By David Thompson
It is very rare that the media goes beyond the stat sheet and looks at the athletes that are doing what they love for the sake of the game. These athletes walk on and play side-by-side with teammates enticed on with scholarship offers and hopes of professional play.
A walk-on athlete is an athlete who participates in a varsity sport but is not under scholarship for athletics. This means that they are not guaranteed a spot on the team. They are not guaranteed playing time. They have to work their way onto the team and continue to work to stay on the team.
The role of the walk-on is a unique one according to Men's Cross-Country Coach Rob Conner.
"(Walk-on athletes) have a very important role. They are able to participate in a varsity sport, they work hard for us, and they keep the other guys honest," Connor said
Conner, who noted that 15 of the 31 cross-country runners this season are walk-ons, loves to invite people to walk onto the team.
"I always tell the guys they'll be on the team as long as they work as hard as everyone else, no matter what their talent," Connor said.
For cross-country runners this means running upward of 90 miles a week.
Not all walk-on athletes are stuck in a role on the bench. Conner pointed out Todd Davis ('99) as a prime example. Davis walked on as a freshman and ended up becoming ranked as high as second in the steeplechase, an event where he held the University of Portland record.
"(Davis) was in ROTC and an Engineering major. He wasn't recruited out of high school so he walked on here." Conner added that the program here has the ability for a runner to obtain their "max potential" in terms of running.
"Walk-ons are a huge benefit and a great deal to any athletic program because the program receives a high quality athlete who is willing to give their all and sacrifice for the team at no cost," said freshman Allix Strahon who walked onto the Pilot Volleyball team this season and is now starting on a regular basis.
Strahon believes that her role on the team is not defined by her walk-on status.
"I am representing the same institution, coaching staff, training staff, team, etc... therefore, how I present myself, or the effort I put out should be no different from a scholarship athlete. We are all working hard to make the team better," She said.
Being a walk-on can leave an athlete with a feeling of discontent with the program.
"Because I am a walk-on I do have this little feeling like I can prove something of myself to others, but I don't feel a necessity to have to prove myself," said Strahon. "But you still have to be an incredible athlete to play at this level."
Head Women's Basketball Coach Jim Sollars agrees.
"Sometimes (walk-on athletes) can have a chip on their shoulder. They believe that they are better than some of the girls on the team with scholarships and they can become resentful, but most of the time they have great attitudes," Sollars said.
Sollars, who usually has one or two girls walk on to his team, pointed out senior Andrea Wujek as a prime example. Wujek walked on for the Pilots and was honored by her coaches and teammates as the team captain because of her work ethic. Her role on the team is vital according to Sollars.
Not all walk-on situations work out.
"Some of them realize that the time and energy they put in isn't worth what they get out of the game and others just can't juggle the requirements to be a Division I student athlete," Sollars said. "It's time to walk away when they don't enjoy showing up every day."
That is what happened to sophomore Shane Moser. Moser walked onto the Men's Basketball team as a freshman. He is no longer on the team stating, "playing basketball became more of a business for me. It wasn't fun anymore."
Moser did not let the experience ruin his love of basketball and is now a manager for Sollars and the Women's Basketball team.
