Of course the BYU program has been hugely successful, but I'm still fascinated by the fact that non-LDS teenagers decide to go there.
It must be extremely culturally challenging for a non-LDS kid to live in a community that is so completely and entirely organized around a church and religion. Not to mention that for mormons it is a religious obligation to evangelize their faith, so the non-LDS kids must be confronted with suggestions to convert at every turn.
From what I’ve seen, non members like Rory Linkletter and Adam wood have had pretty positive experiences.
Yes, there is a kind of culture of conversion, but (aside from outliers that come with having a group of people) people understand and are pretty respectful. Members are, on average, friendly and chill to be around.
Yes the school has advantages. But less than 2% of people are Mormon. So a school like NAU recruits from 98% while BYU recruits from 2%.
You may not be paying attention.
A top school tries to get 3-5 distance recruits per year.
In past 5-10 years generally 5 of top 20 hs distance runners are Mormon.
So you are right, it's hard for them to recruit non Mormons...
...but Mormons wanting to get a BYU education actually create a pipeline of the best runners wanting to go there.
With new roster limits, they may even not be able to take them all!
The ocasional non Mormon is generally either a serious runner, who welcomes altitude and no distractions, or a devout Christian who shares many values anyway.
...and no, they don't constantly try to convert you. You do have to comply with school behavior code. With 97% Mormon, the average student just assumes you are Mormon.
How many boys in the top 20 in the past 3 classes? Not close to 25% as you falsely claimed.
With the caveats 1) top 20 lists will vary, and 2) just because someone has some apparent family connection to Mormonism does not mean it it their faith:
Arguably one of the best running cultures in the country + high percentage of stable families and low drug/substance use + the strongest recruiting power anywhere (eg, every Utah runners dream is BYU team or give it up for BYU farm team) = stacked, stacked roster.
I still can't believe BYU would be more attractive to a fast and high-achieving Mormon (even from Utah) than Stanford.
I don't think you have any comprehension of what authentic religious belief is like.
Of course the BYU program has been hugely successful, but I'm still fascinated by the fact that non-LDS teenagers decide to go there.
It must be extremely culturally challenging for a non-LDS kid to live in a community that is so completely and entirely organized around a church and religion. Not to mention that for mormons it is a religious obligation to evangelize their faith, so the non-LDS kids must be confronted with suggestions to convert at every turn.
I don't think it would be that challenging because the people there would objectively be friendlier, kinder, etc. than at any secular institution.
I'm not even Mormon by the way, I just think your perception of religious people is probably off
Whatever advantage BYU may have had, it's a lot less of an advantage now that it's easy for every other team in the country to send people to a junior college for a couple years. The junior college rule change if anything hurts BYU.
No good coach anywhere is sending anyone to a JC, good grief. Nobody who is high D1 talent is going to listen to a BYU, NAU, UVA, or ND coach to go to a JC school to see how they develop instead of a different solid D1 school offering a spot. Not gonna happen.
Some few kids with late developing talent who don’t care that much about where they start school will wind up getting the tail end of their college running careers as the 4-7 runners at d1 schools when they are grad students. Whoopy doo.
I'm talking about "Late Bloomers", who weren't highly recruited out of high school and now with 2 years of development are ready to run at the D-1 level. Yes, other schools will also have this, but BYU is the reigning champ and will draw more runners.
The juco rule only applies to athletes who already competed jc and would be finishing their ncaa eligibility this year, and this year only. Jc has been a route for some coaches to send people to, to later get in return, but that’s mainly been Kenyans. I highly doubt competitive high school kids will opt to go juco with the new roster limitations. I feel that if you are offered a spot out of high school, you’re taking it. You can always enter the portal if you drop 13:30. If you go to juco and run 8:20 / 14:20 your frosh year, no team that is competing to make NCAAs will touch you. And would any coaches in jc be trusted enough to actually develop distance talent?
The juco rule only applies to athletes who already competed jc and would be finishing their ncaa eligibility this year, and this year only. Jc has been a route for some coaches to send people to, to later get in return, but that’s mainly been Kenyans. I highly doubt competitive high school kids will opt to go juco with the new roster limitations. I feel that if you are offered a spot out of high school, you’re taking it. You can always enter the portal if you drop 13:30. If you go to juco and run 8:20 / 14:20 your frosh year, no team that is competing to make NCAAs will touch you. And would any coaches in jc be trusted enough to actually develop distance talent?
This 1 yr decision only result of NCAA losing a court case, which is now under appeal.
As soon as ncaa loses appeal (when is last time NCAA won in court?), this will be extended to 2 years and valid for all.
No good coach anywhere is sending anyone to a JC, good grief. Nobody who is high D1 talent is going to listen to a BYU, NAU, UVA, or ND coach to go to a JC school to see how they develop instead of a different solid D1 school offering a spot. Not gonna happen.
Some few kids with late developing talent who don’t care that much about where they start school will wind up getting the tail end of their college running careers as the 4-7 runners at d1 schools when they are grad students. Whoopy doo.
This is comically short sighted. As more and more D1 schools recruit older, more developed international runners the only place for undeveloped 18 year olds to go will be JUCOs. With restricted roster spots, the days of taking the risk and making the investment to develop 4:10/9:00 high schoolers are short.
I think we’ll finally start seeing running follow the swimming model of dominant club competition.
This is comically short sighted. As more and more D1 schools recruit older, more developed international runners the only place for undeveloped 18 year olds to go will be JUCOs. With restricted roster spots, the days of taking the risk and making the investment to develop 4:10/9:00 high schoolers are short.
I think we’ll finally start seeing running follow the swimming model of dominant club competition.
Two things you are not considering:
1- There are currently 319 D1 xc teams. The bottom 150 are all awful with no scholarships. Really only about 50 schools seriously compete to be among the 34 teams that make ncaa, and only 10-15 are regulars for podium spots.
2- Parents and pride. JUCO still is perceived as an inferior academic experience by kids and their parents.
Students at bad running schools will just stop running and do intramurals, club, theatre, newspaper, job etc if they lose their roster spot. They will become normal non varsity athlete college students, or there is club.
When little Johnny considers college, Mom and Dad May envision something different than JUCO for their unique offspring. Johnny may love the idea of football weekends and a frat at State U instead of running for a bad team.
Check out intramural flag football and basketball at any college, and you will be shocked how many very good hs players just decide not to go for varsity in college.
For most people JUCO will never be considered a serious option.