Why are they leaving? Is this a school to send young people? If so, what events should a coach steer a kid to Oregon for?
Why are they leaving? Is this a school to send young people? If so, what events should a coach steer a kid to Oregon for?
I have noticed this too...one was a former state champ from Ohio - Therese Haiss. Transferred to Arkansas.
Didn't know that athlete transferred. Interesting.....
How many has it been over the past 2 to 3 years?
They are leaving because they can't be a small fish in a big pond. When I see these athletes leave big programs typically they want to get out of the most competitive program in the country and find a place where each practice isn't a race in itself. If UO wasn't winning national championships I would be inclined to think the environment is bad and negative, but that is the opposite. They are winning multiple individual and team titles and those five star recruits that aren't producing want out to try and find somewhere they can flourish.
Chad Noelle is a great example of a kid that was at OU with their 5-6 sub 4:00 milers and transferred out to be the big dog at OSU.
Nobody should expect every recruit at OU to be national champion and to stay all 4-5 years. Not every athlete excels under the same program and once they figure out it isn't working they look elsewhere.
Props to OU for finding ways to get maximize their talent and win titles and same to the athletes that are willing to make a change to salvage their running careers and to find happiness.
Not trying to create drama. My initial question was which area of Oregon would you steer a high school senior toward? Distance? Sprints?
Maury wrote:
Not trying to create drama. My initial question was which area of Oregon would you steer a high school senior toward? Distance? Sprints?
To be successful at Oregon, you must be a HS blue chipper that isn't intimidated by the all-star squad Oregon throws out there year-in and year-out.
A previous poster mentioned they have 4 or 5 sub 4 minute milers every year. That's inaccurate. For the past 2 or 3 years, if you convert 1500 PR's and also use true mile PR's, they've had at least ten guys each year with PR's under 4 or equivalent to sub 4. Then throw in a few more that are just over 4 as well.
Heck they had a guy this year that didn't even run on their Penn Relays 4 X mile and didn't even make NCAA's but after NC's he ran 3:40 and qualified for USA's. At USA's he got thru the heats and made the USATF 1500 finals and then a week later he ran a 3:36 1500 (3:53 mile) and beat King Chez! That was the fastest time run by a collegiate this year by over a second yet he essentially was a non-factor on the team all season...(maybe was injured?).
Oregon is a great school to attend if you want a one-of-a kind running experience. But as I mentioned upfront, the recruit must be able to possibly handle being, as a former poster stated, a small fish in a big pond. They must also be a national caliber high schooler in their event to survive.
Is it possible they realize there is life after college and running and they want to go to a better university?
Coach wrote:
Is it possible they realize there is life after college and running and they want to go to a better university?
You probably haven't noticed that for many of the Oregon runners, life after college is running professionally. With an Oregon pedigree and a pro running resume, many of them end up coaching or working at places like Nike following their running career.
There are no other colleges that come close to Oregon if you want to run professionally and/or work at a place like Nike. If you want to coach, especially at the college level, having an Oregon running career followed by pro running on the resume will get you an interview more often than not.
Coach wrote:
Is it possible they realize there is life after college and running and they want to go to a better university?
A better university? For what major? Do you realize that the best university for one major may not be the best university for another. For music, Julliard is world-renowned but it isn't the best music school for every one of the instruments. Maybe there are better schools if you want to major in french horn but for violin, Julliard is #1.
Oregon has a shoe design major. They do internships at Nike. Following graduation who do you think gets first dibs at Nike when they have a shoe design opening?
Making a generic statement claiming there are better universities shows your ignorance and implies you may not have any university experience of your own.
yes a bright future at nike
check your soul at the door
again, perhaps these student athletes have come to realize that they don't want to pursue a life of running, Nike, and all that Oregon gives them and they choose another school which affords them a chance to improve as a runner and student. People change between 17 and 20
Julliard grad wrote:
Coach wrote:Is it possible they realize there is life after college and running and they want to go to a better university?
Making a generic statement claiming there are better universities shows your ignorance and implies you may not have any university experience of your own.
Who's the ignorant one? The one who thinks their "major" opens all the doors or the brand/recognition of their university opens all the doors? You'll learn in the long run, ya little go-getter!
Oregon is a smoke and mirrors program. What you think it will be is nothing like what it really is. They treat their track athletes like they are disposable and just another number. They do not get any more special gear or treatment than any other major program and it certainly does not help you get in with Nike.
They cut scholarships with no warning to athletes all the time. Robert Johnson will do anything it takes to win and that includes cutting/reducing athletes who aren't quite at the points level they want to create more cap space. He, nor any of the coaches care that these are 18-23 year old kids, they see them as points. (see: Nikki Hiltz this year).
Noelle left so he could come back to Hayward and win an NCAA title ;)
Bump
Not sure why a couple of athletes left Oregon but Oregon is bringing in better recruits then the ones that left and that want to win National Championships in indoor and outdoor track and field. Oregon coaches up talent and has great teams every single year so I think they will be just fine. :) GO DUCKS
This is very interesting......thank you!
Cant Spell Dumb F**k w/o Duck wrote:
Oregon is a smoke and mirrors program. What you think it will be is nothing like what it really is. They treat their track athletes like they are disposable and just another number. They do not get any more special gear or treatment than any other major program and it certainly does not help you get in with Nike.
They cut scholarships with no warning to athletes all the time. Robert Johnson will do anything it takes to win and that includes cutting/reducing athletes who aren't quite at the points level they want to create more cap space. He, nor any of the coaches care that these are 18-23 year old kids, they see them as points. (see: Nikki Hiltz this year).
The above quote is from someone who has absolutely no knowledge or past association with the program. Every statement is absolutely untrue.
Another example of a LR Oregon basher willing to make up any garbage that the other Oregon bashers on LR with have an orgasm over.
The weather.