when should DC reach out to college coaches? (cross country/track)

Anonymous
my DC quit soccer and is running cross for first year ever - is a junior in Midwest state. Kid is absolutely killing it, and times for junior year are surpassing junior year times for kids who have committed to Georgetown, Cornell, etc. Track times were always strong, but the first time with preseason training (past summer - up to 30–35 miles peak week) revealing the true potential. Been told bulk of recruiting is done off of junior year track/ senior year cross results and times. Anyone been thru the ringer on this?
Anonymous
Reach out now to schools of interest.

Also, there is a lot of uncertainty right now with how many roster spots there will be for athletes.

Things will be tougher basically for D1.
Anonymous
Runrecruit and Milesplit may be good resources.
Anonymous
D1 is getting tight in terms of roster spots.

I went through the wringer but ran a 4:10 mile as a 10th grader. Was on the radar early.

Sub 4:10 for the mile and sub 9 for two miles are likely the standard for D1 attention today
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:D1 is getting tight in terms of roster spots.

I went through the wringer but ran a 4:10 mile as a 10th grader. Was on the radar early.

Sub 4:10 for the mile and sub 9 for two miles are likely the standard for D1 attention today


insane time for a 10th grader - out of curiosity, how many miles per week were you running and for how many years prior. Think your 4:10/sub 9 times are spot on for a top ivy program like Cornell, Yale, or Princeton - and you need to hit those junior year track, then reach out to coaches
Anonymous
a kid we know just committed to Cornell, good (not great) cc runner but hit a sub 4:10 last year as a junior - ticket punched with that time
Anonymous
Most DI schools want two qualifying time standards. So cross country and something like the mile or 800 from track. If your kid has those standards reach out now.

You can find the standards on any schools website
Anonymous
good previous post but imo it’s tough because there are kids who can bang out a 15:30 5k but not be able to break 2 in the 800 - because of excessive summer mileage. Coaches want breadth with these kids. Excessive summer training and lying about mileage can’t help a kids 400 time hit 52 - and that’s a price of entry for upper tier D1 cc
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:good previous post but imo it’s tough because there are kids who can bang out a 15:30 5k but not be able to break 2 in the 800 - because of excessive summer mileage. Coaches want breadth with these kids. Excessive summer training and lying about mileage can’t help a kids 400 time hit 52 - and that’s a price of entry for upper tier D1 cc


NP, with son who is early in xc/track career, but doing well. Do you mean you need the 5k time plus 800 and 400? Or is 5K with 1600 and 800 okay? DS is starting his first indoor track season and it's interesting because he's training like and with the sprinters, despite being a middle to long distance guy. I am just trying to understand how it all works!
Anonymous
https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/track-and-field/2107279

Talk to your high school coach about how this works.
Anonymous
What are his times for each event specifically? Defiantly need to be strong in 2-3 events.

Are you full pay for a D3 school? Could you pay 60-80k a year for a high academic D3 or private? Typically, track gives no money. Schools give merit money but that’s for academics.

What are your kids gpa and sat/act? Where would they be targeting if they weren’t running?

My son could run the middle distance times at any d3 and at low D1s. (1:57 800m, 4:19 mile, 2:32 1000m) by senior year. He decided to go to a large D1 school because of other factors: academics, environment, cost, and merit scholarship for studies he tried to walk onto the d1 team but did not get the 1 spot available for middle distance fresh,an guys. He will run unattached this winter. Can still run all the same races but just not affiliated with the school.

Start having him email the coaches, but don’t be surprised if they don’t respond.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:good previous post but imo it’s tough because there are kids who can bang out a 15:30 5k but not be able to break 2 in the 800 - because of excessive summer mileage. Coaches want breadth with these kids. Excessive summer training and lying about mileage can’t help a kids 400 time hit 52 - and that’s a price of entry for upper tier D1 cc


NP, with son who is early in xc/track career, but doing well. Do you mean you need the 5k time plus 800 and 400? Or is 5K with 1600 and 800 okay? DS is starting his first indoor track season and it's interesting because he's training like and with the sprinters, despite being a middle to long distance guy. I am just trying to understand how it all works!


Most mid-distance/distance track runners will run XC for their college. So they need the XC 5k time and then either the 800 or mile time or both. They need to be successful in both track and XC.

I have seen several XC runners who are great in XC and have the times but then can't do the track standards.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:good previous post but imo it’s tough because there are kids who can bang out a 15:30 5k but not be able to break 2 in the 800 - because of excessive summer mileage. Coaches want breadth with these kids. Excessive summer training and lying about mileage can’t help a kids 400 time hit 52 - and that’s a price of entry for upper tier D1 cc


NP, with son who is early in xc/track career, but doing well. Do you mean you need the 5k time plus 800 and 400? Or is 5K with 1600 and 800 okay? DS is starting his first indoor track season and it's interesting because he's training like and with the sprinters, despite being a middle to long distance guy. I am just trying to understand how it all works!


there’s no one answer here, and kid probably doesn’t yet know where he will land re best event. My kiddo was a soccer player who switched to cross country junior year, and was recruited by several ivies. He was a natural runner who pre-cross junior year could break 10 minutes in the 2 mile with no preseason work, while also 50 second 400. Did cross country in college which was 8k - so to point above, a ton of breadth in his arsenal. If your kiddo has a good coach they will help him figure it out - best of luck, awesome sport that can open many doors! no other sport i’m aware of that kid can pick up sport junior year and wind up recruited by ivies!
Anonymous
You never know what a college coach is looking for. My daughter runs a 2:22 800 and a 62 400…huge positive personality. Has been offered small athletic money and a ton of merit at an American East college and a guaranteed walk on spot at an Atlantic 10 college. She wants to run and was aggressive in reaching out to coaches and marketing herself. Still talking to 2 other D1 coaches….all solid schools
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:You never know what a college coach is looking for. My daughter runs a 2:22 800 and a 62 400…huge positive personality. Has been offered small athletic money and a ton of merit at an American East college and a guaranteed walk on spot at an Atlantic 10 college. She wants to run and was aggressive in reaching out to coaches and marketing herself. Still talking to 2 other D1 coaches….all solid schools


*started reaching out to coaches spring of Junior year
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