He said in order to have competition for spots on the team there must be more than 24 athletes, so the team's roster actually needs to be about 30.
The same situation is true for the men's gymnastics, which receives 6.3 scholarships but has to fill 15 to 18 spots.
The scholarships Olympic sports receive are broken down into smaller increments so that each athlete on the team receives some form of a scholarship.
"All the scholarships are divided up in a very small way," Wadley said. "What we do is divide them up a lot. We have kids that are on very small scholarships like books or $500. We try to divide them up between as many athletes as possible."
In some cases athletes in an Olympic sport do receive a full scholarship, but that is very rare, Avery said. If the athlete is exceptionally talented then it is possible to get a full scholarship, and some athletes receive higher dollar amounts for their scholarships.
There are other incentives that the coaches can sell to a prospective athlete. One is the Nike contract OSU has, Wadley said. The Nike Corporation provides uniforms and practice equipment.
"Because of our Nike agreement we're in a good position to provide support to the athletes in terms of athletic wear to make them feel special," Wadley said. "We dress them nicely and sharply in Buckeye outfits, which is exciting for the athlete, and great for the program."
Other incentives are the education, the top-rate athletic programs and facilities available at OSU, Avery said.
"What we have to offer is gymnastic success and academic success," Avery said. "That is what I sell to the young men I don't have scholarships for."
Avery said gymnastics is the only program to have an athlete in the last two Olympic Games — 1996 and 2000 — and is a U.S. National Program.
Once an athlete receives a scholarship it cannot be taken away unless the athlete gets in to some kind of trouble.
"I call it — when coaching the guys — a gentleman's agreement really between Big 10 schools and athletic directors. And what we try to do is treat kids with respect and dignity and really do the best we can for everybody," Wadley said.
Wadley said it is a privilege and an honor to be on any scholarship at OSU.
"Very few students have the opportunity to have someone say we think you're special; we're going to give you a scholarship," he said.
Some of the athletes at OSU also receive academic scholarship, Avery said.
2008 Woodie Awards