Juice Springsteen wrote:
This is why it's silly to pontificate about the fairness of a program without knowing the details. There are Kenyans at other NESCAC schools but so far only Hamilton and Williams have lucked into Kenyans with running interest and talent. In no way was athletic potential factored into the scholarship decision - and how could it be, given the already mentioned fact that Kosgei hadn't run a step competitively before coming to Hamilton?
I'd be willing to entertain the idea that the massive wealth of schools like Amherst and Williams give them a leg up on the competition for talent but this program doesn't and hasn't provided an advantage.
To whoever posted about it being a comparable situation to a 9:00 guy coming to a NE D-III school: How many 9:00 guys attend D-III schools for free? Also, how many 9:00 recruits have there been in D-III in the last few years? I'd say very few. But yes, the same questions of fairness would come up.
From the KenSAP website: "All students participate in regular athletic training with a view to gauging whether any of them, regardless of previous interest or participation, demonstrates running talent of a standard that might interest a college coach."
Athletic potential is clearly a factor. I understand that this is primarily an academic program and that it opens up tremendous opportunities for promising students. But I just think it is ignorant to think that it is by chance or luck that Williams ends up with those runners--it has the resources to involve itself with that program, and every school cannot say that.