If you ever have the opportunity to visit West Point I highly recommend you go. The movie The Long Gray Line, which I also highly recommend and is set at West Point, was one point of inspiration for me becoming interested in the military. It turns out that the Navy was my true calling. Never the less I find all the military academies intriguing. I have been living in New York for over six years now and had yet to visit this historic landmark. Thanks to my daughter’s social studies class I had an excuse to make the short journey.
Unfortunately, times have changed since September 11th, and visiting West Point is much more structured and supervised. You cannot just stroll along the magnificent campus. Having to take a mandatory tour does have its advantages such as having a knowledgeable tour guide. Ours was a former drill sergeant. There were many tidbits of trivia that were very interesting like what a prankster General Eisenhower was when he was a student and how General Douglas MacArthur’s mother hid food in cannons for him because she did not feel her son was being well fed.
What I found most interesting was that all West Point Cadets have to take one of the three following sports: Golf, Tennis, or Skiing. The reason for this requirement is these are life long sports; do not require many people to play them, and that business deals are conducted on golf courses, at tennis courts and in ski lodges.
I mention this as food for thought whether for your own information or perhaps to think about sports you may want to encourage your children to explore. If participation in one of these sports is mandatory for the cadets of West Point, there just may something to the idea. As an avid golfer and casual tennis player and skier I think you will find one of these sports to your or your children’s liking. Give it a shot you won’t regret it.
