West Chester - walk ons?

[Goldenrams12]

For someone newer to following D2 football, what is the genesis of referring to WC as the walk ons?

[Ram040506]

For someone newer to following D2 football, what is the genesis of referring to WC as the walk ons?

From some of the data others have shown, WC doesn't seem to have many scholarships yet are always very competitive with anyone. It's more of an inside joke that they are able to talk everyone into walking on instead of taking perceived scholarship opportunities elsewhere.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

For someone newer to following D2 football, what is the genesis of referring to WC as the walk ons?

Creative accounting

[IUPNation]

Rah Rah Rah Rah Walk On U!

[IUPNation]

Creative accounting

[IUPbigINDIANS]

From some of the data others have shown, WC doesn't seem to have many scholarships yet are always very competitive with anyone. It's more of an inside joke that they are able to talk everyone into walking on instead of taking perceived scholarship opportunities elsewhere.

West Chester has given out similar money to football players than the top West schools. The West schools call the money 'athletic scholarships'. West Chester hasn't put the money in that fund, but rather other area's.

In simplest terms ... if a 'full ride' is worth $20,000/year ... whether the player is getting $8,000/year under an 'athletic scholarship' or $8,000/year under a different category ... he's still getting $8,000/year.

That $8,000 isn't showing up in the scholarship dollars report ... thus making it appear WCU has built this highly competitive program on less 'athletic scholarships' than Clarion. So, call it creative accounting, or, whatever else.

Long ago the reports on scholarship numbers would come out and WCU would always be near the bottom despite having loaded rosters, etc. Hence the joke became they do really well with all those 'walk-ons'.

Fightingscot82 can explain the money division a bit better, but, that is the gist of the story and how the nickname came about.

[IUPNation]

Creative accounting

I wonder how many WCU accounting majors found their way as company accountants for The Fat Nixon Organization?

:-)

[Fightingscot82]

I don't know why its this way, but...

Schools in the PSAC West have historically used real fundraised scholarship dollars to recruit students; schools in the PSAC East have historically used university fee waivers to recruit students. Since the fee waivers are available to all students and not restricted to just athletes, it doesn't count as athletic aid. So for example, if West Chester uses Aramark for food service and Aramark's contract says they'll donate 50 free meal plan waivers a year, West Chester may give Zwaan 20 meal plan waivers to offer students. While it has a real monetary value, its technically not a scholarship and technically doesn't count as athletic aid. Really the only fees getting waived are housing or meal plans. Its possible that a third party bookstore operator is providing a textbook allowance (Barnes & Noble would provide $50,000 a year for athlete books at RMU when I worked there).

Now that room & board is just as much if not more than tuition, those waivers go a long way. The benefit for real scholarship dollars is that when the athletes move off campus, those extra funds can be refunded to the student to help pay for an apartment or living costs.

[IUPNation]

I don't know why its this way, but...

Schools in the PSAC West have historically used real fundraised scholarship dollars to recruit students; schools in the PSAC East have historically used university fee waivers to recruit students. Since the fee waivers are available to all students and not restricted to just athletes, it doesn't count as athletic aid. So for example, if West Chester uses Aramark for food service and Aramark's contract says they'll donate 50 free meal plan waivers a year, West Chester may give Zwaan 20 meal plan waivers to offer students. While it has a real monetary value, its technically not a scholarship and technically doesn't count as athletic aid. Really the only fees getting waived are housing or meal plans. Its possible that a third party bookstore operator is providing a textbook allowance (Barnes & Noble would provide $50,000 a year for athlete books at RMU when I worked there).

Now that room & board is just as much if not more than tuition, those waivers go a long way. The benefit for real scholarship dollars is that when the athletes move off campus, those extra funds can be refunded to the student to help pay for an apartment or living costs.

Free Food U!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Free Food U!

I'd love to see the actual dollar amount being spent on football and men's basketball at WC ... regardless of what it's being called.

I'd guess it would be on par with IUP and SRU. The scholarship report they publish isn't worth the piece of paper.

[IUPNation]

I'd love to see the actual dollar amount being spent on football and men's basketball at WC ... regardless of what it's being called.

I'd guess it would be on par with IUP and SRU. The scholarship report they publish isn't worth the piece of paper.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

When you gotta protect a punt

And it don't look good

Who ya gonna call


.... The IUP Band

[IUPNation]

When you gotta protect a punt

And it don't look good

Who ya gonna call


.... The IUP Band

[Matt Burglund]

The band was rehearsing in the Oak Grove yesterday. They were playing Foo Fighters' "Learn to Fly." Sounded good.

[IUPNation]

The band was rehearsing in the Oak Grove yesterday. They were playing Foo Fighters' "Learn to Fly." Sounded good.