Varsity letters

NavyArmyhopeful99

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Feb 12, 2017
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I am stuck in a certain situation. I am a junior currently, and I cannot decide whether or not to play baseball this spring and I was wondering if you guys have any advice for me. I just do not find the sport fun and enjoyable anymore. It would not kill me to play baseball this year and i would definitely letter this year, but it would take up a awfully large portion of my time that could be used for studying for the SAT and ACT or prepping for the CFA. I am already deeply involved with swim at my school, earning a letter my sophomore year and elected captain my junior year and elected for my senior year. So would quitting baseball and not earning a varsity letter affect my WCS and over all view from the academy? Should I just suck it up and play? I plan on doing cross-country my senior year to add another letter.

I am involved quite a few ECs and I have named positions in those clubs, so would quitting baseball and not receiving an extra varsity letter hurt me in the long run?

My district is not too competitive, but because it has so much land in it, it is hard to determine how competitive it will be this year. Even if I don't get a MOC nomination, I will get a presidential nomination.
 
Like many in the forums I am no expect but have advice and opinion which may be useful. I am a parent with a son in similar situation with baseball. My simply advice would be as a parent play the sport that makes you happy, players in any sport tend to do better and excel further if they enjoy it. From what you posted you have other sports your involved in and doing well, so stick with them. I would say you have it covered in the athletics department, so concentrate in areas you feel you need to work on. Hope this advice helps you out and good luck.
 
My vote...letter this year, and play lacrosse next. My son loved baseball but after 3 years he decided the game was too good to have that love-of-the-game marred by a really bad coach. He got his letter and moved on. Just about every day he comments that he wish he had made the decision 3 years ago.
 
My son had a similar decision last year, his senior year in high school, but he already had multiple academy appointments, so the question wasn't whether to play in order to help his chances. We are in Michigan, and the HS season starts in the bitter cold, and of course at the end of the year when so much is going on. He was already thinking about R-day at West Point, and could think about a thousand other things he wanted to do in the last couple months instead of practices and games during the week and weekends. However, he knew his coaches and teammates were counting on him, so he played, and was glad he did, even though the team played right up until the week we departed for R-day at WP, after making a great run to the state semifinals. He was named a team captain, so they were glad he played too.

I believe, from an admissions standpoint, the academies place specific value on every varsity sport you play, so if you pass, you are giving up some points. Your resume is pretty solid in that area though, so not a killer if you dont, but it would still help if you play. I respectfully submit though that when I hear people say they will pass on something else so they have more time to work on the ACT or CFA, I think there is hogwash in that. You can do it all if you are committed and manage the time you have. And if you are motivated, that is very manageable. When you attend a service academy you will have a big load of hard classes, athletics, military functions, and other responsibilities beyond what you have ever had before. It has been mentally and physically taxing for my son, and he is a pretty tough kid.

I think admissions folks want to see you take on the world and win. They know that ALL applicants want to study for the ACT, and prepare for the CFA. If you were on the admissions panel though, who would you take if it came down to two kids battling for the same admissions slot; both with similar test scores, class standing, and CFA, but one played competitive varsity sports while working on everything else, and the other passed on sports for a semester so his/her schedule was easier?

If your application and numbers are so good that you think you will coast into an appointment, then you probably don't need to worry about it. But if you aren't sure if someone else might sneak in front of you, and impress USNA admissions enough to get the appointment in front of you, then put your nose to the grindstone and impress them with your commitment, dedication, hard work, and ability to manage time. I doubt you will regret it if that is the choice you make.
 
I have been accepted to all three academies but even going into my senior year I wasn't sure what sports I was going to play. I hoped to have an easier last semester of senior year but I realized that I only get to play high school sports once in my life. I am committed to play three varsity sports this spring and am very excited. If you don't want to play Baseball try a different sport. Track, Lacrosse, etc. I tried Lacrosse for the first time spring my Junior year. It was great because I had to start at square one and learn a new sport. I worked harder than I ever had to earn a starting spot and really pushed myself. Trying a new sport in 11th grade can be intimidating but I talked about the challenge in my admissions essays and have really grown from the experience.
(Lacrosse, Swimming, and Track are my three spring sports)
 
I have been accepted to all three academies but even going into my senior year I wasn't sure what sports I was going to play. I hoped to have an easier last semester of senior year but I realized that I only get to play high school sports once in my life. I am committed to play three varsity sports this spring and am very excited. If you don't want to play Baseball try a different sport. Track, Lacrosse, etc. I tried Lacrosse for the first time spring my Junior year. It was great because I had to start at square one and learn a new sport. I worked harder than I ever had to earn a starting spot and really pushed myself. Trying a new sport in 11th grade can be intimidating but I talked about the challenge in my admissions essays and have really grown from the experience.
(Lacrosse, Swimming, and Track are my three spring sports)

NotCollege, nice to see that you have appointment offers and are sharing peer advice. May I respectfully suggest when you say "accepted to all three academies," that you clarify? There are five of them. I know you know that. It's just a matter of clarity.

Edit: I must be curmudgeonly this morning, to nitpick on this. Apologies! It may be the effect of an article I had just read in today's Washington Post about an emerging career field in book publishing. Authors preparing to launch a book will hire a "sensitivity reader," who will review the manuscript for inaccurate portrayals or offensive content. It's either that or I have never escaped the grip of the Sisters of St. Joseph and their insistence on clear speech...
 
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NotCollege, nice to see that you have appointment offers and are sharing peer advice. May I respectfully suggest when you say "accepted to all three academies," that you clarify? There are five of them. I know you know that. It's just a matter of clarity.

Edit: I must be curmudgeonly this morning, to nitpick on this. Apologies! It may be the effect of an article I had just read in today's Washington Post about an emerging career field in book publishing. Authors preparing to launch a book will hire a "sensitivity reader," who will review the manuscript for inaccurate portrayals or offensive content. It's either that or I have never escaped the grip of the Sisters of St. Joseph and their insistence on clear speech...

There's an idea for a new career..."sensitivity coach" ...too bad I'm not sensitive enough lol
 
You are correct I should be specific. USNA, USAFA, and USMA are the three I have gotten into. I will have to look up that article it sounds like a good read. Thank you for pointing this out Capt.
 
I ended up trying out for track and making the team for long distance (there aren't that many long distance track runners at my school). I am only doing the one mile event and two mile event in preparation for my CFA at NASS this summer.
 
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