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Old 04-28-2017, 08:41   #1
P36
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Is being a wrestler a predictor of success in SFQC

So I'm sitting around some professors at a business seminar and one comments that a predictor of success in the Q Course is whether the individual had wrestled in high school. I don't know where he obtained that statistic but am curious whether there is any correlation?
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Old 04-28-2017, 08:48   #2
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Doubt

I doubt they tract that stat.

But that category could include just about any athlete.

Knew some studs who just didn't like being in the woods by themselves after dark.
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Old 04-28-2017, 09:55   #3
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The context of the conversation you overheard might help..

If I were to opine,, It would be a comment from someone that is trying to infer that SFQC candidates are knuckle draggers, with low IQ's and high testosterone levels. AKA: Andre the Giant types.

Trying to associate some sub-set of individuals to a particular sport, like wrestling is meaningless, and a bit pretentious..

Saying successful SFQC candidates are highly competitive, exceptionally fit, and are endowed with above average mental abilities is about as close as you need to get.

And that still leaves "some studs who just didn't like being in the woods by themselves after dark. "

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Old 04-28-2017, 10:18   #4
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"Professors" you say? Business professors too? Opining about who makes it through the Q?

Intellectual idiots IMO! I'd question the source.

10:1 says they're scared of the dark.
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Old 04-28-2017, 11:36   #5
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Validated predictors are APFT scores and ruck march times.

Never saw wrestling evaluated, except in the gig pit.

TR
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Old 04-28-2017, 15:08   #6
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The only professor I can think of who has written anything of possible value is Angela Duckworth from Penn who wrote the recent book "GRIT".

Interesting results from a self-scored test by cadets that correlated with first year washout/success at West Point.

First year cadet hazing is a different beast entirely from an SFAS assessment/selection or analog.

But intrigueing nonetheless. Even more so when you're left scratching your head thinking about the self-scoring reference bias.

Anecdotally, and only based on my local cohort, I'm always looking for patterns amongst childhood, family life, and parenting received from those who passed the test.

There's so many books out there about SOF.

I'd love to see a book written by a compelling story teller and a performance psychologist focused on the parenting of high performing SOF soldiers.

I don't think we'd find THE answer, but I think we might find some interesting correlation/causation.
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Old 04-28-2017, 15:11   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P36 View Post
So I'm sitting around some professors at a business seminar and one comments that a predictor of success in the Q Course is whether the individual had wrestled in high school. I don't know where he obtained that statistic but am curious whether there is any correlation?
A better predictor might be whether the individual hunted, fished, hiked and camped. Some of us are very comfortable in the woods, some, not so much.

(I'll never forget SFQC Phase One "Kill" class. "All of you that have never seen an animal killed move to the front of the bleachers....." I was backing up, knew what was coming and didn't want to be covered in goat blood.)
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Old 04-28-2017, 16:48   #8
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It was out of left field and I didn't hear how they started the discussion but perked when I overheard that. How a long haired business professor even knew what SFQC was remains a mystery. I'm assuming he must have done some work in the community at some point. Or read a book.
If I have the opportunity I will see if I can find out his source for those stats.
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Old 04-28-2017, 19:09   #9
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Originally Posted by Flagg View Post
The only professor I can think of who has written anything of possible value is Angela Duckworth from Penn who wrote the recent book "GRIT".

Interesting results from a self-scored test by cadets that correlated with first year washout/success at West Point.

First year cadet hazing is a different beast entirely from an SFAS assessment/selection or analog.
I'm going to have to pick that book up to see what she has to say. Unless she was interviewing folks that were cadets prior to the 1970s, she didn't interview anyone that had been truly 'hazed' as a Plebe. Even the moderate stressors I faced in the late 80's are magnitudes greater than what today's cadets face, as evidenced by resignation rates out of Cadet Basic Training that hovered around 100 a generation ago, but today run less than 15.
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Old 04-28-2017, 19:29   #10
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What's the professor's name?

The closest I came to wrasslin' was when I went with my uncle and cousins and saw some "professionals" in a brass-knuckle cage match. I was about 6 or so.
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Old 04-29-2017, 02:07   #11
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I'm going to have to pick that book up to see what she has to say. Unless she was interviewing folks that were cadets prior to the 1970s, she didn't interview anyone that had been truly 'hazed' as a Plebe. Even the moderate stressors I faced in the late 80's are magnitudes greater than what today's cadets face, as evidenced by resignation rates out of Cadet Basic Training that hovered around 100 a generation ago, but today run less than 15.
Wow! Interesting stuff.

I know a few West Point grads. Across the age range of mid 20's to about 60. A genuinely solid group of friends and capable, hard working Americans. Not blowing smoke.

I wonder if there's records going back to inception of student acceptance #'s, # of cadet's showing up for day 1, # that make it thru their first year?

Long term trends would be quite interesting to see.

I'm visiting Navy Academy to meet a Professor running a Summer class. I'm keen to meet some of their senior year cadets.

IIRC Angela Duckworth mentioned a fairly high attrition rate between day 1 cadets and those not who finish the 1st year and/or go on to graduate.

I have to admit when I first read it and even now, the idea of a self scored test with just a few multiple choice questions having high correlation with successful outcome too good to be true. But it sounds credible/legit.

Although in having said that, that guy Greg Mortensen who wrote "Three Cups of Tea" and "Stones into Schools" turned a BS story into a "business model" until he got burned on 60 Minutes.
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Old 04-29-2017, 10:04   #12
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How a long haired business professor even knew what SFQC was remains a mystery. I'm assuming he must have done some work in the community at some point. Or read a book.
Well then, I stand corrected.
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Old 04-29-2017, 10:37   #13
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I wrestled growing up, and I do sometimes credit my later success in life to the independence, discipline, and drive that solo competition instills.

Eventually gravity, the big green tick, and AGE caught up with me.

Maybe I should have written a book,,,,,,
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Old 04-29-2017, 17:55   #14
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Aha, The professor was previously an Organizational Psychologist out of Raleigh. That makes a bit more sense now.
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Old 04-29-2017, 18:27   #15
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I wonder if running track makes you well suited for the Air Force? (Bruce Jenner comes to mind)
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