<p>I am aware that West Point and the other Academies view team sports more favorably than individual sports, but I only play individual sports. Is this going to be a big problem for me? My sports are Varsity Tennis, Varsity Golf(hopefully) and I am a Black Belt. I was on Junior Varsity Crew freshman year, but it was a club team and was too expensive. I also played travel soccer freshman and Sophomore years but had to quit because of all my other activities. ( I'm not on the school team because they're second in the nation and I am on Tennis instead). Any suggestions or input? Thanks.</p>
<p>Suggestion: make sure you are captain of the tennis team next year. My son is a diver...very individual. He was captain, however. Our school is very very competitive. It is unbelievably difficult to make a varsity (or even JV) team for something like baseball. Anyone can join football...you just don't get to play. Good luck!</p>
<p>Tennis was my cadet's sport. She was on JV her freshman year, Varsity for 3 years and Captain her Senior year. No soccer, basketball, volleyball, or other "team" sports. If fitness is what WP is looking for, a sport is a sport is a sport. There are many other ways to be part of a "team" that are not tied to sports.</p>
<p>My son played no varsity sport. He was a 2nd degree black belt in tae kwon do.<br>
"If fitness is what WP is looking for, a sport is a sport is a sport."
Fitness level is generally measured by the CFA.
The concept behind USMA looking for candidates who have played a sport is not only related to fitness. In addition they are looking for the attributes of a competitive athlete. They are looking for leadership ability, a competitive spirit, the ability to work as part of a team, the ability to take hard knocks, and the ability to dust yourself off after failure and try again. This is why sport participation is scored under "leadership potential" for the WCS.</p>
<p>Interesting that the sports participation enters into the WCS under leadership! Somehow I had missed that before and thought it would be scored with the CFA. </p>
<p>My son was just offered an appointment with track as his only sport (participated last spring and began practicing already for this spring; varsity letter last spring). However, he has also earned Physical Fitness ribbons in JROTC and CAP and been part of a huge Marching Band program-nearly one quarter of the student body is in the band---we go to football games to watch the halftime, not for the football :). He was a trumpet squad leader his jr. year and a section leader this year among many other leadership activities. Now I wonder how they scored all of that into the WCS, whether it was looked at from an athletic perspective, or just general leadership. </p>
<p>My point is, don't lose hope: he is living proof that you don't have to be a super-athlete to gain an appointment.</p>
<p>BTW, anytime he gave his trumpet squad members push-ups for misbehavior or for forgetting/not having proper equipment, he would get down and do them side-by-side with the squad member being reprimanded. I think that is how he managed to max the push-ups on the CFA, as well as being respected among his peers for his leadership style!</p>
<p>Ann, what did your son do to show that he was good at Tae Kwon Do? Did he make a video, or just write a letter verifying his rank?</p>
<p>Friartown: He had his instructor write a recommendation letter explaining the leadership and character he had demonstrated, his participation time, verifying his rank, the competitions he had competed in, and the where he placed in those competitions.</p>
<p>Thanks Ann, I think I'll do the same. Is your son on the Martial Arts team at West Point? Also, does anyone know about the music program at West Point? Is there a marching/ Pep band to join?</p>
<p>Friartown: Yes, there is a spirit band you can join. Interestingy, my son decided not to join the Martial Arts team at WP.</p>
<p>Ann, do you know if I should submit a recording of my performance? I know that it could help with some civilian colleges. I obviously do not want to major in music but I am the Principal clarinet for my school and Treasurer of the band. I would like to continue playing through college (hopefully WEst point).</p>
<p>USMA website: [BandBoard.Com[/url</a>]</p>
<p>No auditions required to be a part of the Cadet Spirit Band. You'll have a chance to join at Club Night, usually the first week or two of classes Fall semester. First home game is early next season, so they may be able to get you going sooner than club night. During Beast, you'll probably have cadre or meet an upperclassmen who is in the band.</p>
<p>Upperclassmen have priority to travel to away games, but it depends on instrumentation needs sometimes. The band does not march. It is a pep band.</p>
<p>More photos:
[url=<a href="http://www.west-point.org/family/mem2009/events.php?EventID=19%5DClass">http://www.west-point.org/family/mem2009/events.php?EventID=19]Class</a> of 2009 Memory Page](<a href="http://www.usma.edu/uscc/dca/clubs/spirit/index.html%5DBandBoard.Com%5B/url">http://www.usma.edu/uscc/dca/clubs/spirit/index.html)</p>
<p>Friartown: I know that the USMMA gives bonus WCS points to candidates who have band potential (they have a cadet band). Your clarinet experience would be a big plus there. At USMA, there is a professional Army band. Cadets only play in the spirit band (supports football games etc.) so it is not really a big plus as far as admissions goes. It will however be counted as an EC activity.</p>