The Truth About Walking-On
April 24th, 2008 - by
At this time of the year it is extremely common for me to hear from a student athlete that is considering walking-on or taking a grey shirt option with a Division I program, and spurning multiple offers from schools in other divisions. This is one of the most difficult positions a recruit can be put in. After all, everyone has the vivid image of Rudy burned into the back of their head and has heard Brett Musburger tell them over and over about Johnny Walk-on who earned a scholarship and is now the pride of the entire state.
But athletes in this situation need to take their time and examine the situation very closely. They are making a decision that will not just affect the next 4 years of their lives. It will affect the next 40!
I recommend that the athlete first consider the academic impact of their decision. Just because a school is in a higher division does not mean it is any better academically. Plus most Division II and III teams sport higher overall graduation rates. The NCSA Power Rankings do a great job illustrating the strength of Division II and III schools. Just because you recognize a name doesn’t make the school any better.
Athletes then need to consider how this will affect their athletic future. Not every team runs their walk-on program the same way. Recruits need to ask coaches as many questions as necessary to determine the exact opportunities available to a walk-on. Walk-ons are denied many of the benefits that scholarship players are afforded.
Regardless of how good an athlete thinks he is, the odds are stacked immeasurably against him. Making the team is never assured. Actually playing in a game will be tough. Starting a game is a huge long shot. Most walk-ons never make it past being a practice player. And practice may not always be so fun…
Also, with the spiraling costs of tuition athletes need to consider the economic impact of their decision. Spurning thousands of dollars from a Division III school can seem very foolish if you don’t even make a team as a walk-on.
For some athletes just making the team is worth it in the long run, but they should take a long look in the mirror before making such an important decision. No one can tell you what the best opportunity is but, NCSA specializes in helping athletes identify as many real opportunities as possible. We then do our best to guide the family through all of their options. The athletes that find the right fit have options. Carefully considering an option like walking-on can mean the difference between a great college career and dropping out.
