Look, if you're good enough you will make it. Period. In that sense, I'm not making excuses. My own kid made it to a top 10 program, with only ordinary high school coaching. But she made it in spite of her circumstances, and I'll admit that luck played a part too. I am sure there were plenty of girls just like her who didn't do as well in recruiting and yet have a lot of quality running left in them. The sad fact is that if they had made it into a top program, they might be a star right now. But instead, they're at some mediocre school, running slower than they did in high school. Meanwhile, the supposed superstars who did make it to a big name running university, are throwing away the opportunity by quitting in their first year. Or else they're such damaged goods that they are never healthy enough to run in college. I don't see how this is good for anyone--including the girls who lose scholarships after their first year when they don't perform.