Rudy

Who does Rudy say is the only one who ever took him seriously?

• Pete

• John

• Coach Parseghian

• Father Cavanaugh

According to Rudy's dad, who is Notre Dame for?

• rich kids

• smart kids

• great athletes

• lapsed Catholics

What's does it mean to be a "Walk-On"?

• you are not recruited

• you pay your own tuition

• huge time commitment

• all of the above

Answer explanation

Here are the five most commonly asked questions about being a college walk-on:

1. What is a walk-on?

Being a college walk-on simply means you are on the college team and receive no form of athletic financial aid (athletic scholarship). Most people assume a walk-on is someone who wasn’t recruited, and they got on the team by making it into the school on their own and making it through a grueling tryout process.

There are walk-on athletes who have this experience, but there are also highly-recruited walk-ons who may have even turned down scholarship offers from other schools.

2. Do walk-ons get scholarships? 

There are no hard numbers on athletes who went from being a walk-on to receiving an athletic scholarship. That said, it is far more common that a walk-on athlete eventually gets some amount of an athletic scholarship if they are on the team for multiple years. But don’t expect your scholarships to be a full-ride — most are partial scholarships.

Read more: What are the different types of offers I could get?

3. What’s the difference between preferred walk-on versus walk-on?

There are many different classifications of walk-ons:  

Preferred Walk-On – This is the highest status as a walk-on. You are guaranteed a spot on the team and are going to receive all the support of normal scholarship athletes.

Walk-On (Recruited) – If you aren’t receiving preferred status, that simply means your position on the team isn’t guaranteed. You may be required to tryout once on campus or maybe the coach is expecting you to redshirt your first year. This is still a great option for athletes, especially those looking to play at the highest division level they can.

Walk-On (Unrecruited) – This is the typical walk-on story where athletes make it into the school on their own and find a way on the team through an open tryout. The truth is, this is much less common than families think, as most athletes have at least talked to a coach before enrolling and confirmed they can tryout.

4. What’s it like to be a college walk-on?

Given the wide range of walk-on statuses, and the fact each program uses walk-ons differently, there is no single way to best describe it. But here are a few common experiences that might give you a better idea:

Playing time is harder to come by: There is no denying the fact that a coach is going to have a bias toward playing the athletes who are given scholarship money. You will have to earn your time by first proving it in practice and through your limited game time.

You might not receive the full support of the athletic department: Depending on what type of walk-on you are, you might not have access to the same academic and training support of scholarship athletes. If you are a preferred or recruited walk-on, you likely won’t experience this, but unrecruited walk-ons might not have access to things like preferred enrollment, etc.

Some athletes feel they are treated unfairly: No conversation about walk-ons can avoid the fact some athletes think they are treated as second-class members of the team. Mostly it has to do with issues around playing and practice time. While this is far less common, it can happen and it is usually experienced by the unrecruited walk-ons.

When you do break though, success will be sweeter: Earning your spot on a college team will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Walking on is very challenging, but when it works out, there is nothing better.

5. Should I become a walk-on?

It depends! If you are an athlete who is used to being a starter and getting a lot of playing time, the transition to being a walk-on can be very difficult.

However, if you want to play at the highest level you can and have the character and work ethic needed to make it as a college walk-on, it could just be the perfect fit for you.

What common learning difficulty that mainly causes problems with reading, writing, and spelling did Rudy have?

What is the meaning of 'win one for the Gipper'?

Answer explanation

This originated in American football. Knute Rockne was the coach of the US Notre Dame team in the 1920s and George Gipp was his star player. The story goes that Gipp fell ill and when dying he asked Rockne to promise that, when things were going badly for the team, he should inspire them by asking them to 'win one for The Gipper'.

Ronald Reagan played the part of Gipp in the 1940 film Knute Rockne: All American. The screenplay has the line:

And the last thing he said to me, "Rock," he said, "sometime when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper.

Reagan was given the nickname Gipper, which lasted throughout his life. Reagan later used the quotation when seeking election as US president.

How many siblings did Rudy have?

• 14

• 12

• 10

• 8

Who does Rudy want to dress for?

• himself

• his brother John that married his ex girlfriend

• everyone that ever told him it would be impossible to be a Notre Dame football player

• Fortune so he could come and watch Rudy play

When Pete gives Rudy a Notre Dame jacket for his birthday, what does he say to him?

• You'll never be a Notre Dame football player.

• You were born to wear that jacket.

• I will come and watch you play anytime they let you dress.

• Don't worry Rudy, your dad will come around.

What does the coach say about the walk-ons: "Your greatest value to us is_____________________________."

• We don't care whether you get hurt

• We will use you as tackling dummies

• You don't cost the school any money

• You are not recruited

Pete's dad: "Having dreams is what makes life ________."

• tolerable

• boring

• easy

• great