Service academy players can now pursue pro sports without 24-month wait
Moving forward, student-athletes who compete for service academies will be allowed to pursue professional careers in athletics without waiting.
The Colorado Springs Gazette broke the news Monday that the Department of Defense Pro Sports Policy was updated in May to say that a “service member can request to be tendered an appointment in the reserve upon graduation and satisfy their commissioned service obligation in the Ready Reserve.” Previously – as of Sept. 2015 – the policy said service academy graduates were not allowed to enter reserve status to start a pro sports career until he or she served 24 months of active duty.
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Air Force AD Jim Knowlton told the Gazette that the policy “would require a secured contract or binding commitment” from a professional team. Cases will also be viewed on an individual basis.
Needless to say, this is a big deal for Army, Navy and Air Force – in recruiting especially.
“It immediately levels the playing field,” an Air Force football assistant told the Gazette.
From the Gazette:
Throughout their existence, service academies have competed with recruits who largely understood a pro sports career would not be an option – notwithstanding the rare exceptions like Air Force’s Chad Hennings and Navy’s David Robinson. And while the odds of a pro sports career might be remote, the prospect of a required two-year commitment weeded out a high percentage of high-caliber athletes.
Now cadet-athletes will be able to pursue both.
Former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds is a big reason for the change. After a record-setting career for the Midshipmen, Reynolds was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He sought the ability to play right away from Baltimore and eventually was given permission by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. The new policy, the Gazette reported, emerged soon after.
“Keenan Reynolds may end up being the greatest thing to happen to Air Force baseball,” Falcons baseball coach Mike Kazlausky told the Gazette.
Why? Because the possibility of a prospect pursuing a professional career and serving their country is now a more realistic possibility.
“Hopefully they can do both,” Kazlausky said. “It’s not that kids want to get out of their ability to serve. They all want to serve, that’s why they came here.”
Air Force football has already been able to update its message to prospects out on the recruiting trail because of the change.
“It’s huge,” two assistants said.
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Falcons football coach Troy Calhoun was silent on the topic of a shift in the Pro Sports Policy. He said only that his staff would be equipped to answer questions from recruits if they are raised.
Calhoun’s assistants, speaking off the record as they were not authorized to publicly comment, said the shift has been a focus on the recruiting trail. Coaches remain careful not to sugarcoat the cadet experience, and they are not suddenly recklessly aiming for top athletes who would be unlikely to finish four years at the academy, but they said rival teams routinely use the two-year commitment against Air Force when talking to recruits.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
