Alexa Efraimson Signs with Nike

video interview in which she explains her decision

http://www.dyestat.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=videos&video_id=124040-Alexa-Efraimson-Discusses-Turning-Pro-DyeStat

This seems to be happening all the time now with young female runners. Personally, I don't think it's the greatest decision to turn pro before you even graduate high school. There's a reason that's not really allowed with pro basketball/football anymore, but hey, I'm not an expert.

I would've at least liked to see her finish HS first. Guess she'll have Cain as a training partner now.

I called this a year ago, I saw Alberto talking to her at one of the high profile meets, everybody thought I was trolling.

GoldenMiles wrote:

This seems to be happening all the time now with young female runners. Personally, I don't think it's the greatest decision to turn pro before you even graduate high school. There's a reason that's not really allowed with pro basketball/football anymore, but hey, I'm not an expert.

I would've at least liked to see her finish HS first. Guess she'll have Cain as a training partner now.

the article said she willstay with her coach mike hicky, cain of course is with salazar, so they may run together occasionly, but wont be training partners.

Kgpremed12 wrote:

I called this a year ago, I saw Alberto talking to her at one of the high profile meets, everybody thought I was trolling.

You were, and are currently. She's not going with Alberto.

GoldenMiles wrote:

This seems to be happening all the time now with young female runners.

Other than Cain who else has gone the pro route during HS? I can't think of any in the last couple of years.

whatthewhatthewhat wrote:

GoldenMiles wrote:

This seems to be happening all the time now with young female runners.

Other than Cain who else has gone the pro route during HS? I can't think of any in the last couple of years.

Ajee Wilson, Alison Felix

GoldenMiles wrote:

This seems to be happening all the time now with young female runners.

I count two.

granola and yogurt wrote:

Ajee Wilson, Alison Felix

Post-high school. Both had committed to universities, but following their senior year, signed deals.

One big difference is that (presumably) Cain and Efraimson will still be attending school while being pro.

Might you have a New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters link please?

Also, Cain, Wilson & Felix all had more impressive running resumes when they turned pro. Cain had won a US senior title + made finals at senior worlds; Wilson had won junior worlds; Felix had won a senior worlds silver.

To this point Efraimson has some very impressive PRs, a 6th at junior worlds and has yet to make a final at US senior nationals.

Hope it all works out for her, but she's now put a ton of pressure on herself to improve quickly.

dkny64 wrote:

Felix had won a senior worlds silver.

She had not.

Oops - should have double checked the facts before I posted. [I turned the silver she won at the 2004 Olympics shortly after HS into a silver at Worlds while still in HS.] So in a way Felix would be the one closest to Efraimson's situation, but Felix went pro after finishing HS and setting the WJR in the 200m.

george oscar bluth wrote:

One big difference is that (presumably) Cain and Efraimson will still be attending school while being pro.

I don't understand this statement. Allyson Felix graduated from USC with a degree in elementary education. Ajee Wilson is currently attending Temple University.

As for Alexa Efraimson turning professional I think the very fact that we are commenting on her turning professional is why she turned professional. If I personally am going to be scrutinized for everything I do in my chosen profession I might as well get paid for it.

I am from Colorado and I saw the whirlwind of activity that surrounded Missy Franklin when she returned to high school swimming after her successful Olympics. I can remember the attention being so intense around Missy that it created a bad feeling for everyone else involved.

eman wrote:

george oscar bluth wrote:

One big difference is that (presumably) Cain and Efraimson will still be attending school while being pro.

I don't understand this statement. Allyson Felix graduated from USC with a degree in elementary education. Ajee Wilson is currently attending Temple University.

As for Alexa Efraimson turning professional I think the very fact that we are commenting on her turning professional is why she turned professional. If I personally am going to be scrutinized for everything I do in my chosen profession I might as well get paid for it.

I am from Colorado and I saw the whirlwind of activity that surrounded Missy Franklin when she returned to high school swimming after her successful Olympics. I can remember the attention being so intense around Missy that it created a bad feeling for everyone else involved.

But this was after Missy Franklin had already been an Olympic star.

Alexa Efraimson is still unknown outside of the running community. Even if she improves quite a lot, she's still likely to remain unknown outside of the running community unless she wins an Olympic medal. And even winning an Olympic gold medal won't make her as big a celebrity as Missy Franklin.

I believe the risk for Efraimson in going pro is being stuck in no woman's land if she fails to make the US team for 2015 Worlds and the 2016 Olympics. And if Simpson, Rowbury & Cain are healthy and running well, those are going to be tough teams to make.

Missy Franklin is competing on the Cal Swim team

eman wrote:

george oscar bluth wrote:

One big difference is that (presumably) Cain and Efraimson will still be attending school while being pro.

I don't understand this statement. Allyson Felix graduated from USC with a degree in elementary education. Ajee Wilson is currently attending Temple University.

As for Alexa Efraimson turning professional I think the very fact that we are commenting on her turning professional is why she turned professional. If I personally am going to be scrutinized for everything I do in my chosen profession I might as well get paid for it.

I am from Colorado and I saw the whirlwind of activity that surrounded Missy Franklin when she returned to high school swimming after her successful Olympics. I can remember the attention being so intense around Missy that it created a bad feeling for everyone else involved.

And I grew up around Elizabeth Beisel and absolutely nobody felt that way. Everyone respected her and her decision.

With that said though, I think running and swimming are very different, as in swimming it's not that unusual to go to the Olympics while swimming for your club and it's pretty common to go as a collegiate swimmer

eman wrote:

george oscar bluth wrote:

One big difference is that (presumably) Cain and Efraimson will still be attending school while being pro.

I don't understand this statement. Allyson Felix graduated from USC with a degree in elementary education. Ajee Wilson is currently attending Temple University.

As for Alexa Efraimson turning professional I think the very fact that we are commenting on her turning professional is why she turned professional. If I personally am going to be scrutinized for everything I do in my chosen profession I might as well get paid for it.

I am from Colorado and I saw the whirlwind of activity that surrounded Missy Franklin when she returned to high school swimming after her successful Olympics. I can remember the attention being so intense around Missy that it created a bad feeling for everyone else involved.

You don't understand the statement because you didn't pay attention to who I responded to and what he wrote.

"There's a reason that's not really allowed with pro basketball/football anymore, but hey, I'm not an expert."

I wasn't comparing Cain/Efraimson to Wilson/Felix who went pro after high school, I was comparing them to basketball/football players who would likely have a hard time continuing their education as professional basketball/football players.