Young players part of new trend

[Bird1812]

RegII, I think you'll appreciate this article.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080110/COLUMNISTS0309/801100347/1087/sports

January 10, 2008

Young players part of new trend

Players choosing colleges before finishing their junior seasons



Duke University, however, was not looking for a confession from McBryar during her unofficial, look-around trip this fall to the school's campus. Well, make that looking for a traditional confession of guilt. They sought a confession of intent, however. Was the Atlantic Coast Conference school the one McBryar wanted to wear a soccer uniform for?

"You shouldn't be pressured like that," McBryar said.

Like it or not, McBryar had become stuck in the swirl of NCAA Division I women's soccer recruiting. A junior at Satellite High, McBryar is a 16-year-old midfielder/sweeper. Before she had played more than a month of her junior scholastic season, McBryar had made her choice of college program, giving Florida a verbal commitment in November over Duke and the University of California.


"I want to see everything I can," Jewell said following Tuesday's Satellite practice. "Every school tells you, 'We're so good.' This is the time to (decide). If you wait until your senior year, you'll be in trouble. There will be no (scholarship) money left."



Yet the situations for McBryar, Griffin and Jewell illustrate a trend in Division I recruiting: wrap up identified talent sooner. Stories periodically surface of basketball players giving verbal commitments in their sophomore, even freshman, seasons.

One reason this occurs is that traveling club teams make better players more visible to college recruiters. Another is the internet with its scouting/recruiting sites and services.

This means talented players like McBryar are almost being forced to choose a college as many classmates are thinking about little else but what movie to watch or what to listen to on the iPod.


So let the recruiting games begin -- even if some of the participants have only been driving a few months (or can't yet even -- one club teammate of McBryar's, a freshman from Orlando, has given Florida State a verbal commitment).

"I think we should be able to wait," Griffin said. "We shouldn't be forced to make an early decision. It's kind of like a domino effect. I wish we had more time, but that's not the way it is anymore."

[MenaceFanatic]

One question about the article....how can NCAA Div 1 rules be adhered to if a freshman can give a verbal commitment to a college? Div 1 coaches aren't allowed to speak to players until thier junior year, so how then can a player as a freshman give a verbal commitment?

I have been to a couple of college recruiting "seminars" put on by my daughter's former club. In these seminars, college coaches at various levels have come and spoken about how thier respective divisions function with regard to recruiting. Almost every coach stated that when an offer is given to a player even as young as a junior, that player is expected to continue to improve. They aren't signing the player up to perform at thier current performance level as much as the level they expect the player to progress to once they are ready to report. If this is true, how can a coach make a decision on a player this early?

R2, if cc had been asked for a verbal commitment three years ago would it have been the one she recently made? And, in hindsight would the decision of three years ago been the right decision?

I don't see how making these decisions so early is good for anyone-- player or coach. If the parents/players would wake up and realize that decisions made earlier than thier junior year aren't wise, and refuse to make them-- then the pressure would be off to even consider them.

[PERFDBDAN]

This has been going on for four to five years. Six years ago when my older daughter entered college it did not start until the junior year.

The demand for the top players is much higher leading to recruiting earlier.

It is done within the letter of the rules. For Div. 1 schools, the school cannot initiate contact before June following the completion of the junior year, but may respond to a contact made by the player or the player's family. Many players have learned to make inquiries will before their sophomore year. Through summer camps run by schools, involvement in ODP and contacts from the coaches "pipeline" sources players are identified and encouraged to communicate with a school so the process can begin. It is truly amazing the number of players who receive notice that their request to attend a college's summer camp and fee waiver have been granted, when the player and parent cannot recall submitting such a request.

The "commitments" are not commitments in any real sense of the word. They are not binding on anyone. The only thing binding is that contract signed by the player and school known as a "Letter of Intent". Until the letter is signed either party can back way or modify the deal.

For the schools an early verbal commitment allows the coach to see how his recruiting class is shaping up and know where to look to fill any holes. For the recruit it removes a great deal of the uncertainty and angst in the process.

There are drawbacks if a player changes her mind. For the school there is now a need to fill another hole. (However, every school I know would rather the player change their mind before coming and the scholarship being committed for the year, than wait till they are half way through the first semester and then bail.) If a player gets lazy or injured the school can back away (usually glad to have found out). Rarely will a school pull a commitment to a player because they found a better prospect. If a school did that word would spread and recruiting would get muchmore difficult.

For the player the situation is no different than if they waited to start the search process till later. Perhaps fewer immediate opportunities, but still plenty.

Also, you need to keep in mind these early commitments are for the top 100 or so players in the country. That is where the demand is.

