If a walk-on turns into the best runner on the team, is he likely to attain is partial scholarship?

Loyalty is a two-way street fella. I bust my butt and become your best runner and you don't offer me some of your discretionary scholarship dollars? He!! no. You just lost me and I'll run in weekend 5K and 10Ks before you'll see me with your team singlet again. Any kid who would become the best on the roster and remain walk-on guy/gal is a sucker, while the coach is a predator.

real dealer wrote:

Because you like competing and honoring your word.

asking for a friend that's not me wrote:

Assume that said team has about 3-4 scholarships for distance runners and said walk-on has nearly a full academic scholarship but still has to pay for books and housing. Will the coach be willing to give his star runner a book scholarship and housing stipend or treat him like he’s already on 80% scholarship?

Yes. I am an example of that. I walked on (back in the 90s At a mid-major school DI university) and wasn’t the best runner, but was top 3 in cross country and top 1-2 5000m and 10,000m runner in track by the end of my sophomore year. I was awarded just books for my 1st semester junior year and housing and books by my second semester junior year. So yes, it definitely possible to go from a walk-on to scholarship.

Have fun with that. The coach is still coaching and earning $125k. He has 20 guys calling him wanting to join the team. You lose. He does not.

Thanks to everyone for the responses. Before track or “winter cross country” starts I’m just going to ask my coach what I need to do to get a books or housing scholarship. It is kind of annoying having to buy my own books and pay my own rent when I’m faster than internationals my coach brings in on full scholarship.

Is the team fully funded? How many points have you scored at conference and how many do you expect to score? Like I said, fully funded is worth 10% for each point.

asking for a friend that's not me wrote:

Assume that said team has about 3-4 scholarships for distance runners and said walk-on has nearly a full academic scholarship but still has to pay for books and housing. Will the coach be willing to give his star runner a book scholarship and housing stipend or treat him like he’s already on 80% scholarship?

This was pretty much me, but no one was on a full scholarship just partials. And they didn’t offer to replace the academic scholarship just supplement.

Yeah, sure, that coach can go fvck himself then. Knowing what I know about life, I'd run local 5Ks for a few bucks before I'd let someone exploit me like that. The coach who doesn't send some $$ toward his best performer(s) doesn't deserve to be leading anything at all.

real dealer wrote:

Have fun with that. The coach is still coaching and earning $125k. He has 20 guys calling him wanting to join the team. You lose. He does not.

why are you asking a hypothetical on lets run

here are your answers

Yes

No

It Depends

If you want the answer, ask the coach.

In most cases yes. It would be bad for team morale not too. Guys who dont get money will want to see if they improve they can get scholarship money.