Women's Sports Opportunity at USNA

<p>I played ice hockey and did martial arts and I'm definitely interested in continuing the sports at the academy. I did realize that since fewer females attend the school, there were fewer number of sports available to women. Since the academy doesn't have female hockey team, does that mean I have to pick up on a new team sport when I attend there? Or do I still have an opportunity to play hockey/do martial arts?</p>

<p>Have you searched the Academy's "athletics" link? It lists all varsity and club level sports for men and women. There are also intramurals in many sports.
CM</p>

<p>Yes I have. From what I've seen, they only have select sports that are usually offered in many schools (i.e. Track, Soccer, etc) but do not have many. I think the closest match (of sports which they offer) for me is lacrosse, but if it's a club sport (not varsity) does it require you to have prior experience?</p>

<p>Navy has a new hockey facility and currently has a men's ice hockey club. You can try to start your own team...most of the academies allow students to form teams if they can get enough interest. Also, as far a trying a new sport, I am sure they would welcome your interest despite not having experience in the sport.</p>

<p>Do you mean ice hockey or field hockey? I expect you'd have great success in starting up a women's field hockey team (anecdotal information only, lots of the very athletic women at USNA played field hockey in HS). There is a well defined process for creating a new sport -- a few years back it students who moved women's rugby through the process.</p>

<p>From what I've seen, if you have athletic aptitude you can join a club team or potentially even a varsity team without prior experience. The Academy reached out to my kid for women's crew and 2-man sailing, although she had no prior experience, based on other criteria that made it seem like a good match. During Plebe Summer each plebe choses a sport and they spend 2 hours almost every day in sports practice. Since the sport my kid plans on playing in the fall (club lacrosse) wasn't offered in the summer, she's spent the past month playing soccer -- a sport she never played in HS.</p>

<p>At the summer seminar I made a comment that one of the detailers overheard. I said, "Lacross looks pretty cool. I've always wanted to try it out, but I've never had the chance around the area I live..." The detailer told me that if I go to the academy, then I'll get that chance. So, I guess no prior experience is necessary to play any sport (though it'd be helpful).</p>

<p>Women's lacrosse becoming varsity and Division 1 in 2008!!!!!!! Hope to be recruited</p>