Cael McCormick
Cael McCormick’s college application process is a bit more complicated than that of the average rising high school senior.
McCormick, a Yorktown wrestler, recently committed to wrestle at Army West Point. And while the coaching staff recruits wrestlers who it feels meet the school’s admissions standards (McCormick is first in his class academically at Yorktown), McCormick and other incoming athletes have to go through the same application process as other students.
McCormick is in the process of getting a nomination from a member of Congress, one part of the admissions process to Army West Point. It’s a process that requires considerable work, that he said sometimes makes him ask whether it’s worth it. He’s confident the answer to that question is ‘yes.’
“They have several mottoes, but one of them is ‘Duty, Honor, Country,’ ” McCormick said. “And I think that it’s really important to remember that you don’t go to West Point for the recognition. If you go there, I’ve heard a lot of people say that’s not the right reason to go there. And ‘Duty, Honor, Country,’ is one of those things that you’re doing all of this to be an officer in the military, and that’s one thing that I’ve really held onto, I’m not doing all of this just for a name, I’m doing this to lead people in the military.”
He is a three-time state qualifier for the Tigers, including a fourth-place finish at 106 pounds as a freshman. With one more season at Yorktown, he has a chance to pursue a fourth trip to Bankers Life Fieldhouse before making his way to West Point.
“I’m so proud of him,” said Yorktown coach Trent McCormick, who’s also his father. “He’s put in a lot of work over the years, made a lot of sacrifices to hone his wrestling skills and his academic achievements.”
Cael McCormick said he liked Army West Point’s wrestling team culture, which seemed to tie in with the emphasis on leadership across the institution.
Going to school at Army West Point comes with a five-year postgraduate commitment as an Army officer. Following that time, Cael McCormick said he sees international policy as one potential career path, though he sees a lot of possibility for what he can accomplish in the interim.
“(Army head coach Kevin Ward), when I first met him, he said West Point is a place where you have the opportunity to come out as an officer in the military and win a national championship,” Cael McCormick said. “Which kind of made the hairs on my neck stand a little bit when you think about it.”
Contact prep sports reporter Sam Wilson at (765) 213-5807. Follow him on Twitter @SamWilsonTSP.