Army Football

[BlackKnight333]

Hello all, I am a senior seeking admission at West Point. Please tell me if this is a laughable question, but is it possible to walk on to the West Point football team? My parents never let me play tackle football, but I still play with my friends a lot. I run track and weigh lift every single day and am 5'11, 170. I know the game of football very well. I don't expect at all that I would actually be playing, but if it were possible to try out and make the team, it would be the greatest honor of my life. I would say that I am willing to do anything needed by the team and would 100% be willing to give my all to it every single day, even if it didn't mean playing time. Do you guys think there's a chance?

 

[A1Janitor]

You never know until you try.

Honestly, I would guess you have no chance.

 

[Ihavenoidea]

Depends on what you mean by "on the team". If you mean a chance to be on the sidelines in your gear and travel with the team. I would say 0.00001% chance. If you mean making a practice squad team and just practicing. Then I would give your chances at maybe 10%. The team is only allowed so many players on there roster. I'm not sure how willing they are to give up a spot on a player that has never played before and would have to be taught all the basic fundamentals from the beginning.

Your biggest problem is experience. College level football is not the best place to start a new sport. Intramural sports absolutely you can try new sports, but college level football is not a good idea. Reach out to the team and find out. All they can say is no, but even Rudy played in high school.

I'm sure USMA has intramural flag football or something like that. Maybe check that out.

 

[DrMom]

You can walk onto Sprint football. Look at the weight requirements.

 

[jl123]

Hello all, I am a senior seeking admission at West Point. Please tell me if this is a laughable question, but is it possible to walk on to the West Point football team? My parents never let me play tackle football, but I still play with my friends a lot. I run track and weigh lift every single day and am 5'11, 170. I know the game of football very well. I don't expect at all that I would actually be playing, but if it were possible to try out and make the team, it would be the greatest honor of my life. I would say that I am willing to do anything needed by the team and would 100% be willing to give my all to it every single day, even if it didn't mean playing time. Do you guys think there's a chance?

Possible, yes. Likely, no.

One of my plebe classmates walked on after being noticed for how dominating he was in intramural football - back when intramural was full pads, full contact. He ended up starting and being the best defensive player on the Corps Squad D-1 team.

Sprint Football is a more likely option and is a big deal deal at USMA.

 

[A1Janitor]

Possible, yes. Likely, no.

One of my plebe classmates walked on after being noticed for how dominating he was in intramural football - back when intramural was full pads, full contact. He ended up starting and being the best defensive player on the Corps Squad D-1 team.

Sprint Football is a more likely option and is a big deal deal at USMA.

Did he play high school football?

 

[shock-n-awe]

Hello all, I am a senior seeking admission at West Point. Please tell me if this is a laughable question, but is it possible to walk on to the West Point football team? My parents never let me play tackle football, but I still play with my friends a lot. I run track and weigh lift every single day and am 5'11, 170. I know the game of football very well. I don't expect at all that I would actually be playing, but if it were possible to try out and make the team, it would be the greatest honor of my life. I would say that I am willing to do anything needed by the team and would 100% be willing to give my all to it every single day, even if it didn't mean playing time. Do you guys think there's a chance?

Are you a competitive candidate for admission? Check the class profile and measure yourself against it.
Do you want to serve your country after graduation?
Those are the first questions you need to answer for yourself .

Having never played tackle football, it would seem highly unlikely to be accepted as a “walk on” player. There are many Cadets who were Varsity football players in HS that would never make the team if they wanted to.
West Point is Division 1 ……
Good luck!

BEAT NAVY!

 

[Runnerthirteen]

WP Sprint Football is also a recruited sport. Many of the players were Ivy League/Pioneer League/D3 recruited players. However, definitely worth looking into, especially because of your size. You might be a great fit for the team.

 

[DrMom]

Also Rugby.

 

[BlackKnight333]

Depends on what you mean by "on the team". If you mean a chance to be on the sidelines in your gear and travel with the team. I would say 0.00001% chance. If you mean making a practice squad team and just practicing. Then I would give your chances at maybe 10%. The team is only allowed so many players on there roster. I'm not sure how willing they are to give up a spot on a player that has never played before and would have to be taught all the basic fundamentals from the beginning.

Your biggest problem is experience. College level football is not the best place to start a new sport. Intramural sports absolutely you can try new sports, but college level football is not a good idea. Reach out to the team and find out. All they can say is no, but even Rudy played in high school.

