What happens if you get injured at NAPS?

D

Dial the gate

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Just wondering what happens if a recruited athlete gets injured while at NAPS and their injury is such that the coach no longer wants them on the team?

If the injury is waiverable though, can they stay and still pursue an appointment to the academy?

If they can't attend USNA, what is their status when applying to college for the next year, is their time spent at NAPS equivalent to time at a community college or is it considered like a Gap year?

We are beginning to look at different recruiting contracts for DS #2 and just wondering if anyone has any knowledge on what happens at NAPS. We spoke with a cadet at AFA who was injured his 3rd year playing football, the injury was not enough to send him home but he was no longer on the team...but that is of course after he was already there at the academy.

Thanks
 
Son's friend (baseball player) injured his shoulder at NAPS several years ago. Following surgery and physical therapy he was still not able to get a waiver for the injury. The coaching staff at USNA was involved and supportive but could not get DODMERB to budge. Had he been granted the waiver, he would have been allowed to go to Annapolis but would not have been able to play baseball at that level.

After NAPS graduation (unfortunately it took that long to hear about the waiver decision) he started applying to colleges. He pinpointed those that had rolling admissions and allowed students to start college 2nd semester. That fall he took some courses at a local community college and then went to a major state university the following semester.
 
Thank you, cheers, for the insight!

These kids sure face some uphill battles with their dreams. Hope your son's friend is happy and healed.
 
The key is whether you are qualified medically to be admitted to USNA.

USNA doesn't offer athletic scholarships in the same way civilian schools do -- to NAPS or to USNA. Thus, if you become NPQ for a sport at NAPS -- or simply don't want to play any more -- that's not going to change your ability to enter USNA or stay there.

However, if you become medically disqualified and you're at NAPS, you're not going to be admitted to USNA any more than you would be admitted as a direct appointment. You must remain medically qualified while at NAPS. Of course, not all medical conditions are disqualifying so there may be injuries or illnesses that are waiverable, etc., just like with other candidates.

Once you're at USNA, whether you can stay will depend on the nature of your condition (can you qualify for SOME job upon graduation), what year you're in when the injury/illness occurs, the current views of USNA and the Navy about these issues in terms of letting you graduate, etc. It becomes a judgment call.
 
Think I'll wander into an area beyond what the OP intended but was was raised nonetheless.


Why are you wanting to attend the NA? To become a naval or MC officer? Or to win the Poinsettia Bowl?

Why are you at NAPS? For remedial work to allow you to succeed at the academy? Or to improve your lax skills?

An injury at NAPS will not impact the first of these in the least (depending on the nature of the injury of course) but may impact the second.

But, the SA's are better than almost all other D1 schools in that your "scholarship" is not dependent on the coach's opinion of your skills. Fantastic you got a full ride to play baseball at Huge U. Get injured and watch how fast that scholarship is pulled.

So again, I'll ask: Why do you want to attend a service academy? And, why are you at NAPS? Your answer to those questions will do more to answer your question than a DODMERB query.
 
^^ I wonder about some of the same things. If one is studying 'recruiting contracts', I tend to think you need to resolve the issue of the end game first. Is his goal to become an officer in the military or a pro athlete????

You also have no way to know ahead of time if an applicant will be offered an appointment directly out of h.s. or NAPS. You apply to USNA and they make that decision. Every recruited athlete does NOT go to NAPS.
 
Osdad and time2, all great questions that we review on an ongoing basis. DS is an army brat and has always wanted to join the military and fly helicopters. Both parents were army, but younger son is exposed to older brother's love for the navy and consequently USNA as this has been his dream and a loooong process that the younger one has picked up on. He loves football and is very good at it, as a freshman last year was moved to the JV team and then the varsity team and will start next year on varsity as a soph. He is already receiving recruiting information as NCAA changed their rules this year and can make contact sooner.. As a result of some of those rules, colleges are also requiring commitments sooner, which is why I ask the question about NAPS. Of course his goal is a direct appointment, but as a football player, we also have to understand how NAPS works as well. I am sure if he gets the opportunity to speak with a coach, our questions will be answered, but like so many of most people's questions about the academies, SAF is a great place to start.
 
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