After leaving snocross in 2015, J.J. Vollenweider has been busy preparing himself both physically and academically to become the most competitive candidate possible to achieve his goal of gaining acceptance into West Point.

J.J. began the West Point class of 2021 application process in January 2016. To even be considered for acceptance, a candidate must meet the physical fitness requirement, be medically cleared, have academic excellence, proven leadership accomplishments, as well as a nomination from a Senator, Congressman, or other eligible source.

He spent much of that summer working with his teachers, seeking letters of recommendation, writing essays for the application, passing the required Candidate Fitness Assessment, being medically cleared by the Department of Defense, and writing more essays and applying to his Congressman and Senators hoping for a required nomination to the Academy.

In the fall of 2016, there were the Congressman and Senator interviews. These were three separate interviews where J.J. appeared before a panel of selected interviewers to determine his competitiveness and commitment to West Point. In November, J.J. was excited to receive a personal phone call from Congressman Reid Ribble informing him that he was the Principal Nominee for West Point! The final moment that he’d been waiting for was a call in February 2017 from Congressman Mike Gallagher informing him that he has been officially appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point! J.J. will be reporting July 3rd 2017 to begin his cadet training.

J.J. was asked how has snocross racing has impacted his life, and what advice he has for young racers?

“Snocross racing has made me a more competitive and hard working person both on and off the track. I’ve learned it takes both hard work and dedication to achieve success. My advice is that I strongly recommend not being afraid to ask for help. Many of my accomplishments are thanks to teachers and coaches that have helped me out along the way. Those are the people who want to see you succeed, so look for advice and support from them. Finally, dream big and set goals. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you will never achieve your dream, because with hard work and determination anything is possible. Keep working hard and always remember to have fun! If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, it probably isn’t worth it.”

Finally, J.J. would like to thank his many fine sponsors through the years:
Simonar Sports, Ski-doo, FXR, FLY, HMK, Scott USA, Powermadd, C@A Pro, FOX shocks, Stud Boy, Action Graphics, Goodwin Performance and Coho Motel Racing.