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My 2020 son is deferring from an HA D3 (with his future HC's OK).  The boy didn't want to start his freshman year taking classes from home, and decided to bet on next year being closer to normal. Since students aren't allowed on campus, there are no fall workouts.

It's possible he will miss a 2021 spring season.  As a pitcher, it's a little easier for him to work out on his own; although this was one concern he had to weigh.  I know several other 2020s at his school were considering deferring as well, but I don't know how many ended up doing so.  We assumed a gap year wasn't option until the coach told players he was OK with that.

Interesting...son is just starting to get some pings/more serious interest from HA DIIIs and other DIIIs just in the last few days. One coach even said, we've been following you all summer, but we're still trying to figure all of this crazy stuff out and are still trying to sift through to see what we can/can't do. This is just craziness. My wife keeps telling me November and December are going to be nuts, and though she doesn't know a ton about baseball recruiting, I think she's right. I think it's going to be chaotic with a lot of players at DIII level committing late. We will see.

That's good news!  If you're looking for Early Decision support with admissions, then the action will be before November.  If not, then certainly November-March will be busy.  Good luck!

Smokeminside, sorry to hear that.  My son took the fall semester off, since they were not allowed on campus, it was the right decision for him under these circumstances, but it's still not great.  His school will not decide about spring until November, which must make things very complicated for recruiting - if there's no baseball in spring, and all those guys take the semester/year off, then they'll all have another year to play, but the coach won't know until after the ED deadline.

I don’t know any more than anyone else (and I’m not sure anybody knows anything in this strange year), but a November/December timetable doesn’t seem to make sense. Coaches want players to commit, and without the ED process, I don’t see how that could happen. Players would need to apply to multiple schools in case their baseball school fell through. HA D3s sometimes issue likely letters, but never guarantee admission. Applying ED means 1) you pick a single school and 2) have the backup of the regular process if things go sideways. It wouldn’t surprise me to see things happen later than usual, but If I were a 2021 I would assume ED application deadlines are my cutoff date.

Also, fwiw, I have read that schools are expecting to admit more applicants than ever via ED this year, because they want to know as much as possible about what their yield will be. I can’t say if that’s true, but it seems reasonable. 

ED admission is the major benefit of applying as an athlete at an HA D3. Sure, you can try to walk on. But in that case you are in the pool with all other non-“tipped” applicants. 

BaseballDad72, for the reasons that Chico Escuela and Anotherparent say, I think the next six weeks will be even crazier than November to December.  Most HA D3s have an early decision deadline of Nov. 1 or Nov. 15, and will need/want to have their offers with admissions support accepted by then.  So, there will be a scramble up to that November deadline for the recruits still on their boards before those recruits commit elsewhere.  Most coaches will advise that they cannot (or cannot be sure they can) offer admissions support if your son waits to apply regular decision.  If possible, your son definitely wants to be one of the offers for early decision admissions support.  

Congratulations on getting interest!  There are many here who can offer advice and share their experiences as you navigate the next six weeks.  Good luck and keep us posted!

LuckyCat, thanks for reaching out. I understand the ED process and slots. Since this year is so nuts, I'm not counting on anything as far as admissions help goes, but that would be great. Getting some more serious NESCAC and Centennial interest in last week and I'm hoping it keeps up. Son has new video that he will send out to DIIIs this week and maybe even some Ivies (why not take the shot?), so we will see what happens. I'm hoping for a crazy next six weeks! Still debating whether to do Showball in New England in November...

After a week of Covid testing, wait period, and all students confined to the campus, classes started yesterday.  NESCAC son is a third year taking four classes, with half of them online.  The team has been on the field since day 3 working on their own in groups of 10, yesterday was the first day of practice (in groups of 10), and I think the first ever NESCAC baseball fall practice permitting the coaches to be involved.   All first years showed up.

They had 2902 Covid tests done, with 2 testing positive and in quarantine.

I'll try to get some feedback how the HC is managing this years recruiting process.

@cabbagedad posted:

Regarding ED and timing... I'll ask a question that will show my ignorance on this topic... with all the Covid effects, is it possible that the ED timeline get bumped back?  Obviously, by definition, it couldn't change a whole lot, but ...

