1st Visit Scheduled! What have your visits been like?

Well, lets see.  Son's visit started with dinner at a nice restaurant owned by the university. Present were us, head coach, assistants, couple of players who were supposed to entertain/host son, another recruit/commit & his family.  It was a nice time, but kind of awkward because sister of the other recruit showed up in a dress that barely covered her butt, and other recruit's dad was pretty well lit.  We didn't see much of son after the initial dinner. 

Next day was pre-game buffett, followed by football game.  Prior to the game, they took us down onto the field as the team was warming up.  We stood in the end zone as future NFL players shagged practice kickoffs.  That was pretty cool.

Next morning was breakfast on the University's dime, followed by departure.

Son had a more interesting time.  The night before the football game, one of the guys showing him around decided he needed a scooter.  So, they went into town and he shelled out $3000 for a fancy scooter.  

Son spent the night in the room of a player who had gone home for the weekend.  That night, around 2:00 am, that player's roommate showed up, woke son, and told him "Dude, you gotta get out. I got some girls coming over."  Son grabbed his stuff, staggered down the hall, found another vacant bed, and crashed there.  The guy that ran him out ended up being his catcher for a couple of years.  

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if the university paid for one night or two.

$3000 for a scooter???  Sounds entertaining.  I am doubtful my son would tell me all those details.  Great story.  

They did tell my son he would be staying with a player.  Should be interesting...

My son stayed with players on every visit. We were always on our own dime so if it was just an overnight and depending on the distance we would find a near by campground and tow our camper, or rent a cabin. 

We would go meet with the coach parents would either get a separate tour or tour with our son. A meal was usually involved on campus.

We would leave the son in the hands of the players and go back to the campsite and fish or just hang out. We would pick up the son the next day.

Some of the visit will depend on whether it is D1 or D3.  You will likely be there for a recruiting weekend with other recruits.  Usually our visits coincided with a sporting event (usually football).  Depending upon when you get there and when you leave, the parents are normally included in an on campus meal but may be on their own for most of the time, except we often had a tour if we had not been there before and often a meeting with the HC or RC where they may or may not offer.  I sat alone during one football game, which felt pretty pathetic to me as it was a D3 with a terrible team and I felt like our HS had more fans at games.  But, I was not there for me.

Son always stayed with player(s) and usually had to sign something about alcohol and drug policy.  Most of the time on Saturday nights he went to some on campus party with his host(s).  He would follow the lead of the guys he was with and hold a beer basically but not imbibe to any significant extent.  There was almost always drinking by others.

Some advice to take or leave: 

Have a chat about alcohol before hand so he knows it will likely be present.  

Have some questions ready to ask the players, as well as coaches.  For players things like:  did you apply ED (valuable if a D3), what did you do over the summer, did anyone get cut, etc).  For coaches:  if talking about an offer or admissions support, make sure to clarify their timing.  My son was offered from one school, we visited, and a week later he was told they had their guys (we had no idea the offer was expiring).  Then the usual questions which have been posted here.

Enjoy!!

c5tx posted:

My son has his first visit scheduled in the next couple of weeks.  He spoke with the coach who told him he would be staying with the players.  They had a quick conversation so there was not too much detail.  I am guessing he will be with the players the entire visit?  

His mother and I are traveling with him to look at the school as well.  After all, we will be having to write the checks!  

What were your recruiting visits like?  Any suggestions?

He has a few more to visit...just don't know what to expect...

 

 

 

D1, is this an official or unofficial visit? There are significant differences between D1,2 and 3.

If these are unofficial visits, the program pays for nothing.

I took three overnight visits during my process last year, two D3 programs and a D2 all here in Minnesota. I always went alone and just drove over there by myself often leaving right from school (had a pretty laxed schedule so I wouldn't have conflicts leaving early) and get down to the schools at about 2 or 3 pm, at the first school i visited being the D2 it was a rough experience. I got there and found my host at about 4 pm and didn't see the HC until about 9 pm that night where I met with him in his office where he bashed the other two schools I was looking at (including my current school) and that kind of set me back a bit but he offered me on the spot at that point which I thought was a tad different. Next night they brought me to the football house for a party which was a very very weird experience because all of the football guys who lived in the house were huddled around the tv watching the alabama game. At both of the D3 visits I had very positive experiences, got there and met with coaching staff to greet me and then off to meet with professors about my intended major. From there I met with my host and we were off, I had dinner with my host and PC on my visit to my current school but not at the other one, both brought me to parties which is pretty standard procedure, and yes there will be alcohol but there was never any pressure by my hosts to drink by any means. At the school I chose my host just kept throwing girls at me the entire time which I thought was pretty funny, guess it worked  the overnight visits were my favorite part of the recruiting process, you can really tell where you are wanted by how the coaches act and how the players you meet act. At both the D3s i visited it seemed that every person there knew me by name before I had to introduce myself which I thought was pretty cool. Exciting times ahead for your son, hope this helped and good luck!

We have to fly to get there.  It sounds like I should just disappear as his parent once we get there?  I can tour the school on my own I guess. 

The coach will want to give your son a tour and have you along as well. You don't have to disappear. But keeping quiet is a good thing.

I think you should show up wearing a "make America great again" hat, a tee shirt with a picture of Fidel Castro on it, and draped in a confederate flag.  If they still show you around campus you will know that they really like your son !

c5tx posted:

We have to fly to get there.  It sounds like I should just disappear as his parent once we get there?  I can tour the school on my own I guess. 

No, but act like the third wheel, walk behind them, sit in the back.  Let you son and the coach talk.  But do ask questions, especially at "financial discussion time" and "academic support system time".

If anything like my son's experience, the visit passes really quickly.  Both you and your son should have prepared questions in advance.  It was my first time at a P5 school, let alone inside the athletic facilities.  Had to focus really hard on keeping my jaw shut and to keep from saying things like "Wow!"  "Holy Cow!".  I'm sure I looked like a tourist from a small town.

Funny story on the part where we meet the head coach in his office.  The visit was guided by the PC.  He did most of the recruiting.  About 20 minutes was with the Head Coach in his office overlooking the field.  He talked kind of stream of consciousness, moved all over the place with stopping. Hard to get into a conversation or ask questions.  Office phone would ring, he would pick it up and set it right back in the cradle, then say "I wonder who that was?".  At one point he looked up at the PC in mid conversation with us  "Johnson, we gotta make a run at Johnson!"  (We are not Johnson, Johnson is a highly prized recruit)  Finally, he stopped talking and said any questions?  I looked at my son, he was staring blankly at the head coach.  Son says "Nothing, I'm good".  So I ask him how many recruits do you bring in a year?  He says so many for this year, so many last year, etc.  I then asked him where do they all go?  I was expecting the grades/transfer/wanted playing time but didn't develop answer.   He looks right at me, lowers his voice to a whisper and says with all seriousness "What, have you heard something?".

I almost burst out laughing!