<p>It is odd but HC is somewhat of a quirky place!</p>
<p>All joking aside, in my post, I made a distinction between joining a varsity team (being a member of the team, fully participating in practices, maybe playing in the occasional scrimage or conference game for a little bit especially if it is a blow out), vs starting/ frequently playing in official games. If students have an expressed interest and motivation to learn, improve or play in a sport, why shouldn’t the student be allowed to join a team? The athletic teams are there for the benefit of the students for those who feel such experiences are important to their growth/development. The teams should not be there primarily for the benefit of the college. </p>
<p>Do coaches at other DIII schools really tell motivated students interested in joining a sports team that they (the coach) do not want to work with less skilled individuals to improve their abilities? There are just too many things wrong with that…</p>
<p>[Haverford</a> Coach Throws It All Away for the Joys of Teaching - NYTimes.com](<a href=“Haverford Coach Throws It All Away for the Joys of Teaching - The New York Times”>Haverford Coach Throws It All Away for the Joys of Teaching - The New York Times)</p>
<p>I was one of those far from exceptional high school runners who arrived at Haverford and was swept along by the program and Toms teachings, said J. B. Haglund, who as a senior in 2001-2 won the Division III championship in cross-country, 5,000 and 10,000 meters. I remember one day seeing Marcus OSullivan on the track doing a Tom workout, and I remember that Tom spent as much time working with the slowest kid on our team that day as he did with Marcus.</p>
<p>Whoever you are, if you want to come and work hard, Tom has time for you. He says this over and over: The team is only as strong as the commitment of the least-accomplished person on the team. </p>