#200: We Play To Win - US Army West Point Director of Athletics Tom Theodorakis

#200: We Play To Win - US Army West Point Director of Athletics Tom Theodorakis

From The Jedburgh Podcast by Fran Racioppi

June 19, 2026 · 32 min · Episode 200

About this episode

Fran Racioppi interviews Tom Theodorakis about the role of athletics in developing leaders at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

The United States Military Academy at West Point is the foundation of the US Army. Along the cliffs, through the halls, and on the fields America’s best and brightest are trained to lead not just soldiers, but America. But behind the tradition and pageantry, West Point understands that athletics of any level create disciplined warriors prepared to lead in any situation.  In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with Tom Theodorakis , Director of Athletics at West Point, to discuss how one of the most respected athletic programs in the country directly supports the mission of the United States Military Academy and helps develop the next generation of Army leaders. With more than 30 Division I programs and over 1,200 cadet-athletes, Tom explains what makes Army West Point different from every other program in college athletics. Cadet-athletes are not just balancing Division 1 sports and rigorous academics; they are simultaneously preparing to become officers in the United States Army where they will lead soldiers and shape national security strategy for decades to come. We discuss the demanding reality of being a cadet-athlete, the recruiting process, and what it takes to…

People in this episode

Host: Fran Racioppi

Guest: Tom Theodorakis

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Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: United States Military Academy, US Army, Army West Point, Division I

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