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http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/06/28/track

Taking the Money and Running

Geoff Thurner

When Kevin Garnett, now an NBA superstar, went pro straight from his Chicago high school in 1995, it flung open the floodgates â€â€

Very interesting article. It explained a lot to me about what "going pro" means and what might be in it for a track athlete.

- master

Brad Walkers with nike right? How much is he making?

Ins0mnizac wrote:Brad Walkers with nike right? How much is he making?

Brad has been the number one vaulter in the world for the past two years. He is well off.

But he didn't go pro early, he used every last bit of his NCAA eligibility.

Has any college vaulter EVER gone pro early?

jacob could've

Russ could have.

Jacob could have.

Brad could have.

Tommy could have.

Chelsea could have.

And I am glad none of them did. I believe it would have been a mistake in every case.

Quite a few others in the non-professional era could have, but things were different then...they just took the $$$ while staying in school!

i heard chels making just under a mil

I think just under.....

TreyDECA wrote:i heard chels making just under a mil

...thats awesome. She gets to run around and play all day, and is pulling in that kind of money.

But in response, I think there are a lot of people that could have gone out early, but have opted away from it. Jacob Davis definatly could have gone pro... 5.90 is an elite bar period--let alone college.

Lax PV wrote:Jacob Davis definatly could have gone pro... 5.90 is an elite bar period--let alone college.

You gotta remember though, the shoe companies offering college athletes big money to leave college early is a pretty recent phenomenon. I'd be willing to bet he could have gone pro, but that it would not have been some great 6 figure offer. Not at that time.

quoted: "You gotta remember though, the shoe companies offering college athletes big money to leave college early is a pretty recent phenomenon. "

How about high school: In the Northeast states it was posted that Mary Saxer was offered a contract while still in high school after her 14' 2". She decided to go to Notre Dame instead.....

polevault14 wrote: She decided to go to Notre Dame instead.....

Should have took the money. Most contracts now include 100% tuition for those leaving school early so it's definitely a better "scholarship" than an athletic one.