Published: June 18, 2008 12:26 pm         

Hermes gets to ‘the point’ soon

LINDSAY — From a Lindsay Knight to a Black Knight of the Hudson.

That is what a few pen strokes did for Lindsay’s Chelsea Hermes.

When Hermes, a do-everything athlete and student from Lindsay High School, signed a National Letter of Intent with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. she agreed to serve her county for four years of college, and beyond.

Hermes said she was smiling, May 23 when she signed the letter, but there were some serious thoughts going through her head, too.

“I was thinking ‘Oh, my, I just signed my life away,’” Hermes said Tuesday afternoon.

That one event ended a long journey that begin in January, when she decided to apply to West Point.

In an earlier interview with the Register, Hermes said what attracted her to West Point was the academics and the discipline.

As far as athletic ability, Hermes said she was recruited to run track.

“I will also try to walk on to the basketball team,” she said.

To gain entrance to any service academy, a student has to be nominated by a U.S. Congressman.

“I was nominated by U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry (13th Congressional District),” Hermes said. “It happened in January. That was really late in the process and I was really lucky to get a place.”

Hermes said she was still filling out paperwork. “It seems like they send something else to sign every week,” she said.

When involved in the Lady Knights’ drive to a second consecutive drive to the Class A, Division I state University Interscholastic League basketball finals, Hermes injured a knee.

It was against Goldthwaite and she was hampered for the rest of the playoffs and missed a good part of the track season.

“I had already taken my physical,” she said, “so I was ok with that. We got in contact with the academy and made sure everything was all right. They told me that as long as I was healthy by the time school started, I would be fine.”

Hermes said she started her “Army workout” as soon as track season was over. “I leave for New York on June 29,” she said. “Basic training starts on June 30.”

Sue Hoelker, whose daughter, Hillary, is also a Lindsay High School senior, said she thought Hermes will do fine.

“She (Hermes) is always smiling,” Hoelker said. “I asked her the other day what were they (the academy) going to do with that smile. You know they are pretty serious up there They may try to take it away.”

“What ever happens,” Hoelker said, “I think Chelsea will take it in stride and do well.”