The D1 Reality Check

The moment you step on campus, the story can change. Your recruiter might be gone. The training plan you expected might never show up. The team culture you pictured might not exist in your event group yet. Coach B sits down with Syracuse D1 track athlete Hailey Schumann to tell the unfiltered version of that first-year reality and how to survive it without losing yourself as a runner or a person.We rewind to Hailey’s recruiting journey: starting late, chasing opportunities, getting a surprising Syracuse email, and committing after a single unofficial visit. Then we get honest about what happened next, including coaching turnover, the “where is everybody?” shock of early practices, and the stress that can build when communication and structure are unclear. Haley shares how a rapid jump in workload can stack with college life stress and lead to injury, and what her rehab looked like using tools like arc training and reduced-impact running.The heart of this conversation is resilience and self-advocacy for student-athletes. Hailey explains how she leaned on her parents, her faith, and the teammates who showed up for her when things felt isolating. She also shares how speaking up with coaches changed her experience and why advocating for yourself is a skill every recruit needs. Finally, she reveals how she’s channeling the year into an entrepreneurship idea designed to help athletes navigate the college athletics system with clearer expectations.If you’re a high school athlete, parent, or coach trying to understand NCAA recruiting, Division I track life, team culture, and the mental side of injuries, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a recruit who needs it, and leave a review, then tell us: what’s one question every athlete should ask before committing?This Podcast is your Podcast, text us if you're an Athlete with a story to share...The only podcast that is all about Athletes Supporting Athletes! Support the showTo see more pictures, footage and out takes, bloopers and more follow us @PlanB.By Coach B on Instagram and or contact Coach B directly at www.coachbperformance.com to be part of the show.*Athletes must be 18 years or older or in the company of their legal guardian to participate in the show. Participants can remain anonymous with no visual footage for marketing and names can be changed to protect identity.