Ok I am no proffessional athlete. I aspire to be one but I have alot of work ahead of me. I have run a 20.97 and a 10.33. My 10.33 was last week which was my first meet of the year. There were strong head winds also. My goal is to next week improve on both of my PR’s if weather permits. I would love to simply train and pick up a sponsor one day so I can do so without working 50 hours a week.
Qualifying for the “B” standard U.S. trials in the 200 is 20.75 and the 100 is 10.25. If you run both of these standards could you possibly find a sponsorship? And how does that work? perhaps Mr. Francis may know how this works. Thanks
I’m not sure, but I do believe that Donovan Bailey was running 10.3’s before he started to get serious about track and work with Dan Pfaff. Give it a shot man, you’ll surely regret it if you don’t…
it also comes down to the marketability of the athlete. Look at tennis, players that dont reach finals can make millions cause they are hot. I have seen guys run great, and make nothing. You gotto find contacts in the industry, even guys who know guys. if you just go your own way, not saying anything to anybody, you get nowhere. So, keep asking around.
also, perhaps you could work part time?? 20hrs wk?
A much more logical approach. Even if you do get a shoe sponsor, it’ll cost you in the long run if you really improve a lot and you’re already signed up for peanuts- like Fasuba, you’re stuck without enough money to really get the job done.
Based on what some sponsored athletes have said (and common sense), your success in getting sponsored has more to do with your visibility and the marketability of your sport than your level of success. In this book you can read about a race drivers struggle to find sponsorship and her account of learning how the hard way –
I played early in college I was closer to 240 weight. I quit football when I transferred University’s. I basically just ran track here. I did workout for teh NFL during a University pro day and tested well. 4.21 40, 31 reps of 225 all my shuttle and jumps were also great but you have to have game film on that level. Numbers alone can’t get you there anymore
dude lets get serious at your height and 240 with 4.2 they would have bought u into camp no matter what game film you had, look at all these basketball players/wrestlers who didnt have game film. if your numbers are correct, you are on the top 10 freak list.
Those numbers are better than Patrick Willis’s, the top LB from this year’s draft. Do whatever you feel that you have the most passion and desire for. Which it looks like the 100m so far.
Hopefully you are joking but P-willie was the first LB drafted this year by the 49’ers. He ran a 4.38 at his proday and 22 bench press reps at the combine.
Drob9, Im sure that if you tried out for the NFL, you would at least make special teams with your numbers.
Wow man. I would give up my left arm to run an 11.33, nevermind a 10.33- dude, you are fast!
This might sound dumb, but do you have any dual citizenship possibilities? Maybe another country would be happy to have you. I know I got my dual from Ireland for $100 and a few pieces of ID. No sweat…
I wish you the best- I hope you can find a way to quit your job and run full time. You need to get your story out to the public somehow. Maybe some old track guy who runs a business would want to help you out. How old are you?
Drob, why don’t you try out for arena football. I have seen “some” athletes make it into the league with years of layoff by just great showing at pro day camps such as Boston College ect. If you cant make it to pro day since you are not in college you can go to open tryouts. They have open tryouts all the time. I know a lot of guys in the league. If those numbers are legit you should make it into the league. They will sign someone who is fast with sprinters speed! Ill give you an example… a guy from Georgia was a UPS driver and ran 4.2 (former sprinter) and was signed by AF right away. I know a lot of guys in Arena Football and how they got there. You definently have to put yourself out there, no one will just come looking for you. If you need any help let me know. Otherwise good luck in your football and track career.
Well believe me if the football thing worked out then I wouldn’t have ever ran my 10.33… I was told by three different scouts from the Browns, Colts and Broncos I need game film in order to persue a career in the NFL. That is hard to do when you don’t have any college eligibility. My passion is track though. I want to do everything I can in the sport. Track is where the Lord wants me.
I am no where near flexable enough to be a involved in Bob sledding though.
I ran in Spain a few years back, I always thought it would be cool to run for another country but I wouldn’t have a clue how that works. How does Duel citizenship work?
I hear what your saying. I had a friend who was a db in college saw little playing time because that year he played behind several NFL draft picks. He had little game film but ran a fast enough time at the combine… a 4.4 on a wooden gymnasium floor at BC’s pro day, he ended up beating a couple of the top draft picks that year and was immediately signed.
I had another friend who was a div.2 All-American and had game film but couldn’t get into the league. He finally just started emailing coaches including some coaches in Europe. He finally did end up playing ball in Europe.
As you say though if your heart is in track then thats where you should be. I believe there are A,B,C, races in Europe; I am not sure what the standards are now but with a 10.33 I would think that would qualify for most “A” standard races in Europe.