Imagine waking up at 7 a.m. to sprint full field, heading to practice knowing a big project was waiting back in the dorm, cheering on teammates during a game without entering. Now imagine doing all this and not earning any money for it. That is life of Division I walk-on athletes.
The NCAA defines a walk-on as a non-scholarship athlete who is not actively recruited by a program’s coach prior to entering an institution. Walk-ons attend practices and games without the push of thousands of dollars to motivate them.
Men’s basketball Head Coach Jayson Gee stated there is no preferential treatment to any player based on money in his program. Gee said that he was “adamant” against this; Field Hockey Head Coach Iain Byers discussed how, depending on the institution, walk-ons can find themselves treated differently from scholarship athletes by both their teammates and coaching staff.
Senior Men’s Basketball player Tyler Akers agreed with his coach and felt his experience as a two-year walk-on has been “the same (as if he) was on scholarship.”
Akers attended Longwood after playing at Roanoke College, a Division III institution, and graduating with two years of eligibility remaining. He decided playing Division I basketball while pursuing his Master’s degree in Business Administration was something he wanted to do.
As a preferred walk-on, he was guaranteed a place on the roster pending his acceptance to the school.
Since joining the team, Akers has been named a captain, placed on the All-Academic Team, earned scholar-athlete honors both years, and appeared in 26 games.
For him, the equal treatment found in Longwood Athletics is “actually kind of unique.”
“At other schools I’ve been to, walk-ons are kind of treated differently, but here, everything’s expected of me, everything matters whether you’re on scholarship or walk on,” said Akers.
Despite his lack of playing time and financial aid, Akers influences the team’s dynamic in other ways, playing a role off the court. Gee described Akers as nothing short of “awesome.”
“I don’t know of a word that gives a more appropriate accolade than awesome. (Akers is a) hard worker, very competitive, leads our team (and) does extra work with getting little playing time, if any,” said Gee.
As a leader, Akers said he has to be “more vocal to people,” “understand what everyone is doing” and “use (his) experience to help” the younger members of the team.
On the field hockey team, freshman Lorissa Morton, another preferred walk-on, found herself on equal ground with the other players coming in for her first season.
“I believe that for the most part there is fair treatment at least for our team and department. On our team it’s actually difficult to differentiate between those who have money and those who do not,” said Morton.
Morton earned four starts, along with playing time in three other games and recognition as a scholar-athlete in the fall.
Byers depicted walk-ons as “very valuable” members of any team, his own included; especially since he said “somewhere between” 30 to 50 percent of the players are not on scholarship as their program is not fully funded.
“I think certain people see themselves as walk-ons and see themselves as slightly different. That again comes down to the culture of the group and the culture of the individuals on the team,” said Byers. “From a role point of view, they do everything else that we expect them, we expect them to be just as strong academically … There’s not huge amounts of difference in our team.”
Currently, neither Akers nor Morton receive aid from Longwood, such as academic scholarships.
“The coaches have made it very clear and obvious that you earn scholarship funds through hard work and commitment at every lift, practice, class and (everything) else,” said Morton.
The question remains, what factors decide whether a player deserves scholarship money?
According to Byers, the decision is “very individualized,” the situation depends on many variables like “timing in recruiting” or “academic reasons.”
“We have certain criteria that if you meet you can receive scholarship aid,” said Byers. “Every year there’s this grey area so if they reach those criteria from us and we feel like they deserve it and they’re working hard and we have those funds available, we’ll find out.”
Both coaches said if a player shows them he or she has what it takes, money will be awarded if possible.
“I’m an equal opportunity employer here, they show me they’re good enough, they’ll get it,” said Gee.
Akers did not believe he was given the ability to work his way into earning athletic aid due to the timing into the team’s development.
“I was here last year, this year they’re building a new staff, a new program, so all (of) that’s going to be a factor and they’re bringing in the new guys that they need to really start to establish the program that Coach Gee wants here,” said Akers.
Whether a walk-on’s motivation develops from the desire to gain money or achieve a level of esteem from the team, Byers said the mentality of a Division I walk-on requires “a little more determination.”
“Maybe it takes a little tougher skin, a little thicker skin, in and around the team or a little more self-confidence in order to not allow the fact that you don’t receive aid affect you,” said Byers.
To Gee, if a player was on the team, he was made an equal. The potential divide between players based on money or playing time no longer matters further down the road after the final season ends and “they should still be proud of themselves.”
“When they come back ten years from today, no one talks about how many points they scored or whether you were a walk-on or scholarship player, they talk about the experience and the family atmosphere that’s created on the team.”
Morton feels players’ spots on their team aren’t determined by the amount of money they are given, but the amount of work they put in.
“I put in the same hours on the field, in the gym, in study hall and classes. I didn’t walk onto this team, I earned my place on this team and my coaches and teammates respect me as a player and teammate,” said Morton.