I haven’t read anything about ED deadlines slipping. And given how ingrained the current timeline is for Admissions Offices, it seems unlikely. Sports recruiting won’t drive that decision at HA D3 schools, and I don’t know of other factors pushing that way. 

I suppose some coaches could persuade Admissions to let them use their slots in the regular decision cycle. But if I were a coach I’d be concerned that the best players would have gone ahead with ED applications. And as a player, I’d prefer to go ED and avoid the wait and the need to submit multiple applications (because I wouldn’t count on a single RD application—too much risk of ending up with no proverbial chair when the music stops). 

Personally, I think all the deadlines should be pushed...ED, regular decision, etc.. The more time that passes, I would hope the more clarity we'd have on COVID, vaccines, etc., especially if the fall/early winter is a $%%$$#show because of the flu and the election.

Totally reasonable. But schools would need to agree, I think. And there isn’t much time or bandwidth to work that out.

@Gov posted:

After a week of Covid testing, wait period, and all students confined to the campus, classes started yesterday.  NESCAC son is a third year taking four classes, with half of them online.  The team has been on the field since day 3 working on their own in groups of 10, yesterday was the first day of practice (in groups of 10), and I think the first ever NESCAC baseball fall practice permitting the coaches to be involved.   All first years showed up.

They had 2902 Covid tests done, with 2 testing positive and in quarantine.

I'll try to get some feedback how the HC is managing this years recruiting process.

Gov, how many of the NESCAC schools are doing in person classes and allowing athletics?

@JCG posted:

Gov, how many of the NESCAC schools are doing in person classes and allowing athletics?

JCG:  all fall sports canceled, unknown how winter sports will be managed, very defined group size for spring sports trying to practice outside in the fall.  Regarding in person classes, it's all over the board, ultimately yielding to the professors comfort of having in person classes.  I'm waiting to hear back from HC; I'll dig up what I can....

Amherst is the same as Mid.  No official coach contact yet though I'm sure coach's well aware of what's going on with the small groups of guys working out on the field.  None of the seniors and juniors are on campus, but at least the first years get to know the sophs. All the seniors are 2 hours away in a big house in Plymouth pretending to be independent adults.

fingers crossed for spring but if the school can't accommodate all residential students safely, then I don't see how there can be a baseball season.

Last edited by smokeminside

Smoke, are students who aren’t officially on campus allowed to use athletic facilities (or at least fields)?   No one is on campus at my son’s school, and they emphasized that all gyms, etc. are closed (even though a lot of kids are living in apartments nearby). 

I agree that if all four classes aren’t on campus, it’s hard to envision spring sports. Also going to be tough if some schools in a conference aren’t able to have everyone back but others are. I can’t see NESCAC and similar D3 conferences bringing just athletes back in the mode of, e.g., the UNC football team. 

@Gov posted:

This was the news released yesterday Chico: 

https://therealdeal.com/2020/0...-back-to-the-office/

 

I will comment since they are a "competitor" and it speaks to my business.  JP Morgan is a large sized competitor thus the quotes! I was working at JPM in fact on 9-11 but midtown thankfully but an incredibly sad day.   JPM has been signaling that all will return in September but yesterday was the official notification.  What's odd to me is that they are saying all to return in sales and trading while all large competitors are keeping their offices de-densified, meaning 30%-50% occupied.  A lot of people don't want to go back to NYC ever but NYC will come back and it will remain a trading center.   Most firms the size of mine will not send sales and traders back until 2021.  We are not as efficient at home but everyone is safe.  I am hoping for an October or November vaccine and then a quick ramp in production.  Would love normalcy in Q1 next year and of course baseball.   I hate working at home all the time.  Thankfully I get to go to NYC next Tuesday to look at new office space.  I am jacked up to get out of here and go do something different.

Gov, are all students back at Mid, or just some?

Smoke, sorry for the delay, 2,575 students are currently enrolled at Middlebury College this semester, including 2,161 living on campus, 329 studying fully remotely, and 85 students living off campus.

The students are still required to stay on campus.  Food delivery by local restaurants is permitted to a defined drop off spot on the edge of the campus.  The Athletic Center has not been opened to all yet.  Most of the athletes are outdoors for workouts...  Midd has managed the testing and any quarantines very well with only a couple of cases.

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