| A walk on is the term used in college sports to | | | | On the other hand there are individuals like Rudy |
| describe a player who enrolls in college and joins a | | | | with less recognized abilities that are simply |
| team despite not having a scholarship offer to | | | | students at a university who decide to take a |
| play for the organization. This famously happened | | | | shot at making the team as a walk on despite no |
| to the 5'6" Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger who despite all | | | | agreement between the coaching staff and the |
| the odds successfully made it onto the field for | | | | individual as to whether or not the walk on has |
| the University of Notre Dame (ND) Fighting Irish | | | | any chance whatsoever of making the cut or |
| for one game against Georgia Tech in the 1976 | | | | ever playing in a game. The 1993 movie Rudy |
| season finale. | | | | (based on the life of Daniel Rudy Ruettiger) is a |
| Rudy played two downs (or plays) at the end of | | | | famous example of a young man who |
| that game (which encompassed his entire official | | | | successfully walked onto the University of Notre |
| career). The first play involved being unable to get | | | | Dame football team despite being undersized and |
| from his defensive line position to a running back | | | | having the odds stacked against him. |
| carrying the ball. On the second play Rudy | | | | The endearing love affair that many people have |
| famously sacked quarterback Rudy Allen and in | | | | with the concept of a walk on athlete is due in |
| doing so cemented his place as only the second | | | | part because it is often recognized as the physical |
| Notre Dame (ND) football player to ever be | | | | embodiment of overcoming obstacles. The notion |
| carried off the field by his teammates. | | | | that through hard work, discipline, and great |
| In some instances walk on players have been | | | | sacrifice goals can be achieved despite long odds |
| recruiting by coaches on the team but were | | | | is a favorable story that anyone who has ever |
| considered so borderline in terms of talent and | | | | faced an obstacle before can enjoy hearing. |
| abilities that the program was unable to offer | | | | Since the 1993 release of the movie Rudy Mr. |
| them one of a limited number of scholarships. In | | | | Ruettiger became a bit of a celebrity and |
| the scenario just described a player that has had | | | | channeled his unanticipated fame into positive |
| contact with the coaching staff and has the | | | | avenues including motivational public speaking and |
| outside potential to someday make it onto the | | | | the founding of the charitable Rudy Foundation |
| playing field is referred to as a preferred walk on. | | | | with his wife Cheryl back in 1997. |
