.

This forum is probably biased, but the selection process seems to get to the core of the candidate pretty well. ... External factors such as the competitive environments in some states and districts notwithstanding.
 
Somewhat related question

If I have no sports in my whole High School career, but then do Water Polo coming up for just my senior year, would that be a significant application boost?

I've been in BSA and Orchestra for four years, so that should cover some teamwork stuff they look for. If doing a sport for one year helps take weight off the CFA though, that'd be awesome.
 
RyWalk said:
If I have no sports in my whole High School career, but then do Water Polo coming up for just my senior year, would that be a significant application boost?

I've been in BSA and Orchestra for four years, so that should cover some teamwork stuff they look for. If doing a sport for one year helps take weight off the CFA though, that'd be awesome.
Click to expand...

I'd like to know the answer to this as well. I haven't done any school sports yet (im a junior), but I play fall/spring soccer in a league outside of school. Was thinking about doing track for the Spring of junior year, and maybe fall of senior.
 
Triple111, having been involved in the same sport for a number of years shows commitment, involvement, dedication, perseverance, etc. --whether the AFA values an out of school sport as much as an interscholastic sport I don't know, but your application should benefit at least somewhat from your time in your soccer league. If by chance you were a captain, etc. that should help also. It may depend on whether it is a casual, play on occasion type thing , or a league that plays in tournaments against other high caliber teams from around the region/country. In my area, these travelling soccer teams are huge--almost as impt as high school teams when considering whether to play in college, get scholarships etc.

RyWalk, I'm not sure whether doing a sport for just 1 season will give you a "significant" boost in your application score, although you will have a team/sport activity. It seems like the academy values on-going, consistent involvement in an activity rather than a little bit here, a little bit there with nothing of significance. I think they are smart enough to realize if something is just a resume filler. On the other hand, the swimming and training involved for water polo should help boost your endurance and physical fitness, which could help when you do your CFA at some point. Can't hurt.

Just my thoughts. :smile:
 
Rywalk, I agree that while water polo will almost certainly keep/get you into good physical condition, I really doubt spending a season in your senior year will get you the "Yeah, this kid's really into w. polo" nod you seek. I don't suppose it will harm your application though.

Triple, what kind of league are you in? Local rec league where you have a game on Saturday morning and maybe a practice if you can make it during the week? The kind of league where there is practice several times a week, uniforms, big time competition? The difference could make a big difference to your application.
 
I was thinking of doing it anyway to help condition my cardio endurance. Would it look bad on the application?
 
maybe im off base here; but to do 'any' activity just because it might boost your resume seems a bit misquided. if you want to do track or water polo -do it because you are interested in it and want to do it not just because it will check off some box on the application. not to do something you are interested in just because you are 'fearful' it will look bad is misquided as well. be your own person and pursue what you are interested in.
my son is a swimmer - swims year round with a club and on the varsity team for 4 years. thats the only boxes he could check off. but recreationally he is very active - are there things you do with your family that you could list on your resume that you have been doing for your whole life or several years that are physical?

our family downhill skiis and son does a ski club; we spend our summer vacation picking a national or state park to hike in - have hiked in the adirondacks, zion nat'l park, yellowstone, tetons, shanandoah etc... son also likes to kayak white water and flat with his grandparents and aunt. he listed all of this on his resume and got asked about it in interviews for nominations etc...
start something new if you want to - then when asked about it in your ALO interview next summer you can say i always wanted to try it and i went and did it and your answer will be sincere.
 
I don't personally think it would look bad, just don't try to pass it off as your ticket to the Olympics or anything like that.
 
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