athletics: walking on at a DI school

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Hey, since many of you guys have sons/daughters that are athletes, I was wondering if you guys could help me a bit and give me some general advice and tips, because I am pretty nervous and anxious for some reason about this. </p>

<p>I was recently accepted as a junior transfer student to a school that plays football in the Ivy League. Yesterday, I went down to my old school to tell my coaches that I would not be coming back, and already today I have made up my mind that I would like to walk on at my new school. I’m leaving a school close to home with lots of friends and going to a school much farther away where I don’t know anybody. I’ve been playing football at a D3 NESCAC school for the last two years. I had a pretty severe injury my freshman year, and missed the entire season and off-season in a cast and weekly x-rays/surgery/rehab work. This year I started two (out of 8) games and was part of a rotation in the other six. I have nothing but fond memories of my old school, but I knew it wasn’t the right place for me.</p>

<p>What can I expect as a walk-on? How should I let the coach know I want to play? Should I email, call him, write him a letter, or drive down to actually see him in person? I’m actually pretty intimidated by how famous he is, and the fact that no one in my high school has ever played at a DI school, and that all the guys on the team seem to come from Pennsylvania, Texas, Cali, all the big football states. I’m worried he’ll just look at where I came from (a little town in Massachusetts) and won’t even give me the time of day or he’ll just say, “No, you cannot walk on”. I feel like I’m in back in middle school trying to ask a girl to go to the dance with me, lol. Sounds like a quote from Rudy, but all I would like is a shot. A few years ago, a teammate (class of 2008) transferred in as a junior to Harvard from here, and actually played in a few games as a senior. As a sophomore he started one game on an 0-8 team, whereas I started 2 games and rotated in on a 4-4 team. So I feel like I can do this and at least deserve a shot to prove myself.</p>

2

<p>Write an e-mail to the coach telling him you want to play, tell him your history and vital stats… ht. wt. speed, strength, whatever he should know that puts yourself in a good light. </p>

<p>If he doesn’t contact you in a few days, call him up.</p>

<p>Get your former coach to talk to him.</p>

<p>Do it soon, because these walk-on tryouts may be starting very soon.</p>

<p>I’d start contacting the coach today.</p>

3

<p>Go for it! You have nothing to lose by contacting the coach. Don’t delay, do it today.</p>

4

<p>First of all, keep in mind that there are no athletic scholarships in the Ivy League so you don’t have that bit of the battle that most “walk-ons” face.</p>

<p>While the Ivy is D-1 it’s policies are more in tune with D-3.</p>

<p>Further to what is pointed out above, check out the school’s website for football. There may be info there, info about upcoming tryouts, etc. Also, another avenue is to call the Athletic Dept. and just ask when tryouts are. The sports information director office is also another good source or the Athletic Director’s office.</p>

<p>Too, as suggested, have your former coach call the coach at your new school and try yourself to call and/or email and follow up if no response. Coach could be on vacation this time of year. There may also be a recruiting coordinator, an assistant coach to contact.</p>

<p>And, bottomline, don’t be intimidated by where the other players come from. As they say, it ain’t about the size of the dog in the fight, it’s about the size of the fight in the dog.</p>