So I have been on this forum for about 5-6 years now. Like most dads I came here looking for info on hitting and HS baseball. I found so much more its been a terrific source for me to learn and understand. This whole baseball thing is truly an adventure that teaches many lessons. My son and I have experienced the full gambit of ups and downs along the way. I know many of you read my post on showcasing injured last summer as that was a very difficult time for my son and I as we did not really know if he would ever play again in HS or let alone college. Then came the fall and he was contacted by a coach from a very high level academic D3 and verbally committed contingent upon passing admissions. Coach thought he had a very good chance of being admitted especially after retaking the SAT subject test for math and hitting the number the coach thought he needed to get to be admitted. In the meantime my son applied for many colleges and continued to focus on his studies. The acceptance letters started to roll in and he had gotten into some very prestigious colleges (like UCLA). Then came the email from the D3 where he was guaranteed a spot on the baseball roster. We thought surely he would get admitted especially being on the Coaches supported list. Well you probably already figured out that he got a rejection letter so that opportunity to play baseball was gone just like that. So as he sat licking his wounds he had received another acceptance letter from an institution that we all knew would be a long shot to get into. He received a nomination into the AF Academy. So now he had some choices so we decided to take a trip down to Colorado Springs to do a Cadet tour. It was love at first site, he accepted his appointment on the spot and will start end of June with basic cadet training. He has also contacted the baseball coach and was told he will have and opportunity to walk on. Whats important here is not the walk on opportunity but what he has learned along the way and how to deal with adversity and rejection. Like so many others have said, the ride is short so sit back and enjoy it. This could be my sons last season of baseball but that's okay because he still has his whole life in front of him and will take advantage of the opportunities that comes his way. These ups and downs of baseball are full of life's lessons.
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I love this story. Congratulations Stanballdad! And thank your son for his upcoming service to all of us. Just awesome!
Congrats standballdad and son! Your son worked his tail off to get these opportunities and options. Thank your son for his service to his country.
Congrats. Getting in the AF Academy has to be very challenging from an academic perspective so that high academic D3 must have been really high. Best of luck going forward.
Congrats!
Great story! Best of luck to your son!
This is great news! So happy for him and your family!
I read the book Civil Wars. It's about the Army - Navy football game and following players through a season. If your son can be a cadet and play baseball at the same time he genuinely loves the game.
Awesome, that's great news to hear! Congrats to your son & the family. AIM HIGH!
Congratulations! Baseball or not, he has a heck of an opportunity and adventure in front of him. He'll get to do things he never dreamed of. As a Naval Academy grad, I can tell you it's not an easy road, but well worth the risks and sacrifices! Good luck to your son!
congrats.
Thank you standballdad. Hope he gets to fulfill his dream.
Best of luck to your son and family.
As an AF Academy grad, congratulations! Life changing experiences lay ahead, keep him running in those boots, keep up the push ups, and master 20 pull ups. Basic cadet training is physically very demanding and a mental pressure cooker. If you are prepared physically, you can manage what an upper classman is trying to communicate to you.
Tell your son to learn this: Yes sir/mam, No sir/mam, Sir/mam- may ask a question, Sir/mam - may I make a statement.
Stay in touch with any questions you guys may have.
Thank you Gov you have been very helpful with the AF journey.
standballdad posted:Thank you Gov you have been very helpful with the AF journey.
Happy to assist!
That is great news. Things happen for a reason. When one door closes, another opens.
Many just need to watch for it.
I am very happy for your son. Only a special few get this opportunity.
Gov posted:As an AF Academy grad, congratulations! Life changing experiences lay ahead, keep him running in those boots, keep up the push ups, and master 20 pull ups. Basic cadet training is physically very demanding and a mental pressure cooker. If you are prepared physically, you can manage what an upper classman is trying to communicate to you.
Tell your son to learn this: Yes sir/mam, No sir/mam, Sir/mam- may ask a question, Sir/mam - may I make a statement.
Stay in touch with any questions you guys may have.
Our four standard responses were yes sir, no sir, no excuse sir, and I'll find out sir. ( or ma'am as they case may be ) Remember these and life will be much easier !
pabaseballdad posted:Gov posted:As an AF Academy grad, congratulations! Life changing experiences lay ahead, keep him running in those boots, keep up the push ups, and master 20 pull ups. Basic cadet training is physically very demanding and a mental pressure cooker. If you are prepared physically, you can manage what an upper classman is trying to communicate to you.
Tell your son to learn this: Yes sir/mam, No sir/mam, Sir/mam- may ask a question, Sir/mam - may I make a statement.
Stay in touch with any questions you guys may have.
Our four standard responses were yes sir, no sir, no excuse sir, and I'll find out sir. ( or ma'am as they case may be ) Remember these and life will be much easier !
How could I forget the one I used the most: "no excuse sir".
even if had an excuse, no excuse sir.
That was a crazy summer
Congratulations Standballdad! Thank you in advance to your son! We have a family friend who just graduated from the academy. Good kid to start, now he has become an amazing young man that's training to fly with the big boys.
My son as a freshman played against AF. Their coach told them that this was the one time never to talk trash to the opposing team, "these are men of character and should be given respect" he said. If you have ever seen them play, not only do they play the game correctly, they are the best looking athletic baseball team.
Much respect to your son! Hope he gets a chance to play ball as well!
Simply awesome...congrats!
Wow, that's fantastic! Congratulations! For your son to (1) get into the Academy; and (2) want to serve, you have obviously done a fine job raising him.
