PE Department Mission
The Physical Education Department is tasked with accomplishing one third of the mission of the Naval Academy, to prepare midshipmen physically to become professional Navy and Marine Corps officers. This mission is accomplished through a thorough and rigorous course of instruction in the fundamentals of swimming, personal defense, lifetime fitness and recreational sports, and through the regular administration of the Physical Readiness Test. Midshipmen must meet specified physical education requirements during each of their four years at the Naval Academy in order to graduate.
Athletic Programs
Intercollegiate Athletics
The Naval Academy is a Division I college and a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Its primary conference affiliation is with the Patriot League, a group of highly selective colleges whose motto is “Today’s scholar-athletes, tomorrow’s leaders.”
The Naval Academy’s intercollegiate athletics program is administered by the Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA), a private non-profit corporation. The Association is chartered so that the Academy can offer intercollegiate athletics at no expense to the federal government. The athletic association arranges varsity schedules and provides coaching staff and equipment, and funding for the varsity athletic program.
Club Sports
In addition to the varsity athletic program, the Academy offers, under the supervision of the NAAA, a variety of opportunities to participate in a very competitive Club Sports program. Most players in this program are former high school athletes who desire to continue playing a sport, or learn a new one, and seek rigorous competition. Although these teams are not sanctioned by the NCAA, they do compete against area colleges.
Intramural Sports
The Office of the Commandant organizes an extensive intramural sports program that pits midshipmen companies in athletic competition. These competitions award points to midshipmen companies that help in determining the selection of the Academy’s “Color Company” at the end of the academic year. The games are particularly spirited and allow midshipmen to compete at a level appropriate to their individual athletic ability.
Incoming Plebes: Download an exercise program to help yourself prepare for plebe summer. (Requires Adobe® Reader®.)
