Do 4:30/9:40 kids even get looked at by d1 recruiters?

Sadly many don't and it is to their detriment. Coaches these days seem to care about only about times and the level of racing done. They just jump for the German Fernandez's of the world, who wind up being like china dolls when it comes to training.

I wish more coaches considered other factors such as versatility and training. Say that kid ran 4:30, on only 30 miles a week. That'd tell me about his untapped potential. Or what if he ran 4:30, but it turns out his form sucks and he could be improved?

To give you an example, my dad's college track coach once picked up a kid who most would've deemed a non-starter. His times were spectacular, and he wasn't a champ or anything. But what this kid HAD done, was in track he'd raced everything from the 200m on up to the mile. That told the coach that this kid had versatility and he had speed. So he recruited that runner, and by his senior year had turned him into a sub 4:00 miler.

Just goes to show coaches should be less concerned about what a kid has done, and more concerned about what the circumstances were. They should be looking for signs of potential, not just going by time and hoping the kid hasn't already hit his peak like so many do.

A bro on my team from the city area walked on this year. The kid has perfect running form, strong athletic body, etc.

As physically talented as you can get and he only ran 20 miles a week in high school. Never ran over an hour before. But had ridiculous footspeed and ran 4:25 in high school. I run for a team that's been to nationals in cross thrice in the past 4 years, sent 5 distance runners to NCAA's in track this year. Our coach saw great potential in him and got him to come on no money. This kid is a stud basketball player so possibly a great steeplechaser in the future? GOD coaches see that potential.

To folks who are posting stories about their own recruiting history-- you really need to give a sense of when, exactly, you were recruited. High school running is much, much deeper than it was 10-15 years ago. Just to cite one example, there were 30+ kids under 9:40 and 65+ under 4:30 last year in the state of Minnesota. In 2002, there were just over half as many in each event: 15 under 9:40, and 40 under 4:30.

It's a lot easier to get recruited when you're one of 10-20 guys in your state, and much more difficult to do so when there are 50 others as fast or faster.

Those times will get looked at if you are a girl, or an 8th grade boy.

But not a 17 yo 8thgrader like LV or ches.

If you are looking for money, it will be difficult to come by at any recognizable program; however, I will never say never because there are kids who have gotten money from small conference schools. You probably will not be discovered by a D1 program, you really have to market yourself, contact the coach directly and sale the fact that your are from a small school, your grades, your upside and perhaps run some summer meets to get your times down. Try to get a mark in 400/800 or even the 5K, this may show something that your other marks don't show.

With that said, have faith because there are lot of guys with similar marks who started out as a walk-ons at big D1 schools and made it on to the team their 2nd year. In fact, there are NCAA all-Americans who started out with similar marks.

religious daniels follower wrote:

[quote]ummm wrote:

im going to say if ur a 430 / 940 guy you better send some letters to college coaches, let them know how under trained you are and how much you would love to attend their school and just be on the team if you want to get looked at.

zero scholarship at any school that has a semi respectable team. 410 / 900 guys get partial scholarships at decent schools.

not remotely true. you obviously haven't competed at the D1 level.

first of all, 4:10 and 9:00 guys get full scholarships almost anywhere they go. do you realize how few people run that every year???

...You'd be surprised what circumstances will do. I knew an 8:50's, sub 4:10 (solo), Footlocker All-American guy who also had very good academic marks that did not receive a full ride to a bubble top 25 running school.

I was a 4:38/9:58 guy in HS. Got an offer (partial, not full obviously) from a mid-major D1 school for my "potential to develop". Unfortunately for the guy who recruited me, I haven't yet (headed into Jr year). There are a lot of guys like this at the mid-major level, though. High 4:20- low 4:30 or 9:40-9:50 type guys who went D1 not necessarily for the competitive aspect, but simply because a lot of the smaller leagues (MAAC, MAC, NEC, etc.) have weaker teams where they can fit in and contribute without taking it as seriously as they would have to at a regionally or nationally competitive DIII school.

I'd say Montana state is a major program since they had two 800 runners go to regionals and they've had three guys go under 1:50 in the last 3 years. Also had an 8:50 steepler this year and a guy go 13:59 in the 5k last indoors. What are your qualifications for a major program?

Um....there are a lot of D1 schools out there. My D2 school that was regularly bottom 4 of the conference would regularly beat d1 schools at mixed deviation invitationals. Where did this d1 = only footlocker all american mentality come from?

A 9:40 two miler unless they never ran before their senior year will need be able to develop to a 9:00 two miler in a year to make any impact on a D1 track program. I'm sure it might have happened before but in recruiting you have to focus on points and not developing raw talent.

If you want to run D1 as a 9:40 senior you can walk on but don't expect it will be the same as a D2 school where they need numbers and will talk to 9:40 runners if they are focusing on building a cross country program.

I ran at a powerhouse D1 school that was in a city where a 9:36 2 miler lived. He walked on a NCAA Championship Cross Country team. A new coach came in his sophomore year and tried to get rid of him. Told him to transfer to Notre Dame. He ended up toughing it out. Kept his mouth shut and ended up a 13:56 5000 runner and a cross country All-American and a big key to a NCAA Championship Cross team.

No coach at that level would have given him much of a chance to ever to help. He wanted to run D1 at the best college in the town he grew up and did just that.

Kelley Delaney.

The short answer is yes, you can get on a team, but you have to be proactive and fill out recruiting forms, contact the coaches first, etc. Which is what MOST people do.

And no, you're not going to get looked at by huge powerhouse schools like Oregon or NAU, but what most people on this board forget is there are a lot of mid-major D1 conferences around the country with competitive teams that will take a 4:30/9:40 guy. And in those same conferences are D1 teams that are...not so competitive.

What I find annoying is that most D1 recruiters won't/can't take into consideration the type of training that these kids have done up to that point. I'm not sure how they could, but it's a shame.

If I were a coach, I'd give just as much look to a 4:30 guy who runs 15 mpw and a bonehead coach as a 4:20 guy that runs 45 with a fantastic coach. Talent can often be hidden.

It has ceased to amaze me how elitist this board is with so many people who likely never were elite or even semi-elite.

Yes DI schools would look at that type of kid. Especially the lower level and I would say most schools outside of the big conferences would still say hello.

I ran 4:27/9:50 in HS and I landed a partial at a D1 school... Look around, there is likely a school or 2 that could use a hardworking kid.

-4:05 as a soph in college...

I hit those times in my early 30's.

Not a nibble from Div I programs...

Had a friend that went to UTSA once with 4:22/9:35 times, but had never done base training or more than 30mpw. No dice.

dreamer2014 wrote:

I ran 4:27/9:50 in HS and I landed a partial at a D1 school... Look around, there is likely a school or 2 that could use a hardworking kid.

When was that? It isn't the 90s anymore.

I know one of my HS teammates was being talked to at 4:35/9:50. This was at altitude though, all of his times were from races 5000' or higher.