Will I be able to walk on?

yes get to it and email the coach

I find it hard to believe that a college coach would let athletes join their team in late August.

You have the potential to walk on.

Do they have spots open this year? I dunno. But I'm liking your middle distance times.

I was a college senior when the director of XC/TF actually approached me. He knew I wanted to walk on, and I even talked to other D1 athletes (sprinter girls, diving/swimming guys, soccer people) - they knew who I was.

But when the director approached me - I just said hello and walked away. (Secretly, I hated my college community and I did not want to represent them).

When the 2020 trials are here, I will try out - for myself!

Turned out I can't walk on because of "limited roster spots". I understand this is a D1 team, but a sub 4:20 just to walk on seems a little ridiculous.

ThisJustIn wrote:

Turned out I can't walk on because of "limited roster spots". I understand this is a D1 team, but a sub 4:20 just to walk on seems a little ridiculous.

Unfortunately, Title IX has forced most men's XC Teams (and numerous other "minor" sports) to cap their roster numbers so the colleges can get their male/female athlete ratios where they want them. Long gone are the days when men's XC squads could allow 10-20 extra guys to run workouts with the team and have the possibility of making it onto the A or B squad.

Many teams still keep a few extra guys around who aren’t listed on the roster. Conversely, many teams list some mid distance girls who come to some practices and compete in one meet.

In the fall 2017 America East championship, Binghamton was 7th of 9; the overall winner in 24:09, so a decently fast course, and Binghamton's 7th runner was 27:12.

You could definitely make the team, but only if you were allowed to try out.

Back in the day you could walk on with that ability.

This happened when I was in college. The women's tennis team and volleyball team went to practice, traveled to a few meets, then scratched or were entered in events where they wouldn't be too much of an embarrassment. This was in exchange for extra scholarship dollars, travel and meal money - it was pathetic. Meanwhile, the men's team had to scrap for "books" scholarships.

Title IX impact wrote:

Conversely, many teams list some mid distance girls who come to some practices and compete in one meet.

ThisJustIn wrote:

Turned out I can't walk on because of "limited roster spots". I understand this is a D1 team, but a sub 4:20 just to walk on seems a little ridiculous.

Well, did you call or show up? It's easier for a coach to say, "No" via email or on the phone. Woody Allen said, "Ninety percent of life is just showing up!" D-2, but late August years ago I just showed up. I looked the coach in the eye and told him, "I am a varsity XC runner." B.S. regarding limited roster spots. Knock a varsity runner down to JV!

That is called stalking. Do you show up at a girl’s house when she tells you on the phone that she doesn’t want to date you? Or do you show up at the office of an employer when they email you that you are not hired? You cat even get to the coach’s office at my school without being let in or having a badge.

ThisJustIn wrote:

Turned out I can't walk on because of "limited roster spots". I understand this is a D1 team, but a sub 4:20 just to walk on seems a little ridiculous.

In a wink and a nod to the plummeting of true-thinking in today's troubled culture, you could tell him that you identify as a female.

When I walked on I got my physical and showed up during practice time. This was a very good DI track school.

I was a 400 runner in high school moving up to the 800 and it was early September.

The sprint coach told me to go to the distance coach and then the distance coach told me XC had started and to go to the sprint coach.

They both told me I needed a physical. So I got that and turned it in to the athletic department.

I showed up during the sprinters fall practice, the coach shrugged and let me tag along.

I ran in smaller meets at first but made their 4X800 team junior year that was an NCAA provisional qualifyer indoors and was third at Penn. I was conference champion in the 1500 and all East in 800.

Then ran in the Olympic Trials in the 1500 after college.

Showing up worked for me.

But that was early 90s, late 80s.

No I didn't call, I just went to the coach's office.

Clueless D1 wrote:

That is called stalking. Do you show up at a girl’s house when she tells you on the phone that she doesn’t want to date you? Or do you show up at the office of an employer when they email you that you are not hired? You cat even get to the coach’s office at my school without being let in or having a badge.

You are in school still. You do not have a good job. No one is going to call the cops on you. It's more like trying to get a good job. It's not like dating women. Meet the coach in the parking lot. You are giving reasons not to be success. Do you wonder why some A&B students are working as barista's and cocktail waitresses? Do you wonder why some C students get great jobs? Me showing up many years ago at a D2 school is not much different than showing up at a D1 school. Note: I transferred to a D1 school. I tried the same thing. It didn't work at D1 school but I was admired for my gusto. It didn't work at D1 school due to lack of eligibility.

Now that's a cool story.

It seems like my story couldn’t happen today because of limited roster spots.

Some schools had big teams. 25 or more at a conference track meet.

We had some pretty slow guys that were allowed to stick around until they quit on their own.

Distance guys that couldn’t break 30 min for 8k.

Guys that couldn’t run under 2:00 for 800m.

I couldn’t break 2:00 the first couple tries but eventually ran 1:49.

You need to go to the coach and look him in the eye

and tell him "I can walk on water." How could he refuse?

This seems contradictory: you can't walk on because there are limited roster spots or limited roster spots for guys slower than 4:20?

ThisJustIn wrote:

Turned out I can't walk on because of "limited roster spots". I understand this is a D1 team, but a sub 4:20 just to walk on seems a little ridiculous.