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Could someone please clear this up for me? When can a college actively recruit a player? I thought schools weren't allowed to reach out to players until 9/1 of their junior year?

Thanks
"Go show your father that baseball." - Sandy Koufax (this is what Sandy Koufax said to me after he signed my baseball and found out I didn't know who he was. I was 12 yrs old.)
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Pat H,

Do you mean the coach called (on the phone) the recruit?

Typically communication is through the travel coach, on campus visit, or the recruit called the coach. Those are the only forms of allowable "contact" I'm aware of for a 2015.

Contact - A contact occurs any time a coach has any face-to-face contact with you or your parents off the college's campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with you or your parents at your high school or any location where you are competing or practicing.
Thanks for the responses. I understand that coaches can get creative, and I guess it would be in the form of "Propect Camp" invites and such. I just find it odd, and maybe it's just the way I'm reading into it, that the way some of these parents are explaining the interest in their 2015, it's almost as if the coaches are actively recruiting them as if they were a 2014 (breaking the rules). My son, who is a 2015, has gotten a few of these camp invites from coaches, the emails are personal to him, which is cool, but I'm still hesitant to think that a coach would expect a 2015 to commit. Especially since that player has 2 years left (3 if a 2015 committed before their 2nd year of HS ball) and multiple seasons to play.
Pat H,

You've been on this site longer than I have. I've learned a few things on this site or along the way. First, is to never (ever) believe anything the parent of an aspiring college athlete says about their kid unless you know them very well or they have been through the process before. Second, coaches will always find a way to get the word out to a recruit either through a proxy (travel coach) or other means. Third, I would not categorize "camp invites" as recruiting unless they have very specifically targeted and communicated to the recruit that they want to see him at their camp for the very specific reason to recruit him.

At this point in time the only 2015s that will be offered/committed will be extremely talented athletes that possess unique skills. So, if we are talking about baseball players that means a sophomore in high school that has yet to play their sophomore year. That is going to be extremely rare. It is much more likely that a particular program may be following a recruit through word of mouth or through the travel coach. Following does not equal recruited.

Good luck!
Last edited by fenwaysouth
Pat H...I think for many coaches it's a risk to not offer some 2015s. You have to consider that many 2015s have already played a whole summer of tournaments (PG) at the 18u level with some type of success.

Once the first verbal offer is made to the 2015 player, others with significant interest will probably have to do the same if they hope to land a verbal committment from the player before another school does.

The recruiting rules for a 2015 are a very simple thing to work within if the school feels strongly about making an early offer. The 2015's coach (travel or HS) is given the interested college recruiter's phone number via email or business card following a game or series of games that the coach watched. The travel or HS coach gives the recruiter's number to the 2015 player so he can make the call to the interested coach. This is obviously the point where the "active recruiting" begins. The first call usually involves an intro discussing interest level and an invite for an unofficial visit to see campus and discuss an offer. In addition, he is typically told to call back each week, where the recruiting process is continued.

This is how it is kept within NCAA recruiting rules. The only difference between a 2015 and 2014 is the fact that the 2015 player has to initiate contact. The college coach never speaks DIRECTLY to the player FIRST. Initial communication is through a travel or HS coach and any calls made are the 2015's choice.
Last edited by BK_Razorback
Thanks for the info guys. Fenway, you're right I have been a member for a while but I don't spend a ton of time out here and most of my time now is spent in this forum due to the phase my son is in now. He has thrown at a few showcases and what has happened with him, is exactly what you guys have described. Schools have reached out to the organizer of the showcases asking for my son's contact info. The organizer would reply with my son on copy. Which is great for him to see. And now he is getting camp invites to regional schools around here...some are sending them mutiple times. I guess we, as a family, are taking a different approach to this and it boils down to how aggressive my son wants to pursue solifiying up his college future. To this point the only thing I have "pushed" on him is getting better as an athlete and a student. Prefect your craft. I am not implying what a parent should or shouldn't do with their kids. As for me I have started talking to him about this and he knows he can now reach out to coaches if he wants to.
Thanks again for the clarification. I appreciate it.
quote:
Pat H said....I guess we, as a family, are taking a different approach to this and it boils down to how aggressive my son wants to pursue solifiying up his college future. To this point the only thing I have "pushed" on him is getting better as an athlete and a student.
I like your approach. Showing your son what is possible will allow him to take it where he wants to take it. Good luck, and don't be a stranger! Wink
Last edited by fenwaysouth

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