Army West Point Athletics
April 14, 2010 - Angela Deger (Softball)
April 14, 2010 | General
Why did you decide to come to West Point? What were some of the deciding factors? Who or what influenced your decision?
I came to West Point to get a good education and to play softball. I did not truly understand what West Point was all about, and the reasons that I came here are not the reasons that I decided to stay.
What does it mean to you to be able to play softball at West Point?
It means a great to deal to me to be able to play softball at the Academy. West Point is very detail-oriented and expects us to accomplish 25 hours of work in a 24 hour day. Softball gives me a release from the daily stress that West Point puts on me. At softball, I am able to work hard and have fun doing the thing I love the most.
What is the best thing about being an athlete at West Point?
The best part of being an athlete at West Point is the way other people outside of the academy treat us. Whenever we have competitions, the other team, fans, and officials treat us with respect because of what we do, and we always get thanked for serving our country. It feels good that people outside of the military have respect for what we are going to be doing after graduation.
What is the most difficult thing?
The most difficult thing about being an athlete is time management. Softball takes anywhere from two to ten hours away a day. If you do not learn to manage your time well, you will suffer academically, and you will be completely exhausted from lack of sleep.
What is your fondest memory at West Point?
-In sports?
My favorite memory in softball was my plebe year when I hit my first collegiate homerun. We were playing Bucknell at Bucknell, and my parents were at the game.
-Outside of sports?
My favorite memory at West Point was getting to be a squad leader for Summer Leader Seminar. I was in charge of 11 high school kids for two weeks. It was the first true leadership position I had at the academy. It was a very rewarding experience, and I learned a lot about myself and my style of leadership.
What adjustments have you had to make since arriving here?
-Socially
I have become very close with my company mates. My plebe and first part of my yuk year I spent most of my time with people on the team, but since then I have spent most of my time with people in my company. We all live on the same floor, and are always around each other, so it is nice to be such good friends with them.
-Athletically
Athletically I have adjusted my mental state. When I would get up to bat my plebe year, I would be scared out of my mind. I would be swinging defensively, and praying that I just hit the ball. Since then, I have built up a lot of confidence in myself, and now when I get up to bat, I know I can crush the ball.
-Academically
I have made quite a few adjustments to my time management and study habits when it comes to academics. I was struggling academically after the first six weeks of plebe year, but after I had learned that I did not need to do every single assignment, it became a lot easier. It is not possible to complete everything teachers want you to, so you need figure out what is the most important, start with that, and work your way down your list of tasks.
What do you enjoy doing during your "down time"?
In my down time, I enjoy sleeping, watching the Cleveland Indians, and relaxing with my friends.
What is your major and what is the most interesting thing you've learned here?
My major is Operations Research, which is made up of course in Mathematics and Systems Engineering. The most interesting thing I have learned here is sabermetrics, which is the study of baseball statistics. Baseball is my favorite sport, so my sabermetrics class is by far the most interesting class I have had at the academy.
Which branch are you planning on entering following graduation?
I would like to branch Aviation after I graduate.
What is the best thing about being a cadet at West Point?
The best thing about being a cadet at West Point is that I do not hav to worry about what to wear in the mornings.