<p>Is anyone playing on a Generals Intercollegiate team? I know we're only Div. 3 but it's still college athletics. How grueling/time-consuming is it? The W&L coaches of my sports have contacted me and are suggesting I try out...</p>
<p>My S plays lacrosse. He became interested in W&L because it has a strong track record of supporting the academic efforts of its student-athletes, who comprise 25% of the student body. For example, here's an excerpt from a recent W&L press release:</p>
<p>A TOTAL OF 162 W&L STUDENTS EARN SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS
Twenty-Two Attain a 4.0 or Higher GPA for the Winter Semester</p>
<p>LEXINGTON, Va. -- Washington and Lee Director of Athletics Mike Walsh
has announced that 162 students earned Scholar-Athlete awards during the
recently completed winter term. The students are all members of W&L
athletic teams and achieved a grade-point average (GPA) of at least
3.500. </p>
<p>Additionally, 22 of the students honored achieved grade-point averages
of 4.0 or higher (an A+ is worth 4.330 at W&L). . . . All of W&L's 23 varsity athletic programs achieved a team GPA of at least 3.000, led by the women's tennis team with a 3.498. The highest men's team GPA was tennis with a 3.379 and no team recorded a GPA lower than 3.050.</p>
<p>The women's teams combined for a 3.374 GPA, while the men's teams
combined to post a 3.134 GPA. The overall student-athlete average was
3.226.</p>
<p>Not too bad! And note that the women's tennis team, with the highest GPA, is also undefeated and currently ranked #1 in the nation going into the NCAA tournament!</p>
<p>I think that it really depends on the sport. What do you play? I will be running track for W&L next year and I also was worried at first about the time commitment. But apparently the practice times are pretty flexible and a lot of the work, like weight training, can be done on your own at the gym. I suppose if it is more of a team sport practices may be longer and harder to adjust to one's schedule. But the coach, the runners, and the professors that I talked to all said that academics take first priority and not many athletes have much difficulty balancing the two. In fact, athletes are often some of the best students, probably due to a good work ethic. I would definitely do it if it's a sport you love. It will also be a good way to meet people and give you a group of friends to hang out with right away.</p>
<p>I have a question about when you were contacted by the respective W&L coach about your sport. My S sent in a basketball recruiting form but hasn't heard anything. Not even sure if it went thru via the form.</p>
<p>Did you send a follow up email or what?</p>
<p>I got a telephone call from a women's coach in my sport about 2 days after I was accepted in April. She also called several more times and I met with her on AS Day.</p>