Walk-ons during plebe summer

Any insight/personal experiences on Varsity, Club, or Co Ed teams that encourage walk ons? Also ran Track and was supposed to go up last summer for the camp, but I’m not as passionate about track anymore.
 
Skipper07 said:
Sailing will teach you everything you need to know to walk on.
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True for offshore. Not always true for Intercollegiate (Dinghy). As an Ensign, I coached during Plebe Summer and most of the folks came to us with significant racing experience. There are some exceptions as the old sports maxim goes: “You can't teach size.” In Intercollegiate sailing crew weight is a critical factor.

FWIW, I joined the team as a Plebe with 2 summers of daily racing experience. My son joined as a Youngster with no appreciable racing experience but an appropriate fit for a specific role.
 
Saveair-K said:
Any insight/personal experiences on Varsity, Club, or Co Ed teams that encourage walk ons? Also ran Track and was supposed to go up last summer for the camp, but I’m not as passionate about track anymore.
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Track is easy for you to evaluate yourself. Seek out the specific times/performances that the coaches are seeking and if you don't approach those, you at least have a goalpost to measure yourself against. The specific times/info is available online.
 
I concur with @OldRetSWO

I should've clarified. VOST will teach you everything you need to know. IC sailing takes fewer (probably a handful or less most years) walk-ons-- usually those with experience, or those who happen to fit the physical proportions they need, or both.
 
Any insight on if one can choose pole vault on the track team during plebe summer? I am definitely not at the D1 level but I still want to continue the sport and at least practice however, I haven’t seen anything regarding club pole vault.
 
Question? Did the normal summer sports happen last year during Covid stuff. Will it be same this summer?
 
SDpolo said:
Question? Did the normal summer sports happen last year during Covid stuff. Will it be same this summer?
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According to DS, it didn't. At least during July, If I recall. maybe during early August before what would have been PPW, they started to make contact with coaches, etc.
 
Is there still Batt Lax or was that transformed into Club Lax? Batt Lax was quite competitive and notoriously physical in my day given the number of guys from Maryland, LI, Upstate NY who played in HS but weren't good enough for D1.
 
8th Wing Refugee said:
Is there still Batt Lax or was that transformed into Club Lax? Batt Lax was quite competitive and notoriously physical in my day given the number of guys from Maryland, LI, Upstate NY who played in HS but weren't good enough for D1.
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Yes there is a club lax team
 
DD rowed at USNA (varsity-boat1 at the bow). Ditto on Women's and Men's crew welcoming walk ons; I met some of the walk-ons and parents during DD's plebe year. Lots of threads here about sports at USNA and the upside-downside of participating on a NCAA Div1 team as a USNA Midshipmen. I have nothing bad to say, its just a different path through the USNA, (I think).

For your purposes I will just 2nd Temple17, and add that I remember DD telling me that crew workouts during Plebe summer were "Wonderful". Rowing was like breathing for DDback then, (kinda still is). You might not enjoy being on the water as much as DD did/does, but even if you don't "fall in love with the sweep" I think DD would tell you plebe summer is a great time to give rowing a shot.

According to DD, while the team workouts weren't easy; they were different!!! During workouts she was a team-mate, not a plebe. The vibe was different at the crew house (relaxed less "apprehensive?". It was time away from squad members she could ID by body-aroma alone, and it was 2 hours in her day that were NOT PLEBE SUMMER! DD would tell you "if you are honestly interested its a good time (no, a perfect time to give it a shot)".

If you live in a community anywhere close to water you should have a rowing club nearby. In my Exp. most clubs get new members by offering insane deals on rowing lessons. DW paid $55 for 10 2hour long lessons that got me started. Clubs figure once you learn to row and "feel the glide" you'll be hooked and join/donate to the club. If you haven't tried rowing yet, check out a local club and see what they can do for you. Tell them you are headed to the USNA and what you plan to do. I bet they'll wanna help anyway they can-----my club would.
 
Temple17 said:
Hello,

You're in luck because crew team welcomes walk-ons.

How do I walk-on?
About a week into Plebe Summer, afternoon sports will start. On that day, every plebe gets the opportunity to pick a sport to participate in over the summer. You will choose crew, and the detailers will take you to the boat house. You will go to the boat house about 28 times over plebe summer and get the chance work out on the rowing machine, go out on the water, & get to know the women's crew team.

If you decide Crew is the sport for you, you will continue going to crew practice when the academic year starts.

I did HWT Crew over plebe summer & really enjoyed it. It was nice to get to know a new sport. I continued with crew about a week into the academic year & then decided it was not for me, and pursued a club sport which I love.

Like I said earlier, the crew team loves walk-ons, and the women's team doesn't cut people. So, if you want to pursue crew, just go for it the first day of sports period over plebe summer.

Let me know if you have any other questions.
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Do you know anything about men's golf walk-ons?
 
Just Dad said:
DD rowed at USNA (varsity-boat1 at the bow). Ditto on Women's and Men's crew welcoming walk ons; I met some of the walk-ons and parents during DD's plebe year. Lots of threads here about sports at USNA and the upside-downside of participating on a NCAA Div1 team as a USNA Midshipmen. I have nothing bad to say, its just a different path through the USNA, (I think).

For your purposes I will just 2nd Temple17, and add that I remember DD telling me that crew workouts during Plebe summer were "Wonderful". Rowing was like breathing for DDback then, (kinda still is). You might not enjoy being on the water as much as DD did/does, but even if you don't "fall in love with the sweep" I think DD would tell you plebe summer is a great time to give rowing a shot.

According to DD, while the team workouts weren't easy; they were different!!! During workouts she was a team-mate, not a plebe. The vibe was different at the crew house (relaxed less "apprehensive?". It was time away from squad members she could ID by body-aroma alone, and it was 2 hours in her day that were NOT PLEBE SUMMER! DD would tell you "if you are honestly interested its a good time (no, a perfect time to give it a shot)".

If you live in a community anywhere close to water you should have a rowing club nearby. In my Exp. most clubs get new members by offering insane deals on rowing lessons. DW paid $55 for 10 2hour long lessons that got me started. Clubs figure once you learn to row and "feel the glide" you'll be hooked and join/donate to the club. If you haven't tried rowing yet, check out a local club and see what they can do for you. Tell them you are headed to the USNA and what you plan to do. I bet they'll wanna help anyway they can-----my club would.
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This is really informative, thank you! I unfortunately don’t live near water, but I’m excited to try it out!
 
Saveair-K, I admire your attitude! Sounds like you will be an awesome teammate in whichever sport you choose.
 
From what I've heard about how it used to be, everything changed last year. Hopefully future classes will have more opportunities than '24 for athletics but the current plebes had little to no sports period during plebe summer in terms of contact with varsity sports (unless recruited already). Walk ons (for the sports my son picked) were cancelled due to covid and many club sports for this academic year have been cancelled or not allowed to practice. Gyms and rec areas have been closed for pick up sports.
So far, despite his best efforts, he has had no chance to be part of a team sport. Definitely not what was supposed to happen, so I hope things are better for the next class.
 
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