Anonymous wrote:NP here - DS is in Middle School and USNA is his dream, even if it is a long-shot. He is aware of ROTC as well. He is extremely self-motivated, has put himself on a track to Eagle Scout, has straight A's in all honors, is a top runner on the MS Cross Country and Track teams and is playing an instrument. Looking at starting towards his pilot license soon with a local low-cost program. I realize we are years away, but is there anything else you would recommend working on now to be ready for later?

NP - It sounds like he is doing the right things and knows it is a long shot. Especially in relation to the service academies, remember that things can happen that are out of his control. I have seen health issues, even minor ones, derail kids' dreams of attending a military academy even late in the process. And one guy who had a growth spurt the year before applying that left him too tall for his dream of being a Navy pilot. My advice would be to keep encouraging your son about USNA, but spend an equal amount of energy (or more, given his personality) on encouraging him to consider what else will make him happy if it isn't an option.

Anonymous wrote:Not related at all....look at softball, FH, baseball, wrestling... none of those kids could pass the academy fitness test if ALL they did was their sport at high school. None of them.

Wrestlers are the most fit athletes among kids who participate in hs sports. What a dumb statement. Try training with them for a single practice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not related at all....look at softball, FH, baseball, wrestling... none of those kids could pass the academy fitness test if ALL they did was their sport at high school. None of them.

Strange you would include wrestling in that group. It is probably one of the best sports for fitness, with many teams including multi-mile runs, strength training, etc. into wrestling practices/workouts.

You know wrestling and pro wrestling aren't the same, right?

So. They would be ready for basic training

Not even close. Most wrestlers in HS are not fit. They only run when they need to drop weight. They have no cardio stamina.

You clearly have no idea what wrestling entails. It's basically combining sprinting and resistance training in one...anyone that has gone 100% for a 6 minute match will tell you it's the most intense 6 minutes of any high school sport. Also, most of the physical test for a military academy is pull ups, pushups and crunches. Wrestling practice is tailor-made for this kind of stuff, with fairly lite, strong kids with almost no body fat who have to do all of those things every day for practice.

The running part is the easiest part of the test.

I was a high school All American and NCAA finalist in track. In high school I was told I could be a great wrestler after beating our varsity guy in PE as a 9th grader. I said no way. Wrestlers are really tough, and in fantastic shape. They could easily meet military running standards. Track was much less strenuous, particularly if you had a great kick. I would float for 70 percent of many races. Can't float for a second in wrestling.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can do non-cut sports, weight lifting and all sorts of things.

This.

Also, service academies and serving as an officer are high pressure environments. If your student struggles as it is in their high school environment do not push them towards a service academy. Not everyone makes it through academies and after sophomore year you are on the hook for the cost of training $$$. The outcomes for service academy dropouts are far worse than students who attend other "lesser" institutions or enlist. Don't be tempted to push your student along for the siren song of free college. It is isn't free it is paid for in different ways.

This is a great response.