<p>I think you are all being way to hard on this guy! He is not being offered an athletic scholarship, is he? He has not signed a letter of intent. The coach probably isn't expending a huge amount of his admissions office capital on this kid. I don't see it as going much beyond listing track as an EC on the application. Don't they have a box next to every EC asking the applicant if they intend to pursue that EC in college? Is an applicant obligated to submit an ammended application if they change their mind after the app is submitted? By not telling the coach his decision (to not run track) he is actually keeping that option open. Varsity athletics, especially D1, is a huge time commitment and many students are better served by concentrating on their classes and still have plenty of other things to do. </p>
<p>You are making too much of his own statement that he is "not a moral person" and that he has made a firm decision to not participate in track. I don't see this situation as an immoral act, or even a dilemma. Accepting an athletic scholarship obligates you to participate, but having a coach put a good word in for you does not obligate you. Similarly, the coach can invite many recruits to attend his college and then cut them from the team. What happens to the athlete on scholarship who suffers a career-ending injury as a freshman? (I honestly don't know. A friend lost his scholarship many years ago, but I don't know if that is always the case)</p>