Confused about NLI

Yes.

http://www.nationalletter.org/

When you sign an NLI you also sign an athletic aid agreement, so

both go hand in hand. An NLI can't be signed (won't be offered) without an athletic aid agreement.

In our area, confusion has grown over what the NLI, because we have some kids having signing parties at their schools when in fact they have nothing to sign. In some cases kids are just preferred walk on's, or going to schools that do not offer athletic money or getting academic money only.

High school equivalent of participation trophies. No surprise when the parents of some of these kids are overheard in the stands talking about how their son's going to receive a "full scholly."

Then it's not an NLI.

I'm going to respectfully disagree.  There are some high schools that want to celebrate their student athletes moving to the next level irregardless of athletic money.  Whether a kid is getting money or not should not be the issue.  It is meant as a celebration and acknowledgement for their hardwork in the classroom and on the field.  I've been to a couple of signing ceremonies, and the kids are genuinely happy for themselves and their classmates as they should be.

This is meant for the kids, and I don't see it as a participation trophy at all.  Where this typically goes sideways is when the parents get involved or open their mouths. 

My thoughts exactly, fenway.  Just because a kid isn't getting money (suppose he is getting it all paid for by academic money?) doesn't mean they shouldn't be recognized as accomplishing something they have worked hard for.  You don't get a spot on a college team just for "participation."

This is just my opinion for what its worth-If my son was on his way to play at an IVY or Patriot, there may not be an NLI, but it is an accomplishment worthy of a celebration. 

A somewhat similar topic is getting discussion on our NorCal message board.

This was posted this morning by one of the very best HS coaches anywhere, both in terms of the baseball side, the real side and having players matriculate and succeed on college fields-pretty thought provoking about what an NLI means in baseball and how it gets commercialized, but you need to check the Seinfeld clip too:

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Link: "Holding" the reservation is the hard part

I agree with the travel . select team industry crap... but as far as a  baseball players 25% deal being less of an accomplishment is ridiculous   The crazy fascist system that is the NCAA has failed baseball. 

Also, there are a lot of football players that get the 100 % deal and never play much at all, basically a scholarship practice player. 

My 2013 got over 100% to attend a JUCO last season, this season he elected to switch to a JUCO ranked 5th nationally.  The coach told him he had no money and he said that's fine.  He left a 100% deal..... for 0%  but after this fall, he is now a weekend starter for next spring and has 3 D1 offers on the table... one at 100% 50/50... 

I think in baseball whether you get money or not if a coach wants you to play on his team and you have made the grades to get accepted... then by all means celebrate it.

Also the very best HS baseball players are drafted.

Let  me go on and say that the travel teams, the baseball organizations that promise college scholarships to ignorant parents is borderline fraud.....

I  have seen this with my sons organization,  2014 was on a very successful team, most going D1 or drafted, but these teams do not come along every year.... yet the parents come in droves.....

I said early the confusion comes when they are called signing ceremonies......and there is nothing to sign.

dad43-

My attitude used to be similar to yours until my son was the one getting the institutional and academic money with a roster spot at a top 50 D1.

Now I will take the roughly 75% they are covering regardless of what happens on the baseball diamond and you can keep your NLI.  

Backstop Dad.....Congratulations. All I state that there was confusion in our area with all the signing ceremonies, with many people confusing that with getting an athletic offer. It has been state many times here academic money is actually better than athletic money. For the record I can't keep my NLI, I never received one. But then again I never had a signing ceremony either 

For the record I have always told the truth to anyone who has asked (that needs to know) that he is getting zero baseball money at this point.

Now to the signing ceremony why does it matter?  Does it somehow cheapen the accomplishment of someone else?  So the kid getting academic/institutional money to Vanderbilt should not participate during his school's signing day while the kid who got 5% at a D2 school gets the green light because he has a piece of paper to sign.  

My son's HS has a day for the athletes on each of the signing days for the various sports.  Yes there are lots of kids there for the various D3 schools in the area.  You and I know they aren't getting any money related to their respective sport but what is the harm?  

exactly

Yes & No.

My son was being recruited by several schools in our area, but nobody was pulling the trigger and making a solid offer.  Finally, a dozen or more of the coaches he'd been in communication with watched him pitch in a tournament game in Arizona.  He pitched very well and received some much needed love.  Our family went on three visits the following week and had two more scheduled a week later.  After those first three visits, my son committed to the school he felt was the best "fit".  The best "fit" was the only university that didn't have scholarship money to offer (I know if 247-son was an A+ rated recruit, they would've found $$), but they did send over a NLI, and my son did sign in the early signing period in early November for the minimum 25%.  The former recruiting coordinator was a smart man.  My son signed his NLI with his teammate & best friend, and that school had him locked in and no other universities could make an offer.  Had they not sent over the NLI, my son would have been a Free-Agent to sign with anyone else.  When his frosh year of college began, he signed something retracting the 25% offer.  He's basically been a preferred walk-on this entire time.  He receives approximately 40% in various grants, I'm paying 50%, and my son takes out a 10% student loan each year, that way he has a little skin in the game.

I told both my kids that I'd pay four years of college.  My son is a senior academically and a RS-Junior on the field.  If he doesn't get drafted in June, and they want him back for a fifth year he's on his own.  Hopefully he'll receive some help from the program...he's certainly earned it.  If not, he will have his degree from a great university and will start his career.

FWIW, I've seen several players with relatively big scholarships in the 50-75% range that don't play/contribute anywhere near players that received a lot less monetarily from the program.  In the short term, the big time recruits will get the most opportunities...but in the long run, the best players always rise to the top. 

bsbl247,

Thats a weird story, did you know that they would do that come that fall?

FWIW, as to the question asked, there is no yes and no, the National Letter of Intent has to include the athletic dollars.

A Letter of Intent, the LOI that some sign without aid, is not the same, but rather a letter explaining the intent of both parties (may include academic aid).

http://www.nationalletter.org/

The following text appeared in the NCAA's form NLI my son signed in 2010:

Financial Aid Requirement. At the time I sign this NLI, I must receive a written offer of athletics financial aid for the entire 2011-12 academic year from the institution named in this document. The offer must list the terms, conditions and amount of the athletics aid award. (A midyear football two-year college transfer student-athlete must receive a written offer of athletics financial aid for the remainder of the 2010-11 academic year. If the institution does not renew the athletics aid for the following academic year, the student-athlete must be released of the NLI). In order for this NLI to be valid, my parent/legal guardian and I must sign the NLI and I must also sign the offer of athletics aid (see institutional policy for parent/legal guardian signature) prior to submission to the institution named in this document, and any other stated conditions must also be met. If the conditions stated on the financial aid offer are not met, this NLI shall be declared null and void.

TPM,

I agree it is a "weird story", but I certainly wouldn't post it if it wasn't true. I answered the question that bacdorslider posed, simple as that.

If a student is receiving academic help will the NLI disclose the whole package along with the athletic offer?

Yes it can.  Example, 50% athletic, 50% academic. This usually is the package that is put together for the player.   However, sometimes the academic may be determined later on, remember it is determined after graduation. I may be wrong, someone else can correct me if so.

No, the NLI covers the athletic scholarship only. Academic aid is completely separate.   

It was not that way for my son's agreement. The NLI came with an athletic aid agreement to be signed. His academic scholarship came at a different time and had nothing to do with athletic aid. 

Ok, I may be wrong,  but I have seen an NLI with both.