United States Air Force World Class Athlete Program

The Department of the Air Force World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) is a military program designed to support nationally and internationally ranked athlete Airmen and Guardians and prepare them to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team and compete at the highest level of international competition. Additionally, it provides current Olympians an avenue to serve the United States in a uniformed service capacity between training seasons. The program is falls under the DAF Fitness and Sports Division, Air Force Service Center, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. Program management of WCAP and the Department of the Air Force Shooting Program moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in the spring of 2022 to better assist athletes and to be closer to the Olympic Training Center and its sister service WCAP Program Managers and Fort Carson, Colorado.[1]

Department of the Air Force World Class Athlete Program
Active1996 – present
Country United States of America
AllegianceUnited States
Branch United States Air Force
United States Space Force
Part ofDepartment of Defense

Department of the Air Force
Installation and Mission Support Center
Air Force Services Center

Department of the Air Force Fitness and Sports Division
Nickname(s)WCAP
Commanders
World Class Athlete Program ManagerMr. Dale Filsell
Chief, Department of the Air Force Fitness and SportsMaj Tiffany Lewis
Notable
commanders
Lt Col (Sel) Aaron Tissot 2021-2023
Old Logo

This program enables selected Department of the Air Force military athletes to focus on training and competing in a full-time status in preparation for Olympic competition. The selection process ensures participants are viable Olympic contenders who will serve as Department of the Air Force ambassadors as they compete nationally and internationally.

The name United States Air Force World Class Athlete Program was changed in 2021 to Department of the Air Force World Class Athlete Program when it onboarded its first Space Force service member, fencer, Capt. Leanne “Malibu” Brenner.

Program management operating location, updated recruitment strategy, refined entry standards and branding refresh reflect significant milestones in 2021–2022.

The DAF WCAP is currently governed by Department of the Air Force Instruction 34-114, Fitness, Sports and World Class Athlete Program. Several Department of the Air Force Athlete of the Year award winners were WCAP alumni or program hopefuls.

Air Force WCAP founding

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The World Class Athlete Program was first established by the Army as to centrally manage and support athletes under the provisions set in Public Law 84-11 which passed into law in March 1955. PL 84-11 afforded any Armed Forces service members an opportunity to perform at the international level while maintaining a military career.

At a Washington Touchdown Club Awards Banquet, General Ronald Fogleman inquired about the establishment of the WCAP program and asked if the Air Force might have a similar program for Airmen. Less than a year later, in Feb of 1996 the Air Force World Class Athlete Program was established and added to the Department of the Air Force Fitness and Sports portfolio.

Historic highlights

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Logo for Space Force WCAP Athletes
 
Logo for Air Force Athletes

The first official WCAP class was 1996. During its inaugural year, the program supported 19 full-time athletes.

Highest Olympic Finish: Second Lieutenant Weston "Seth" Kelsey (Men's Epee, 4th place) 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, UK.

Recent WCAP Finish: Airman First Class Kelly Curtis (Women's Skeleton, 21st Place) 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

2019: Introduction of the United States Space Force WCAP. This program is currently managed by the Air Force WCAP Program Manager.

2022: New branding introduced. This included service specific for Air Force and Space Force Athletes and Olympian WCAP logos.

2023: Length of participation in WACP expanded to 3 years. This allowed more time for athletes to train for trials and Olympic qualifications increasing likelihood of selection to TEAM USA.

Current roster

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Rank Name Sport Class
  Major Daniel Rich   Shooting 2024
  Major Phaelen French   Modern Pentathlon 2024
  Captain Jaci Smith   Track and Field: 10K and Marathon 2024
  Captain Leanne “Malibu” Brenner   Fencing: Saber 2024
  Second Lieutenant Sam Fuller   Water Polo 2024
  Senior Airman Michael Mannozzi   Track and Field: Racewalking 2024
  Senior Airman Mariah Anderson   Greco-Roman Wrestling 2024
  Senior Airman Tyler Evans   Modern Pentathlon 2024
  Senior Airman Kelly Curtis   Skeleton 2022, 2026
  Airman First Class Daniel Michcalski   Steeplechase 2024
  Airman First Class Jasmine Jones   Bobsled 2026
  Airman First Class Mitch Brown   Greco-Roman Wrestling 2024
Airman Basic Delbert Taylor   Boxing 2024

Roster

WCAP Olympians

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14 WCAP athletes have represented the United States at the Olympics.

