When they aren’t being bribed, the coaches will be very careful about who they recommend for admission, because they only get a few recruit spots each year and don’t want to waste them on kids who won’t actually help the team perform better.
But once a kid has been admitted, there’s no real requirement for him to actually join the team. I know at least a few people who I’m pretty sure were recruited athletes for Ivy League teams, but didn’t join the team (or quit not longer after joining). Some got hurt, some just couldn’t balance the team practice schedule with academic demands, and others just didn’t want to do sports any more.
