Harbor elects to skip Olympic trials and focus on football

[18IsTheMan]

This isn't news at this point, but I was out all last week and see that nobody posted this story.

After being out all spring, he has a good bit of ground to make up relative to his peers, but it seems he realized he was very unlikely to break through at the trials and earn a spot on the Olympic team. This at least puts the Olympic stuff to bed for the rest of his time here.

Nyck Harbor declines U.S. Olympic Trials invitation, returns to South Carolina football

A decision is in from the speedy Gamecock receiver.

247sports.com

 

[Carolina Doc]

He made a mistake not participating in the olympic trials. One never knows if they will ever get another chance to do so.

 

[18IsTheMan]

He made a mistake not participating in the olympic trials. One never knows if they will ever get another chance to do so.

I thought he was making a mistake by not focusing on football but was told we we needed to fully support him no matter what. So I guess the same logic applies here.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

I see it as Nyck living up to his agreement with Beamer as he was raised by his parents to do.
Quality kid and family.

 

[Gamecock23]

Could it be that he wasn't "ready" to compete at that level yet?

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Is he going back to DE now?

 

[18IsTheMan]

Could it be that he wasn't "ready" to compete at that level yet?

The article stated that he had a sit down with the track coach and they came to the conclusion that he would be a longshot, at the absolute best, to make the Olympic squad.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Is he going back to DE now?

Hmmm, now that's a very interesting question. Obviously, him being at WR was a move tailored to allow him to pursue the Olympics. Since that is now off the table for the remainder of his time here, a move is plausible.

It doesn't sound like him going back to that position is in consideration, but going back to his natural position could make a lot of sense for everyone.

 

[92Pony]

Hmmm, now that's a very interesting question. Obviously, him being at WR was a move tailored to allow him to pursue the Olympics. Since that is now off the table for the remainder of his time here, a move is plausible.

It doesn't sound like him going back to that position is in consideration, but going back to his natural position could make a lot of sense for everyone.

Which will mean we will have to listen to another year of him having to (re)learn this {new} position (at the college level), and we'll have another year of next to no production out of a 5* player. I swear, we seem to be the worst at jerking players around, moving them from position to position, and never realizing any success from any one of the positions. But who knows, maybe he sticks with WR and becomes successful. My hope fades more with each news blurb.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Which will mean we will have to listen to another year of him having to (re)learn this {new} position (at the college level), and we'll have another year of next to no production out of a 5* player. I swear, we seem to be the worst at jerking players around, moving them from position to position, and never realizing any success from any one of the positions. But who knows, maybe he sticks with WR and becomes successful. My hope fades more with each news blurb.

Yeah, I don't know. Considering he actually has a lot of experience at DB and his extreme athleticism, you could assume the learning curve would be reduced relative to WR. He was sparsely used at WR last year and missed the entire winter/spring on the field due to track, so he has a lot of ground to make up there. I don't really know what would be best as far getting production from him. Putting him at WR was an accommodation to his Olympic goals. I don't really know what he'd have to do to get back to DB condition.

 

[Carolina Doc]

The article stated that he had a sit down with the track coach and they came to the conclusion that he would be a longshot, at the absolute best, to make the Olympic squad.

Long shot for sure. But it would still be an experience competing with America’s best (which are usually the world’s best) on a stage that is only there once every four years. It’s like competing in the football playoff - better even. I would have given my left nut to have been in the Olympic trials. But I guess he needed the rest in order to prepare for the Old Dominion game.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Long shot for sure. But it would still be an experience competing with America’s best (which are usually the world’s best) on a stage that is only there once every four years. It’s like competing in the football playoff - better even. I would have given my left nut to have been in the Olympic trials. But I guess he needed the rest in order to prepare for the Old Dominion game.

He finished 10th in nationals. No way he was making the Olympic team. If he was only a track guy with nothing else going on, then, sure, go to the trials for the memories. But when you have another sport to prepare for, it makes no sense to waste the time on an endeavor that would yield no fruit.

You staked out position of supporting Nyck no matter what when he was pursuing the Olympics. Now that he's elected to forgo that pursuit and focus on football, you don't seem as supportive.

 

[Carolina Doc]

He finished 10th in nationals. No way he was making the Olympic team. If he was only a track guy with nothing else going on, then, sure, go to the trials for the memories. But when you have another sport to prepare for, it makes no sense to waste the time on an endeavor that would yield no fruit.

You staked out position of supporting Nyck no matter what when he was pursuing the Olympics. Now that he's elected to forgo that pursuit and focus on football, you don't seem as supportive.

Well, I'm supportive of course, because it's his life and his decision. I'm more or less expressing my own opinion and you obviously disagree, which is fine. As I said, I value the olympic trials in and of themselves.

 

[18IsTheMan]

One thing's for sure, Nyck should be 100% sold out from this point on. Not too many coaches would do what Beamer did for Nyck.