Eighteen of the 19 athletes in the program qualified for the Olympic Trials.

Olympians

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Rank Name Sport Result
  Major William Burton Roy   Shooting 9th in Men's Skeet
  First Lieutenant David DeGraaf   Handball 9th of 12; he scored a record 13 goals against Kuwait and a record of 7 blocked shots

Alternate

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Rank Name Sport
  Staff sergeant Ronald Simms   Boxing

Coaching staff

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Rank Name Sport
  Master sergeant Richard Estrella   As a coach for Greco-Roman wrestling

Deborah Nordyke was the only WCAP athlete to make Team USA. She joined the Air Force Alaska Air National Guard in 1987.

Rank Name Sport Result
  Airman first class Deborah Nordyke   Biathlon 48th

Thirty-six of 38 athletes qualified for Olympic Trials. One alternate for Olympic skeet.

All three athletes qualified for the trials.

Twenty-three of 28 athletes qualified for Olympic Trials.

Three athletes were selected for the United States national baseball team. They lost in the quarterfinals of the 2004 Americas Olympic Baseball Qualifying Tournament and did not qualify for the Olympics.

Three alternates.

Olympians

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Rank Name Sport
  First Lieutenant James Parker   Track and Field: Hammer throw
  Captain Kevin Eastler   Track and Field: Racewalking
  Captain Weston Kelsey   Fencing: Epee

All four athletes qualified for the trials.

Twenty-three of 24 athletes qualified for Olympic Trials.

Three alternates.

Olympians

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Rank Name Sport
  Captain Eli Bremer   Modern pentathalon
  Captain Kevin Eastler   Track and Field: Racewalking
  Captain Weston Kelsey   Fencing
  Major Dominic Grazioli   Shooting
 
Eli Bremer, Class 2008
 
Kevin Eastler, Class 2008

Two athletes qualified for the trials. One was first alternate in Bobsled.

Twelve of 14 athletes qualified for Olympic Trials. Zero made the Olympic team.

Olympians

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Rank Name Sport
  Captain Weston Kelsey   Fencing: Epee

One athlete qualified for the trials. He was first alternate in Bobsled.

There were 20 WCAP athletes, five competed in the trials and one went to the Olympics.

Rank Name Sport
  First Lieutenant Cale Simmons   Track and Field: Pole vault
 
Cale Simmons, Class of 2016

No WCAP athletes qualified for the trials.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 Tokyo games to be delayed.. The Air Force WCAP retained athletes in the program however, no Air Force athletes were able to qualify for the Olympics.

There were 6 WCAP athletes, six competed in the trials and one went to the Olympics.

Kelly Curtis was the only WCAP athlete to compete in the Olympics.

Rank Name Sport
  Airman First Class Kelly Curtis   Skeleton
 
Kelly Curtis, Class of 2022

TBD

TBD

Summary

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Olympics Roster Trials Alternate Olympians
1996 Summer Olympics 19 18 1 3
1998 Winter Olympics 1 1 0 1
2000 Summer Olympics 38 36 1 0
2002 Winter Olympics 3 3 0 0
2004 Summer Olympics 28 23 3 3
2006 Winter Olympics 4 4 0 0
2008 Summer Olympics 24 23 0 4
2010 Winter Olympics 2 2 1 0
2012 Summer Olympics 14 12 0 1
2014 Winter Olympics 1 1 1 0
2016 Summer Olympics 20 5 0 1
2018 Winter Olympics 0 0 0 0
2020 Summer Olympics 28 0 0 0
2022 Winter Olympics 6 1 0 1
2024 Summer Olympics 13 - - -
2026 Winter Olympics 2 - - -

References

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  1. ^ Powers, Rod (12 April 2019). "Military and the Olympics". the balancecareers. Archived from the original on 21 May 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

Sources

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