Balancing Military Service and College Football

Hey, ya'll. I've always wanted to play college football, but I'm also considering joining the military after high school. Does anyone know if it's possible to play college football after serving in the military? If so, how could I go about doing this?

Absolutely, it is possible to serve in the military first and then go on to play college football. To make this a reality you would want to:

1. Commit to military service right after high school: This could be through enlisting or by joining a military service academy. If you're interested in a specific branch, make sure to sign up with them.

2. Serve your time: Depending on your contract, this could range from several years to many more. This could help in maturing, becoming disciplined, and developing a rigorous physical routine - all advantageous for a football player.

3. Apply to colleges: After serving, start the college admission process just like any other student. You would need to prepare for standardised tests (if the college requires them), create an application, write essays, and submit your high school transcripts. Playing college football after military service means you would skip the traditional route of high school football recruitment and instead get noticed during tryouts.

4. Join a college team: Once in college, there are usually two paths to the football team. One is being recruited, which might prove a bit difficult in your case since coaches usually scout high school players. The other is walking onto the team. Most teams have open tryouts where you can showcase your abilities.

5. Use your GI Bill benefits: The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides up to 36 months of benefits including tuition, fees, a monthly housing allowance, and a stipend for books and supplies for up to four years. You can use this benefit to offset the costs of your college education.

6. Balance your commitments: College football is demanding and so are your academics! You’ll need to balance training and games with study time, classes, and maintaining your GPA to stay in good academic standing.

There are numerous examples of men who have taken this path successfully. Alejandro Villanueva, for instance, served three tours in Afghanistan as an Army Ranger before joining the Philadelphia Eagles and later the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With commitment and hard work, your dream of playing College football after serving in the military is both realistic and achievable! Good luck!