<p>hi, i am currently a junior in HS right now…</p>
<p>just sent in some basic sports questionnaires to USAFA, and USNA, just wondering when i will hear from the coaches. is there some NCAA rule that coaches have to follow?? thanks!</p>
<p>Oh Boy, My Specialty!
It is ALWAYS OK for you to contact a coach. It is NOT always OK for them to contact you. They know the rules, so if you want to initiate personal contact, send an email. If they respond with generic information about the Academy, try again in six months. But, as a junior, they are allowed to talk to you in some ways. Just MAKE SURE that when you establish contact, you tell them you're a junior.
That's the easy way, or so I've found.</p>
<p>Definite good advice on contacting them. The thing about recruited athletes is that a lot depends on the sport and on the rest of your package. While the coaches have so many spots that they can recruit for, they don't actually give out athletic scholarships. If you can get in on your own gpa, sat/act, class ranking, EC, and nomination, then the coaches are more eager to recruit you. That's because they can take in as many as they want but you've gotten the appointment on your own. They don't have anything to lose with you. If you are trying to get in just on your athletic abilities with the average grades and test scores, then you better be GREAT in your sport. </p>
<p>My son had contact with the air force recruiter since last summer. Throughout the football season, the recruiter kept mentioning walk ons and possible openings. My son however was able to get an appointment on his own in November, Once he had the appointment, his athletic accomplishments allowed the coaches to blue chip him instead of a walk on. Don't get me wrong; he excelled in football. Excellent stats. All state. etc... But he already had an appointment. That made him feel better; (Because going to the academy and being an officer is his primary goal); and it was easier on the coaches because they didn't have to worry about academic issues making it difficult to get in. Remember, even if you are one of the best in your sport, it's difficult to get you into the academy if you are a "C" student in high school.</p>
<p>I guess what I'm saying is; by all means keep in contact with the coaches, but do everything in your power academically to get the appointment on your own without athletics. If you can do that, then the athletics will fall into place if you're good at your sport. If you don't have a 27+ ACT or 1800+ SAT and your GPA isn't in the mid 3's, then you've got some work to do.</p>
<p>I think I was Blue Chipped before I got an LOA, nomination or admission. Christcorp, your wording was a little confusing there, but you can get a Blue Chip (at least in some sports) as a "plus" to your admissions packet. I would imagine that it's worth about a third or so of a principal nomination in terms of qualification for admission, but that's just my guess based on how coaches described it to me.
But, good point. Do your best academically, drop a line here and there in athletics, but no matter what happens with your athletics, you need a good academic score more than anything else.</p>
<p>Correct. You can be blue chipped. You don't have to walk on. Point was that if you aren't one that they are actively recruiting; but are still very good in your sport; then getting an appointment without the sports makes it easier for them to also recruit you. If they are actively recruiting you, then this thread wouldn't have been started because the academy would have been coming to you. Probably last summer. But, if you are contacting them, then it helps to take care of their concerns by doing everything to get into the academy without the athletics. </p>
<p>They had been watching my son since the beginning of the school year. But were waiting to see how his season ended and how his stats were. When they came and wanted to talk to him about football in November, he had already gotten his appointment and accepted it. That took a lot of questions and concerns away from the coaches. Blue Chipping became a no brainer. I'm sure that had he not already had his appointment they would still have been interested. Just that they would need to ensure that he could get in academically and the rest of his package looked good. Already having the appointment just made it very simple.</p>
<p>Hi Christcorp, I think that I may have a kid who will be "blue chipped" - but, I think his grades are slightly below what you have mentioned - though, I think his ACT/SAT will be at that level. Did you get these standards from a coach or BGO?</p>
<p>the grades/stats that I mention are the normal range for a normal applicant going through the academy appointment process. As far as athletes go, it is definitely flexible. Now, what that number is, I can't say.</p>
<p>What I do know however is that if a coach is recruiting your kid, and they "OFFER" them a slot, then the coaches have done their homework and reviewed the recruit. The won't "OFFER" them a slot if they can't get them in. So, if they are recruited by Air Force and "OFFERED" a slot, then there's nothing to worry about. They will even help get the nomination if needed.</p>
<p>My comments were based more for the athlete not being directly recruited. If you can get in on your own, and you're also a good athlete, then that just makes it easier on the coaches.</p>
<p>FWIW; if you are a good athlete and your grades are in the 2.Xgpa area, the coaching staff "probably" isn't going to make the kid an "OFFER". But then again, I'm not the coaching staff. The coaches and recruiters I spoke with did say that they won't make an offer to a kid unless they know they can get them in.</p>
<p>thanks to all</p>
<p>it has been about 2-3 weeks since i sent in my questionnaire, i haven't heard anything. Would it be appropriate to go ahead and directly email the coach? I don't want to be annoying or anything..thanks.</p>
<p>It depends on the sport. If it's football or a fall sport, then it's probably ok to contact them. This way you can get them your junior year stats. If it's Basketball, wrestling, or a sport that is still in season or hasn't come up yet in the spring, then you might want to wait. The first question the coaches are going to ask is; "Can you send me your stats". They also contact the local schools and talk to the coaches.</p>
<p>For instance; last spring, around the end of April, the football coach/recruiter for our area contacted our coach and asked him if there were any kids that were good at the sport who might be interested in the Air Force Academy. That's how he got my son's name. He had us fill out the questionnaire. He also saw where my son had already applied to Summer Seminar and was accepted. So he sort of sat on it until summer. He spoke with my son in July after his academy application was already complete. This was all for football. The fact that my son was already doing the academy application made recruiting not so important. When my son got his appointment in November, it made recruiting even easier. </p>
<p>So, it all depends on your sport. If it's a winter sport or spring, wait till it's over so you will have some stats to give him. If it's a fall sport, then definitely give them a call. Remember, they are still very busy trying to get this year's recruited athletes signed up and an appointment.</p>