The Washington herald., 1906-12-09
HARD TASK FOR
Military Regulations Unfa-
vOPable to Football Team.
LITTLE TIME FOR PRACTICE
About Five Hours n Week Is All the
Embryo Generals Get for the Grid
Students in the WOrId-Have Little
Time for Play on Gridiron.

The young man who elects to make
name Tor himself on the gridiron at
West Point undertakes a task that
would make the average college candt-
date for football honors hesitate and
consider. The cadets at the United
States Military Academy are beyond
doubt the busiest students in the world.
With nine hours of study and recita-
tion, two of drill and parade. three for
meals, and eight for sleep, the cadets
time from in the morning until 10 at
night is fully occupied.
When 1t is remembered that what
remains is scattered along in half-hour
periods throughout the day. and that
the cadet has a multiplicity Of little er-
rands to attend to in addition to his
routine duties, the wonder grows as to
where on earth he finds time for foot
bail practice and training.
From reveille, at a. m, until break
fast, half an hour later, there is a pc
riod at which each cadet is supposed TO
sweep. dust, and arrange his room and
prepare himself for breakfast BY ris-
ing before reveille the football man can
do all this and be free to use the half
hour gained In sprinting around tho big
grass plain, after which he hurries into
uniform for breakfast,
squad Turns Out Again.
At 9 D. m. cadets may, If they so de-
sire. go to bed. Taps, when all must be
in bed, sounds at 10 o'clock. During
this time the football squad, by special
permission, turns out for another jog
around the plain During the season
about forty men of the squad are fed at
training tables, where hot food and
fruit are served in addition to the regu-
lar bill Of fare Of the corps Candi-
dates are, of course, required 10 escheW
tobacco during training.
With September l practice begins.
Members Of the squad are required 10
attend all drills and parades, and this
means that four days out Of the week
they get in barely half an hour of prac-
tice. In order TO do this they are eX-
cused from supper with the battalion.
By hurrying from parade they can
reach the field by 5:45 o'clock.
From the field they go 10 the bath
rooms and the rubber, then 10 supper.
and when that IS over 1t IS time for
them To settle down 10 study. On
Wednesdays there is no drill or parade,
and the time for practice is extended 10
about an hour. On Saturdays. when
there is a half holiday they manage TO
get in a couple Of hours. This brings
the time for practice up to about five
hours week.
Confined TO Fundamentals.
The system at West Point confines
practice almost entirely to that OF the
fundamentals Of the game. Every
available moment is spent in perfecting
each man in the rudiments, tackling,
getting down the field, kicking, hand
ling and falling on the ball, until fun
bling or falling on a kick or tackle is
reduced to the minimum. On the other
hand, this training fits them to take
every advantage of any clumsiness on
the part Of an opponent, a fact which
has won them many a point. The team
rarely lines uD except for signal prac-
tice until its first game. and when il
does it is only after a total of but
twenty hours of practice.
Under such conditions IL seems little
short Of a miracle that they are able
year after year 10 turn out teams which
make the Big Six take serious heed
but they do. IT means hard work. 1t
means that for three months the cadet
knows neither rest nor recreation.
There can be no let-up in his routine
work. no cutting of duty, His lesiti-
mate duties are as onerous as at other
times. and his little time for recreation
is consumed in practice.