Committing before Sophomore season...

I'm in complete agreement with you.  Whenever my freshman son and I step on a college campus his only interest is what does the baseball facility look like/have. College majors, and the one or two other factors that go into making a college choice, are not in his thoughts.

How in good conscious could I let him make a college decision at this point. 

Then you have a story about Alabama recruiting an 8th grader.   Crazy!  

http://espn.go.com/college-spo.../story/_/id/8989200/

I agree, I think to early to commit, to much can change, the school could change coaches, or find a better player in your son's position, (which happens every year and more offend then you think).  Example, son's school transferred in 7 JUCO's, 5 postion players an 2 pitchers.  All position players will be starters, 2 pitchers are now their #1 and #2 starters. 

Returning players got a kick in the pants at the start of this school year.  Many thought would be starters on the bench, projected starter remain in the pen.

On your point about your son focusing on baseball facilities, kids have to decide what their priority is, classroom or baseball. You can't have both.  Baseball programs can and will take the majority of a players day.  In my experience the "ball players" take summer classes, on line classes, and their degree choice not as taxing as others to free time for the ball. 

A player can always make up classroom time later in life, they only get one shot at college ball in an effort to make to the next level if they is what they are shooting for.

Some will make it, some won't, but don't put a lot of pressure on them about the degree end on it, you don't want to have that kid 10, 15  years from now looking back an saying "I wish I would have given it a shot". 

An believe me when they get to a college program they will figure it out on there own pretty fast.  At that level they have to preform or ride the pine.  At that level there are no more easy outs. 

So I wouldn't recommend early commitments to the young player.

justbaseball,

I'm seeing the same thing down here in San Diego County. USC received verbal commits from a pair of 2017's in the last week alone ! One of the boys is the younger brother of the most recognizable player from The Chula Vista 2009 LLWS champion team.What's ironic is the older brother who is a 2014 has not committed yet.Strange days indeed.At this rate USC will be done with their 2017 class by the end of next summer.

Back in August my son's summer team was the runner up in The Under Armour Southwest Championship 18U tournament at Azusa Pacific.There were coaches from almost every Pac 12,WCC,Big West,WAC,& Mountain West Conferences at our games.Come to find out that most of them were there to watch the 2015's and 2016's since they had already finished their 2014 classes.Three of our 2015 players committed during that tournament(UCLA,University of San Diego,USC) and our 2016 player received offers but did not commit yet.

During that same tournament,two players from my son's HS team verbally committed as well. One is a 2015 who is headed for UC Berkeley and the other a 2016 going to UC Santa Barbara.

Only one 2014 on my son's HS team has committed and he did so after his freshman year.The other six remain uncommitted as do all ten of the 2014's on his summer/fall team.

I believe all of these 2014's will eventually land somewhere since they all have talent and are good students.The recruiting landscape does seem to be accelerating towards younger and younger prospects.There is a ton of talent here in SoCal and I think it's imperative more than ever for players to consider out of state options.

And he's not there yet.  I don't see us knowing what will be best for him until at least the end of sophomore year.  Other then that, some very good points by you.

This summer, prior to the Triple Crown Summer Nationals in Myrtle Beach, I brought my son to a top 10 D1 baseball program camp.  The head coach mentioned that he had a 2015 coming in on an unofficial visit later that day.  He said they would offer him as several top schools had already done so.  But, he was very uncomfortable doing so as things often change.  He also said, baseball skills and grades tank and the player is no longer what he was.  

JBB,

While my thoughts on the topic have changed only slightly over the years, there is very little reason to fear this continued escalation of early commits......it's not an issue in my house!   Most of the baseball parents I talk to don't like it.   It is clearly a market response intitiated by the college coaches who will do just about anything to get an advantage in recruiting.

For comparison, it would be like one of my sons getting married after a first date freshmen year in high school.  In all likelihood, I would not be on board with that.

It is very flattering to receive that level of college baseball recruiting attention, and I think some folks get really caught up in it.   Early commitments are totally 100% up to them.  My two cents....If it is a players dream school (ie Stanford) that they ordinarily would not get into, then go for it.  If not, wait until you mature a little more for something that is less risky and you know you want.  JMO.

I'm of the opinion that these are kids picking "teams" not choosing "colleges".

There is a mile wide gap between the 2 of those things.

To echo Fenway a bit, I'll be completely supportive if a kids athletic ability opens the door to a Top 10 academic program that is also a Top 10 athletic program.  But there are not many that land of both lists.

