Walking On at the Academy

[ajpimentel]

Does anyone know how the process of walking onto a team at West Point goes? I plan on trying to run Track, and I'm just shy of the recruiting standards by a few seconds on the 800m. Is the tryouts after Beast?

 

[Roadking]

Does anyone know how the process of walking onto a team at West Point goes? I plan on trying to run Track, and I'm just shy of the recruiting standards by a few seconds on the 800m. Is the tryouts after Beast?

Email the track Coach and ask. My DS 2017 Grad was a recruited athlete and they had at least 2 opportunities during beast to get with the team for informal workouts, I believe it was called "mass athletics". Maybe the coach could arrange for you to participate in these beast workouts? It's worth a shot, good luck!

 

[Flevvy]

Hey there. About halfway through Beast 1 (the first three weeks, so about 1.5 weeks through), new cadets can opt to try-out for fall teams during the evenings. I distinctly recall T&F/XC doing their tryouts well into the academic year, too.

Definitely get in touch with the coaches, though. They'll have a better answer.

 

[JoeB316]

This is very out of date, but I tried out during beast and "walked on" to the track team. I was asked to run the 100 against 6 or 7 other new cadets. I won. The rest were cut on the spot. I continued practicing with the team for the rest of beast and into September before I was also cut. I believe it is VERY DIFFICULT to walk on...but not impossible.

 

[USMAGRAD1988]

My DS (Class of 2024) contacted the Track & Field coach his senior year via email and started a conversation with him. My son was not a recruited athlete, but the coach invited him to try out for the team during Beast, which he did. He continued to show up to practice (his attitude was "I will continue to go until I am told I am cut") well into the fall and was finally told by the coach that he had made the team (he is a thrower). After his first semester the only other plebe thrower on the team (a recruited athlete) quit the team leaving my son as the only plebe on the team in his event. I'm sure the coach was happy he tried out during Beast. In my son's case he took the initiative and worked hard and finally earned his spot.

 

[DrMom]

My DS (Class of 2024) contacted the Track & Field coach his senior year via email and started a conversation with him. My son was not a recruited athlete, but the coach invited him to try out for the team during Beast, which he did. He continued to show up to practice (his attitude was "I will continue to go until I am told I am cut") well into the fall and was finally told by the coach that he had made the team (he is a thrower). After his first semester the only other plebe thrower on the team (a recruited athlete) quit the team leaving my son as the only plebe on the team in his event. I'm sure the coach was happy he tried out during Beast. In my son's case he took the initiative and worked hard and finally earned his spot.

Capt America had a similar story. He matriculated from Jakarta so was not recruited but was invited to all pre-R-Day events & was on the team w/ the mid-distance runners. (His event was the 800). The fancy recruited 800 guy did not last the first semester--he was one of the fastest in the nation at that time.) So, yes, it can work out, esp for track & field.