U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program Explained
The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) is a military unit whose primary mission is to support nationally and internationally ranked soldiers in participating on the U.S. Olympic team. The program is headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado.[1]
Objectives
According to the U.S. Army, WCAP provides active duty, National Guard and reserve soldiers the opportunity to train and compete at national and international sports competitions with the ultimate goal of selection to the U.S. Olympic team and U.S. Paralympic team, while maintaining a professional military career and promoting the U.S. Army.[1]
Selection
Any soldier-athlete (Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve) may apply for selection provided:
- Soldier is in good military standing
- The sport the soldier is applying for is an Olympic sport
- Soldier has completed Advanced Individual Training (enlisted) or Officer Basic Course (officer)
- Soldier meets sport specific entry standards, which normally consists of attaining a high national ranking or being selected to a U.S. National Team for international competition[2] [3]
- WCAP is not a developmental program; it targets athletes who have achieved world class status in their sport
WCAP Olympians
2022
During the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China five soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIV Olympiad.[4]
2020
During the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan twelve soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXII Olympiad.[5]
- Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham, Boxing
- Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft, Shooting
- 1st Lt. Amber English, Shooting
- Staff Sgt. Nickolaus Mowrer, Shooting
- Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks, Paralympic Swimming
- Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen, Paralympic Shooting
- Staff Sgt. John Joss, Paralympic Shooting
- Sgt. Ildar Hafizov, Wrestling
- Spc. Alejandro Sancho, Wrestling
- Sgt. Amro Elgeziry, Modern Pentathlon
- Sgt. Samantha Schultz, Modern Pentathlon
- Spc. Benard Keter, Track and Field
2018
During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea seven soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIII Olympiad.[6]
2016
The program sent four Kenyan-born soldier-runners to compete at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.[7]
as well as
2012
The program sent seven athletes and four coaches to the London 2012 Summer Olympics.[8]
- Sergeant First Class Dremiel Byers, Greco-Roman wrestling, 120 kg
- Sgt. 1st Class Keith Sanderson, rapid fire pistol
- Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Szarenski, pistol
- Staff Sgt. John Nunn, 50 km racewalk
- Spc. Justin Lester, Greco-Roman wrestling, 66 kg
- Sgt. Spenser Mango, Greco-Roman wrestling, 55 kg
- Spc. Dennis Bowsher, Modern Pentathlon
2010
During the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games three soldier-athletes and one coach represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXI Olympiad.[9]
-10k Sprint[10]
-4-man USA Sled II Pilot
-4-man USA Sled II Brakeman[11]
- SGT William Tavares (Team USA Bobsled Coach)
2008
During the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics two WCAP athletes and one coach represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIX Olympiad:[12]
-50m Rifle Competition
-Heavyweight
-Rapid Fire Pistol competition
- MAJ David Johnson (Team USA Shooting Coach)
Other notable WCAP alumni
-2004 World Military Boxing Championships, gold medal (69-kg. weight class)[13]
- SSG Jenna Burkert- 2021 World bronze medalist, Olympic Alternate, 4x World Team member.[14]
Sources
External links
Notes and References
- http://www.thearmywcap.com/ "U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program"
- http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r215_1.pdf%20 Army Regulation 215–1 Morale, Welfare, and Recreation
- http://www.thearmywcap.com/#!apply/c19rm "WCAP Entry Standards"
- Web site: Meet the Soldier-athletes competing at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games :: WCAP . 2022-06-09 . www.armywcap.com.
- Web site: Abreu • • . Danielle . From Defending Their Country to Representing It: These are the Armed Service Members Competing in Tokyo . 2022-06-09 . NBC 7 San Diego . 26 July 2021 . en-US.
- https://taskandpurpose.com/meet-7-soldiers-going-gold-winter-olympics/ Meet the 7 US Soldiers Going For Gold at the Winter Olympics
- http://www.militarytimes.com/story/sports/2016/08/02/4-kenyan-born-us-army-runners-represent-their-adopted-country-rio-games/87945968/ 4 Kenyan-born U.S. Army runners represent their adopted country at Rio Games
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/11-army-coaches-athletes-headed-to-olympics-to-compete-in-events-like-wrestling-shooting/2012/07/16/gJQAvmJToW_story.html US Army sends off 7 athletes, 4 coaches to London Olympics
- Web site: US Army Olympians . Goarmy.com . 2012-07-23 . 9 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101109173016/http://www.goarmy.com/events/army-athletes/army-olympians.html . live .
- Web site: Teela sits out Olympic 20k Individual Biathlon . United States Army . 19 February 2010 . 2012-07-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101207192236/http://www.army.mil/-news/2010/02/19/34726-teela-sits-out-olympic-20-k-individual-biathlon/index.html . 7 December 2010 . dead .
- Web site: Bobsledding Soldiers attention turns to Olympic four-man event . United States Army . 24 February 2010 . 2012-07-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101207192124/http://www.army.mil/-news/2010/02/24/34899-bobsledding-soldiers-attention-turns-to-olympic-four-man-event/index.html . 7 December 2010 . dead .
- Web site: Soldier-Olympians share tales with Army leaders . United States Army . 16 October 2008 . 2012-07-23 . 25 July 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090725134224/http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/10/16/13337-soldier-olympians-share-tales-with-army-leaders/ . live .
- News: Melson wins U.S. boxing quarterfinals . USA Today . 9 March 2006 . 9 August 2011 . 9 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220409170732/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2006-03-09-us-quarterfinals_x.htm . live .
- Web site: Army wrestler wins first World Championship medal . DVIDS .
