Should the Army Football team waive height and weight standards to have a chance of being a great football program?

2017-12-03T20:04:26-05:00

Response by Capt Gregory Prickett made Dec 3 at 2017 8:12 PM

2017-12-03T20:12:30-05:00

No. They are a service academy. Football is an extracurricular activity.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2017 8:24 PM

2017-12-03T20:24:05-05:00

No. They are soldiers first.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Dec 3 at 2017 8:41 PM

2017-12-03T20:41:21-05:00

NO. Lead from the front and by example.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2017 8:42 PM

2017-12-03T20:42:34-05:00

No.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2017 8:43 PM

2017-12-03T20:43:44-05:00

Where an I get an ARMY flag like that!!! :D

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2017 9:28 PM

2017-12-03T21:28:09-05:00

Absolutely, 1SG!

That’s the only way they could actually ever compete against real teams. This level of football shouldn’t be playing with little leagues rules of weight restrictions...

If you don’t want to compete, there’s no reason to have a football team.

Let’s not forget that there are officers currently serving that do not meet the AR 600-9 height/weight standards. It’s not just the enlisted side.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Dec 3 at 2017 9:58 PM

2017-12-03T21:58:50-05:00

The academies should all play to the same rules so if the Navy and Airforce are allowed to waiver the standards then the Army should be allowed to waiver the standards. The problem will be, after the young man has completed playing football, if he wants to complete his transition to being an Officer in the Army, he will need to be able to meet the HT/WT standards. He should be given a set period 6 months or 1 year for that and I could see some folks like Offensive linemen never making the Army standard. So what do you do with these fine folks?

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2017 11:44 PM

2017-12-03T23:44:06-05:00

MSG Private RallyPoint Member No - Standards apply. As others have posted, the Academy is training future officers, not NFL candidates.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Dec 4 at 2017 7:55 AM

2017-12-04T07:55:10-05:00

NO, their preparation is to become Army Officers not football players. The ultimate goal is on meeting Army physical standards and prepare them for that service not athletic pursuits !

Response by LTJG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2017 8:06 AM

2017-12-04T08:06:19-05:00

This question comes up for the Naval Academy as well. In my opinion, you join the military BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE TO FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY. Not to play football. If you want to play football AND be in the military, you should be within height/weight standards.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2017 8:29 AM

2017-12-04T08:29:40-05:00

Interesting article:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/a-losing-game-navy-linemen-must-get-smaller-for-life-after-football/2016/03/14/2077c3f6-e482-11e5-a9ce-681055c7a05f_story.html?utm_term=.ca2fd115cce0

A weighty issue: Navy linemen must slim down for life after football

In order to graduate, many Mids must drop 50 or more pounds in just a couple of months.

Response by SPC David Willis made Dec 4 at 2017 9:08 AM

2017-12-04T09:08:07-05:00

I think the better question is "should the military waive height and weight standards for people who are in excellent shape?" We all know that guy who can max a pt test but has 50 extra pounds of pure muscle and wont pass height and weight.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Dec 4 at 2017 10:44 AM

2017-12-04T10:44:48-05:00

No. There are enough "Football Uber Alles" Jockocracies in higher education; the Army need not follow that lead. The Army needs to hold standards and assert that the academy's sports program, while important, are in fact not (in practice) more important than its core purpose to train and educate the nation's future military leaders.

Response by SPC Steven Depuy made Dec 6 at 2017 6:15 PM

2017-12-06T18:15:55-05:00

They have body fat standards if AR600-9 disqualifies someone don't they. It was frustrating when I used to be skinny and fit, and did not meet it, but the pot bellied SSG who got winded going up one flight of steps did. But I am not that man anymore. If they want 330 pound line men, sorry. But I have seen plenty of NFL line men who are not fat.

Response by MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2017 6:54 PM

2017-12-06T18:54:43-05:00

Has anyone checked into whether this already happens or not? When I was a cadet, I think I remember there being waivers for meeting height/weight with the stipulation that you had to meet those requirements before graduation. I could be wrong.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2017 9:45 PM

2017-12-06T21:45:14-05:00

Absolutely not. Standards are standards. Period. What kind of message is that to send before they even commission?!?

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2017 10:33 PM

2017-12-06T22:33:41-05:00

I wouldn’t be surprised if they did something like that just to make their teams better. Hell, they’re already waivering educational requirements for some applicants just because they’re good at the sports, and on a slightly unrelated note, push through academic suspension status and push through people who would otherwise be on academic suspension.

Response by CPL Nicholas Vitale made Dec 6 at 2017 11:33 PM

2017-12-06T23:33:21-05:00

Yes they should have a sports waiver there are plenty of officers who don't meet height and weight yet still have their commission and command. Plus anyone who has been involved with height and weight knows in certain areas it's flawed stating a very much in shape man isnt meeting height and weight because of their neck size.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Dec 7 at 2017 9:40 AM

2017-12-07T09:40:10-05:00

NO dammit!. They are training to be officers, can you see following someone built like a refrigerator in combat? They will be leaders, if football is more important to them than that , then resign and go to a civilian college!

Response by SFC Rick Rhodes made Dec 7 at 2017 2:09 PM

2017-12-07T14:09:44-05:00

I keep seeing comments that they are the physical fitness standards. I always thought height and weight were one of those bogus standards. I would like to see half of the people on this discussion match the actual athletic physical fitness of anyone of those men on the gridiron. While they may be larger than you would like, most if not all probably max the physical fitness test. Therefore it is not their physical fitness to serve that is in question it is their physical appearance.

Response by SFC J Fullerton made Dec 7 at 2017 3:21 PM

2017-12-07T15:21:49-05:00

No, standards should not change. To make them more competitive, they should be moved to Div II. Ht & Wt standards aside, they simply cannot recruit the caliber of athletes needed to compete in Div I FBS, or even FCS for that matter. Academic and other admission qualifications also limit the recruiting pool of Div I talent. Athletes with that level of talent are being recruited by Power 5 conference schools, making West Point a less attractive option. Rarely do players with Div I talent and ability make a decision to sacrifice a future football career to be an Army Officer. A move to Div II would make it a more even playing field (no pun intended) for Army Football.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 13 at 2021 9:50 AM

2021-05-13T09:50:14-04:00

No. Those kids are there to learn how to be Officers. Football is irrelevant and shouldn't be a variable in any decision making whatsoever.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2021 9:11 PM

2021-05-13T21:11:00-04:00

I would prefer they not have a football team.