Are big schools over-committing?

I understand that and agree with you.

However...

When that scout looks in your eyes and tells you your son is going to play in the Big leagues and then that doesn't happen, would it be considered the same?

Whoah! You mean to tell me scouts give players and their families false hope?

Say it ain't so!!

Actually, when you think about it, anyone who picks up a bat and glove and plays this game well enough to be on a college or professional roster will almost certainly have dealt with (pick your word or phrase: over-promising, exaggerated claims, lying, wishful thinking, misdirection) along the way. 

I'll bet the Little League boys in Chicago who were displaced by the out-of-territory studs know what it feels like.

The point is: Anyone who chooses this path had better have his eyes wide open, and be getting better every year. Because no matter the level, it really is all about winning.

And for me, at least ... that's as it should be.

(OK -- maybe not at 12, but that's right on the cusp

Let me start by saying this Jerry - no one has more respect for you, your opinion, or your organization than I do.

When a scout tells me my son is going to play in the big leagues, I know that destiny is in my son's control through his hard work and a few lucky breaks.  That is largely in my son's control.  When a collegiate coach promises a player a 60% scholarship, then turns around and tells him that he no longer has scholly money left and the player is getting nothing (because he over-committed his dollars), then that is in the coach's control.  I see that very differently.

When my son was visting schools this fall one of the reasons that he chose the school he did was because of what the HC told him about how they do not over recruit.   While this team won 40 games last 3 seasons, the chances of them going to the College WS are not good. 

It seems the top 4-5 conferences over recruit... this school had 37 in the fall and currently 33 on the roster with 4 redshirts. 

He told son, if you do your part, you will pitch, you will travel... going in as Juco transfer we believed him.  He does not over recruit, but I can see how the top schools would need to... this school had 5 drafted but that was after their jr season.  The top 25 schools have their players drafted out of high school so they have to over recruit.  They know those top guys are going to take the money.

9and7dad,

I respect your opinions as well. Even mostly agree with you.

I hate seeing kids get hurt.  I just tend to blame it on the system more than the program.

i do see it as being very unfair, but guess I don't see anything dishonest in most cases.

I also believe that every time an offer is made, the coaching staff feels that player can contribute to their program.  At least they feel that way when they made the offer.  After that initial offer either party can change their mind up until the LOI is signed.  Either party can change their mind after that, but there is a penalty that seems to be most unfair to the player.  However, it is not a penalty issued by the college coach.

People can and will look at these recruiting situations differently.  But there really is a lot at stake, recruiting season is just as competitive as the playing season. At least at the highest level it is that way.  That is why I always wonder why so many talk about contacting the college coach to see if there might be interest.  These top schools scour the country and they know who they want.  It's not about who is interested in them, it's all about who they are going after and they go after those potential recruits very hard.

You know, most kids will recover if something bad happens.  I actually feel more sorry for the family.  These things can cause a big change financially.  

One last point... When people look at recruiting classes like those we list.  The numbers don't always mean the players weren't told the truth. I've known of some committed kids that already know there is a chance they might be attending a Juco if things don't fall into place.  They have even discussed which Juco with the DI coach.

I do think players and parents should know more.  I think if they were to read every post in this thread, they would be more prepared to deal with recruiting at the higher levels, if that pertains to them. I hope someone out there is more informed by reading all the opinions posted.

People can and will look at these recruiting situations differently.  But there really is a lot at stake, recruiting season is just as competitive as the playing season. At least at the highest level it is that way.  That is why I always wonder why so many talk about contacting the college coach to see if there might be interest.  These top schools scour the country and they know who they want.  It's not about who is interested in them, it's all about who they are going after and they go after those potential recruits very hard.

I find this to be very true.  Trying to drum up interest in recruiting is extremely difficult, unless you come upon a need.  "Cold Calling" doesn't seem to work real well. 

Many have heard my son's story about decommitting from Air Force, getting hurt last summer, and not showcasing this Fall due to playing football.  Since he is a 2015, this has made his recruitment difficult to say the least.  To put it into perspective, he is a 6'3.5" - 215 lb. LHP/1B who was throwing 88 last weekend in Mesquite, NV.  (It is actually possible that he hit 90 for the first time, because the High School Coach who recorded it said his gun is generally 2 MPH Slow.)  As it is, son will probably be attending a JC this Fall, and that is definitely not the end of the world.  My point is just that, for the most part, efforts on our end to drum up interest in him by sending out e-mails & video hasn't rendered much interest.  He does have a few D-1's that have offered, but the interest was garnered through coaches word of mouth, and a camp that he attended in January.

"Trying to drum up interest in recruiting is extremely difficult, unless you come upon a need."

We may be approaching "The chicken and the egg" territory here, but that's sort of the point to me. We're talking about schools over-recruiting in part because they're losing players for whatever reason; so if a program loses a guy and feels "the need" to replace him, as PG Staff says, they may indeed have a list of prospects to go to. But that doesn't preclude that chance that the player they turn to would be someone who had reached out and expressed an interest in them.

I understand that Vandy probably isn't going to jump right on someone who reaches out to them out of the blue, but I would have to believe there are plenty of schools, perhaps one in the Midwest, that would respond to a really good player from the West, if they knew he was out there. Even for some really, really good programs, I see nothing wrong with with trying to get on the radar screen...  

...perhaps one in the Midwest, that would respond to a really good player from the West, if they knew he was out there...

You would think that would be true - wouldn't you?  Makes a lot of sense.  But we tried that with one particular school with a lot of family ties and lots of reasons for that school to respond to what ended up being a top-50 recruit.

Nothing...just mass mailing camp brochure and nothing else.

Interesting that same approach to West Coast schools yielded LOTS of responses and at least a couple offers later in the process.

Its anecdotal, I know, but saw it tried again a few years later with a West Coast volleyball player, friend of our family - from #1 nationally ranked HS team - and nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  She ended up at West Coast school.

I wouldn't say, 'don't waste your time,' but I wouldn't expect much from it either.