P.S. -- UCLA had 97,000 applicants for the freshman class -- getting in there is no easy task, either!
What a great post ! congratulations to all , enjoy the senior season and the time together until the end of June.
What an outstanding young man you have raised! Be proud...
Thanks for filling us in on his story.....I was wondering where your son would end up. The end of June isn't far away. Take a deep breath!
Congrats and thank him for his future service to protect or freedoms!
Great news for your son, you and the family.
And a lesson for some others as well. Concern yourself with raising a man that will succeed in life, not a boy to play baseball. No matter what happens with the walk on opportunity, he's headed down the correct path.
True victory! Congratulations!!!!!!!
Gov posted:pabaseballdad posted:Gov posted:As an AF Academy grad, congratulations! Life changing experiences lay ahead, keep him running in those boots, keep up the push ups, and master 20 pull ups. Basic cadet training is physically very demanding and a mental pressure cooker. If you are prepared physically, you can manage what an upper classman is trying to communicate to you.
Tell your son to learn this: Yes sir/mam, No sir/mam, Sir/mam- may ask a question, Sir/mam - may I make a statement.
Stay in touch with any questions you guys may have.
Our four standard responses were yes sir, no sir, no excuse sir, and I'll find out sir. ( or ma'am as they case may be ) Remember these and life will be much easier !
How could I forget the one I used the most: "no excuse sir".
even if had an excuse, no excuse sir.
That was a crazy summer
Yup, even if you have an excuse, the answer is always "no excuse". doesn't take long to learn that, if you don't learn it quick, it's going to be a very long year!
Best story I've read in a long time. Congratulations to you and your son.
I agree with jp, this is awesome. Congratulations to the entire family.
This is what the HSBBW is all about, and thank you for being a part of it!
Congratulations! That is absolutely fantastic! I am retired AF (ROTC not Academy grad) - but have several close friends who still live in the Springs and sponsor cadets. They host cadets for home cooked meals and some time to relax off base - If your son doesn't have a local host to sponsor him yet I can work some introductions - if you are interested PM me...
Congrats Stand! Baseball or not, AF is awesome.
Quick question for you (and Gov and other service academy grads): what's the minimum bar for pull-ups to meet entrance requirement? My son does everything else well, but for some reason can only do a few pull-ups. I'm wondering if that'll preclude him from all service academies.
Bogeyorpar posted:Congrats Stand! Baseball or not, AF is awesome.
Quick question for you (and Gov and other service academy grads): what's the minimum bar for pull-ups to meet entrance requirement? My son does everything else well, but for some reason can only do a few pull-ups. I'm wondering if that'll preclude him from all service academies.
I believe for men its 12 and 3 for women. Pull ups are something you can definitely work on.
standballdad posted:Bogeyorpar posted:Congrats Stand! Baseball or not, AF is awesome.
Quick question for you (and Gov and other service academy grads): what's the minimum bar for pull-ups to meet entrance requirement? My son does everything else well, but for some reason can only do a few pull-ups. I'm wondering if that'll preclude him from all service academies.
I believe for men its 12 and 3 for women. Pull ups are something you can definitely work on.
Here's the link from the Naval Academy's website. Does not list minimums, but explains the test and the maximum scores for each event. http://www.usna.edu/Admissions...tness-Assessment.php
Bogeyorpar posted:Congrats Stand! Baseball or not, AF is awesome.
Quick question for you (and Gov and other service academy grads): what's the minimum bar for pull-ups to meet entrance requirement? My son does everything else well, but for some reason can only do a few pull-ups. I'm wondering if that'll preclude him from all service academies.
Get him one of these, and he'll be doing a dozen easy within a few months. (and look good doing it)
http://www.amazon.com/Joist-Mo...;keywords=pullup+bar
Hey brother I am so happy for you and your boyo! It was a nice coincidence being able to meet you at Stanford last summer and your son really impressed me. Fun sitting and chatting over the rail as it were. Continue enjoying the ride!
tres_arboles posted:Hey brother I am so happy for you and your boyo! It was a nice coincidence being able to meet you at Stanford last summer and your son really impressed me. Fun sitting and chatting over the rail as it were. Continue enjoying the ride!
Thanks Tres Good Times!
Thank you everyone for the all kind words and encouragement. I will keep you all posted!
Congrats Standballdad. Sounds like your boy worked it out in the end.
So an update on my son at the AF Academy. Good new is that he made it through Basic Cadet Training BCT (which includes going into a tear gas chamber and being gassed��). He is now an official Cadet! As far as baseball he did attempt to walk on and everything was looking promising, coach already knew him by name and was the only walk on with his name on his locker. A week into it he got called into talk to HC. Coach told him they had 33 of 35 players returning and that there would be no room for walk ons and that there would be some recruited players being cut as well. Son took the news well. He was at one point not even going to try and walk on, he wasn't sure if he was willing to commit the time to baseball considering his major (mechanical engineering). His plan was to play one year if he made the team. He also wanted to do other things while at the academy. He will play on the Club baseball team which he says is less serious and the time commitment is not bad. He is also doing Rodeo (almost fell out of my chair with laughter when I heard that but good for him). He will audition for the Jazz band in the spring and see how that goes. I can tell you all that he is extremely happy at the academy with or without baseball. When people say go where you will be happy with or without baseball, you need to heed their advice. Go Air Force! ����
Sounds like a GREAT life fit! Must make you all very happy. It just doesn't get any better than that.