[Bird1812]

It is done within the letter of the rules. For Div. 1 schools, the school cannot initiate contact before June following the completion of the junior year, but may respond to a contact made by the player or the player's family. Many players have learned to make inquiries will before their sophomore year. Through summer camps run by schools, involvement in ODP and contacts from the coaches "pipeline" sources players are identified and encouraged to communicate with a school so the process can begin. It is truly amazing the number of players who receive notice that their request to attend a college's summer camp and fee waiver have been granted, when the player and parent cannot recall submitting such a request.



Just a week or so ago a nationally ranked U15 team from my state was at Disney. The reports back home were that there were 40 college coaches watching their first game and while college coaches usually leave before the finals, there were large numbers at the finals on Jan 2 to watch them and their opponents play. You can probably safely assume that these coaches represented some of the top programs in the country. It was also reported back that parents made sure that the appropriate coaches were aware that their daughters were interested in their schools. They also reported that the college coaches were in contact with the club coaches, expressing an interest in certain players. These girls are literally, 13, 14 and 15 years old (and in one case, the player is eligible to play as a U13). By the rules of the NCAA there was no direct contact with the players, but none the less there was contact made.

[MenaceFanatic]

But, it seems to me that "direct contact" is extended to include not just the player but also the "players representative (meaning parents or guardians)". Not to mention there are also rules that directly discuss when and where coaches can communicate with individuals while at events.

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, this communication seems like the right thing to do to gain an upper-hand on the other recruits in the Country. However, on the other hand-- my kid is one of those other recruits they are getting an upper-hand on. So I don't like it much at all. I guess if I had to be honest, I wouldn't be as against it if the contacts were being made to my kid in this manner. Kind of a "sour grapes" thing, I suppose........

[KCM2]

"These girls are literally, 13, 14 and 15 years old (and in one case, the player is eligible to play as a U13). By the rules of the NCAA there was no direct contact with the players, but none the less there was contact made."

So, as a parent, how to you relay that to a (7th), eighth or ninth grader without applying massive pressure, therefore possibily ... possibily killing their LOVE of the game... giving them, now in 8th, 9th grade something to focus on, other than their school work, their skills, etc... ??

Just let me know, this, a newbie, what other sports.. does this happen with???, whether it's my kid or not? And does and should a child this age be privy to this info and weight of the world?

I guess I'm asking, once approached, do you share this with a young player? And how should we approach that with our kids, if approached, apparently WAY Early?

[RegionIIFutbolr]

Menace....Remember the BB PG from Mason City that verballed with Iowa when he was a Freshman, happens more in BB than it does in soccer, at least with Freshman. Any player and family can have contact with any coach as long as YOU call the school or coach and make plans for a unofficial visit. Once the coach gets you on campus, then anything can be discussed. Remember, unofficial visits can happen as many times as you would like.

I know that coaches have came and watched her team play at Disney and other events at U15/16. For alot of them, they get to watch the player grow from U15 to U17. The same coaches that were at Disney will also be at ODP Regionals that you will never hear about and club regionals. They would like to see players as much as they can before they make an offer to the recruit.

[PERFDBDAN]

Region,

You are right. One thing to keep in mind, however, is there are restrictions for NCAA Division 1 schools on how many times they may "see" a player play. This is one-reason tournaments and camps are valued; a player may play six games in the tournament or at a camp, the tournament or camp counts as only "1" of the allowed scouting inspections. The scout can see the player in two or three games, then see the player a few months later, and still have yet more opportunities to see the player and get a good idea of how the player truly plays and how the player is progressing in their development. A single club league game or high school game counts also as one scouting inspection, but offers much less.

You can see why college scouts prefer tournaments - they can see more players and see more of the players they are interested in.

[RegionIIFutbolr]

Since we are done till Feb 09, I would really like to see the NCAA change the official visits to after xmas break your Jr year. It gets VERY expensive to travel to out of state schools for a unofficial visit on your own dime. And the sad thing is, she didnt get to visit 2 of her top 10 schools on her list because of cost and we all thought time was running out. Its a very humbling and fun time, but afterwards, it can get stressful on the player to choose.

News Flash, EVERY school she visited was very nice. I wish I could of attended any of them when I was her age.:)

[RegionIIFutbolr]

Almost every coach stated that when an offer is given to a player even as young as a junior, that player is expected to continue to improve. They aren't signing the player up to perform at thier current performance level as much as the level they expect the player to progress to once they are ready to report.
Menace, this is sooooo true, but I have seen SO many girls do just the opposite. They think once they have verballed or signed that letter of intent, they are set and they do not have to work as hard any longer. Voting not to travel to tournaments, stopping ODP, not working out etc. Look at the U18s on that ugly club back home. They were scheduled to travel to the score at the shore and guess what?? they arent going because 8 girls backed out, and over 1/2 of them know where they are going to play college at. Its a joke!! Where is the committment?? And 2 of them that voted not to go are heading to that school just north of me.

