Another chance to fight for the Yale blue

In every incoming class, there are a number of recruited athletes. The Class of 2004 is no different; amidst roughly 1,400 new students are 32 football recruits, seven men's hockey recruits, eight men's soccer recruits, and 10 men's lacrosse recruits, not to mention those athletes recruited for soccer, baseball, basketball, golf, tennis, and more.

But recruits make up only one part of each year's additions; coaches, particularly those of smaller teams that receive less priority in the admissions game, rely on walk-ons to help fill out their teams. "Our walk-ons are extremely important each year," Andy Card, men's lightweight crew coach, said.

Both the men's and women's crew teams draw heavily from walk-ons to fill their boats. More than many other sports, such as basketball or field hockey, crew is willing to make key contributors out of generally fit and athletic Yalies, even if they lack experience or skill particular to the sport. "For kids who are too slow for track, not big enough for football, not tall enough for basketball, we encourage them to give crew a try," Card said, adding that he himself was a walk-on. And with several months of hard work, walk-ons come to play a key role on the team.

"During the first few months we were separated from the recruits so that we could catch up," Tomer Posner, TD '03, said. "But soon most of the walk-ons were in the second boat, competing as members of the team."

Walk-ons can even make an impact on teams with higher numbers of recruits. Jack Sied-lecki, head coach of the football team, referred to walk-ons as a "definite added bonus," pointing out that two-time letter-man Dan Searle, BR '01, was initially a walk-on. Similarly, Jac Gould, CC '00—the Ivy League Player of the Year in 1998—turned the Yale soccer program around in his four years on the squad. But he was initially a track recruit and had to convince Coach Brian Tompkins to even let him try the sport.

But on many of Yale's teams, some sort of high school experience is necessary. "You have to have some sort of background in the sport," track and field coach Steve Bartold said. "With so many teams with so much depth, general athleticism probably will not be good enough." Nevertheless, Bartold "encouraged" interested, but not recruited, students to give track a try, adding that "because of our need for depth, almost all of our walk-ons can play a part."

For almost all Yale teams, students interested in participating are encouraged to attend team practices. For some squads, more than 50 players will walk-on at the beginning of the season; for others, as few as two or three. But regardless of the sport, all coaches stress the importance of getting in shape the summer before coming out.

"It's critical for our walk-ons to maintain good general fitness before the season," Card said. "Ride a bike, row if you can, essentially anything that keeps you outdoors and active." For the football squad, a pre-season workout is a must. "We have a summer fitness program that we ask all of our players to attend," Siedlecki said. "Hopefully, all of our walk-ons have begun to contact us already so that we can get them involved."

Bartold also stresses the importance of contacting the coaching staff to start a summer fitness program. "Our best walk-on who ever came to Yale was already running a five-minute mile," he said. "But for most of our walk-ons, a summer program is really necessary for gearing them towards our long season."

A number of teams, including both crew and track, emphasize that they do not cut, making walk-ons guaranteed members of the team. Then, depending on their hard work and progress, they may become major contributors. "Everyone gets to participate," Posner said, citing the inclusive atmosphere as one of the most important reasons why he "recommend[s] walking on to everyone."

So if you participated in sports in high school but weren't recruited to play at Yale, there's still a good chance you can become a valued member of a varsity squad. With some hard work and dedication over the summer, you too can fight for the Yale blue come fall. "It is really exciting to be a member of a team," Card said. "Then again, it's not for everyone." After all, someone has to be left over to take on the bad guys in the world of intramurals.

Graphic by Shawn Cheng.

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