I'm sure USMA has intramural flag football or something like that. Maybe check that out.

I appreciate the honesty, I didn't really think there was much of a chance and just thought there was no harm in asking. I'll definitely be cheering as hard as anyone with the cadets in the stands (If I'm admitted of course).

 

[BlackKnight333]

WP Sprint Football is also a recruited sport. Many of the players were Ivy League/Pioneer League/D3 recruited players. However, definitely worth looking into, especially because of your size. You might be a great fit for the team.

Thank you for the response, that's really interesting. I hadn't heard of sprint football before but I'll look into it.

 

[BlackKnight333]

Are you a competitive candidate for admission? Check the class profile and measure yourself against it.
Do you want to serve your country after graduation?
Those are the first questions you need to answer for yourself .

Having never played tackle football, it would seem highly unlikely to be accepted as a “walk on” player. There are many Cadets who were Varsity football players in HS that would never make the team if they wanted to.
West Point is Division 1 ……
Good luck!

BEAT NAVY!

Do I want to serve?
Absolutely!
I think my question about football team was pretty silly and I knew it likely was asking it. Thank you for the response, you're definitely right.

 

[Runnerthirteen]

I think it’s great you’re thinking about what you can do once you arrive.

 

[NavyHoops]

The football team has student equipment managers, video coordinators, and all kinds of other opportunities. If you really want to be involved with the team, there are options like this to support the team and be around them. Those who stay long enough travel with the team if needed. Lots of ways to ‘contribute’ and pursue interests maybe not in the traditional way.

 

[FutureAcademyDad?]

Walk-Ons happen. While it is not common, people can make D1 teams at the academies, even though they were not recruited. Case in point, a candidate from our district was a walk-on to the Navy team and ended up being the captain during his Firstie year.

If you have a fire in your belly and the desire to compete for a spot, then go for it. The only time you're guaranteed not to achieve something, is if you don't take your shot.

 

[FL2026]

The football team actively recruits more individuals than they have roster space for and cut recruited players. So although it’s possible it is unlikely.

 

[A1Janitor]

Walk-Ons happen. While it is not common, people can make D1 teams at the academies, even though they were not recruited. Case in point, a candidate from our district was a walk-on to the Navy team and ended up being the captain during his Firstie year.

If you have a fire in your belly and the desire to compete for a spot, then go for it. The only time you're guaranteed not to achieve something, is if you don't take your shot.

Did he play in high school?

 

[FutureAcademyDad?]

Yes. However, athletic talent is not necessarily dependent on prior experience. I'm not saying that it is likely that someone can walk on to a D1 team at an Academy, but that it is possible. If the person has the desire and the requisite athletic talent, it is certainly feasible that they could win a spot on the team. It all depends on how much talent they have and how much drive they put into the effort.
If they really want it and they're willing to put in the effort and work required to achieve the goal, then it is possible. Unlikely, but possible.

 

[A1Janitor]

Yes. However, athletic talent is not necessarily dependent on prior experience. I'm not saying that it is likely that someone can walk on to a D1 team at an Academy, but that it is possible. If the person has the desire and the requisite athletic talent, it is certainly feasible that they could win a spot on the team. It all depends on how much talent they have and how much drive they put into the effort.
If they really want it and they're willing to put in the effort and work required to achieve the goal, then it is possible. Unlikely, but possible.

Maybe. My son was D3 level basketball. No way he could have stepped on and played basketball.

Football in my mind would be tough to do without ever playing. At 5’11” and 170 - those are the skill positions.

I hope he tries out and makes it though.

 

[jbm2m]

Yes. However, athletic talent is not necessarily dependent on prior experience. I'm not saying that it is likely that someone can walk on to a D1 team at an Academy, but that it is possible. If the person has the desire and the requisite athletic talent, it is certainly feasible that they could win a spot on the team. It all depends on how much talent they have and how much drive they put into the effort.
If they really want it and they're willing to put in the effort and work required to achieve the goal, then it is possible. Unlikely, but possible.

Again, not likely at all, but I had 2 friends in college who walked onto our Power 5 football team. One was insanely fast - ran track in high school and clocked a sub-4.3 40. The other was 6’4” and 240 lbs of lean muscle. He had grown up playing basketball. Although his hands were terrible (got moved from WR to TE), he eventually moved to LB and played a couple years in the NFL. All of this is to say, you don’t *have* to have experience… but you need to make of for it in intelligence and work ethic (both of which you should have if competitive for WP), as well as freakish athleticism.