[JohnR]

It is good to be a soccer player. Very, very good.

Average SAT score of students accepted at Notre Dame from my kid's high school is 1390.

Something tells me, there aren't that many Notre Dame soccer players sporting 1390 SATs.

[Bird1812]

A post from Connecticut found in another forum:

It is very true. Players are being offered scholarships as young as soph year. I just got a phone call from a soph in Fla this week asking what Yale has to offer since she has been offered full rides to 2 other top 10 soccer programs. This player is halfway through her soph year and is being pressured to commit to a school she will not attend for 2 1/2 years.
It is not fair to the student-athlete. I need to wait for a player to have SAT or ACT test scores and we have to look at their transcript as well. So any player interested in the Ivy League and has to make a decision that early will not have that opportunity.
Nothing is official until Feb 1st when the student athlete signs his/her national letter of intent from the school. People making these early decisions also better remember that the coach might not be at the school, just look at this year almost 20 schools are making coaching changes. It is a risk for the coach also making a decision on a soph or junior when they still can get hurt or lose interest in the game and not work hard before coming to school.
The student athlete and their families are missing out on official visits, you are not allowed to visit a campus and have everything paid for by the school until beginning of senior year and by then 95 percent of the D1 school are done recruiting.
It is getting earlier and earlier and I think that D1 women's soccer has the largest amount of transfers, more than most other sports for this reason.
Just my opinion.

Yale offers NEED BASED aid...There are no SURE things at Yale and most other Ivy's...You need a solid course load with A's and a few B's, you need close to 1400 on the SAT's and be something other than a smart soccer player...
I will tell a top soccer player that we are very interested in them but we need to see test scores and transcripts before we can commit to supporting them with admissions...
Being a class president, involved in outside activities and/or work experience will also look great on an application...

[JohnR]

There are no SURE things at Yale and most other Ivy's

A Yale representative wrote that?

The correct word is "Ivies," not "Ivy's."

[RegionIIFutbolr]

This is true Bird, about the ACT/SAT scores. However, there are alot of schools out there that will take JUST the minium score. Which tells me that they are all about the sport and not really about the student. And most of the schools we visited request that you take the ACT/SATs at least twice. The first test is scheduled the last w/end of Jan. We get the scores back and send them off to her verballed school. And then she will retake at a later date hoping to get a even better score. So in a way, yea, she is verballed, but she still has to do her part to get into admissions and stay very busy in soccer.

[RegionIIFutbolr]

A Yale representative wrote that?

The correct word is "Ivies," not "Ivy's."
Thats why I never attended the Ivies!!:o

[RegionIIFutbolr]

Yale offers NEED BASED aid...There are no SURE things at Yale and most other Ivy's...

There are alot of schools that only offer NEED BASED aid. Not just the Ivies.

[Smashfoot]

The club coach of my kid was 1st approached by a college coach at a major tourny just before the kid's soph year. The kid would have been 14 at that time. Nothing really happened until after new years of that year, but then things heated up when a coach said we need to know or we'll go after someone else. So we had to make all the phone calls, couldn't communicate by email, etc.
We made a few visits on our dime, of course, and the choice before the end of the soph year.

Of course, OTOH, deals were still being done by some players on the kid's club team through the middle of their senior year. Lesser deals, certainly, but some were pretty good players. The REALLY good players are sought out, of course, but others have to let colleges know they are interested in going there, and some players and their families don't do a good job of this.

I know of no players who were recruited based on a recruiting web site.

[KCM2]

I'm thinking aloud here. What's wrong with college coaches sending a "letter of interest" in the younger years.. Not intent or commitment.

This will give the players, which I'm assuming it's all about, the opportunity to evaluate and think about.... hey... I have some colleges at this young age who are "interested" - there is no commitment on either parties' side, yet there is interest. A dating-type of sorts (hopefully viable and motivational), for both sides... Reason for the player to continue working hard and reason for the college to still pay attention to the player.

Pretty simple, isn't it? Should be legal... for a college TO Approach a player a freshman with a LETTER OF INTEREST... No Commitment, No INTENT, Just a Heads Up...

Does it put too much weight on a player? Don't know, asking.

[PERFDBDAN]

KC,

Such a letter as you have described it would violate NCAA rules.

[Lensois]

KC,

Such a letter as you have described it would violate NCAA rules.

Entirely true, however coaches can send frosh and sophs a questionnaire which basically serves as a de facto letter of interest in most cases.