Think Long Term wrote:
And Jordan is absolutely right. There is zero reason for Cain to go pro, but multiple reasons to go to college: 1) She is one ankle twist or other injury away from ever running again (think Verzbicas);
This is a great reason for her to start running pro as soon as possible.
2) Long term a college education is a fundamental academic development, especially for Cain who has the drive and the smarts to take advantage of a top flight school like a Princeton;
This is not incompatible with running as a pro.
3) Socially, Cain is probably best served by exposure to people her own age and college will provide the perfect environment for that;
None of that is incompatible with running as a pro.
4) At a top athletic / academic school like Princeton, Cain will have no shortage of athletic development. These schools lavish tones of resources on developing their athletes to their fullest potential. Cabral was developed at Princeton to the level where he represented the USA in the recent Olympics in the steeplechase, earning an eighth place finish against the world's elite.
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Cabral is a very poor analogy to Cain. Yes, many or most athletes benefit tremendously from the competitive atmosphere of college running. Cain is already better than all college runners, however. She might still develop in that system but she might not.
[quote[ The question really boils down to whether Cain has what it takes to both produce as an athlete AND an academic in the tough academic environment of a school like a Princeton. [/quote]
That is true whether she is running in college or running pro.