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

Does anyone know if there is somewhere we can get info on kids that "committed" as freshman or sophomore and what the final outcome was.....did they follow thru on the commitment, stay in baseball, de-commit by player or school...etc?

Exactly.  Although my son has a major in mind, that I believe will change over time, he never asks what majors a university has when he thinks or talks about a school. The baseball program, and their facilities, he knows about.  That tells me he's not ready to commit to anything if he were to get offered.

This discussion is one of the inspirations for our College Bus Tours.

Its funny how many parents really "get it"….. until its their own kid getting the letters & phone calls.  Then suddenly its way to personal, way too close, way to emotional.

And suddenly their kids "short list" is made up of a few schools that look/feel nothing alike.  Academics be damned!  A coach "likes" our kid so by golly we "like" that school.

Seems backwards in some ways.  Would you buy a house because a realtor "likes" you?

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com/bus_tour

You're correct Rich.  Other then a Mid-Atlantic D3, which recently started peppering my son with info, we really haven't seen it yet.  That could change for him after next summer, before sophomore year starts, as his travel team schedule should hit some interesting spots.  We'll see.  

Hopefully I'll still be "getting it" at that point.

He's not in the same position as some others as he pitches as a secondary position. He's more beneficial as a bat/glove.  Coaches make notes about him and I've heard them talk about him, but he won't be of any real interest for another 2 years or so. My opinion.

Hopefully, if I get out of whack... one of you good people will bring me back to earth. 

I would agree the sophmore year is too early for most players to make an informed decision. Just the same I think its very hard for a jr and sr to make the perfect choice. The amount of "program  knowdge" a HS player can attain is very limited while playing with and against HS competition.  There is a great deal of uncertainty making this decision whether a sohpmore or junior or senior, in addition to the fact the players priorties will change over time ...its a moving target for many.  

My son was a 4-2-4 and learned so much about other college programs after getting to college it was scary to know how little he knew about schools when he was a HS senior. 

I fired my realtor because she didn't like me enough to find the house I wanted

I know what you are saying and you make a good point.

A coach's "like" probably should not be the sole determining factor, but I sure think it defines the universe of advisable choices from the baseball side of the equation. Wouldn't want to go to a place where the coach doesn't like the player, right? (in the majority of cases, there may be an exception out there)

For this reason I think it is imperative for the player to, first, assess the coach's "like" factor......and second, accord value to it.

Don't get me wrong.  I understand the athletic ability has to match up for both parties.  

There are plenty of opportunities to figure out what "athletic" world a kid will match up with.  Take that information, add to it the schools that are in that kids sweet spot academically, socially, geographically, etc, and now you have a quality list of schools to communicate with.

For example...

- Like the mountains

- But not in middle of no where

- Prefer medium size campus

- Projecting to be mid major D1 guy

A kid with these needs/wants probably could by pass a conversation with ODU… Too big, not in the mountains, huge city.  So when Finny calls, I probably would hang up on him, but I probably wouldn't commit as a sophomore. 

This is very tough for kids and families.  Some kids will go to the prom with an ugly girl because they are not confident enough to wait for pretty girl to come around.

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

I don't know who Finny is...my bad...but I wouldn't advise any youngsters to hang up on any college coach who calls......even if the coach is not from one of the kid's top choices. It takes just a few minutes to be respectful and courteous.....and who knows.....the kid might even learn something and gain some confidence and experience. EDIT: rereading your post, maybe you had a typo and meant to say "not hang up". If so, we agree.

The early commit issue is a tough one. I have seen it work out and lead to disappointment. Can't come down with a confident opinion on that one.

PS.....you just lost business from my kid who has been receiving your emails, with that ugly girl thing.

Really great discussion so far!

I fully agree with this comment by CollegeParentNoMore:

There is a great deal of uncertainty making this decision whether a sohpmore or junior or senior, in addition to the fact the players priorties will change over time ...its a moving target for many.

I think what I can, as a parent, assess much better is how my son is developing academically and athletically with more time...and for us, that was an important part of the equation in choosing a school.

I think its more rare than common for a player (even a non-player) to find the "perfect" college for them...but to me, that extra year helps get closer to a better answer.

Green Light - I think we are in agreement.  

Tough to tell if you are joking in you "PS" though.  I'll assume its a joke.  Because I certainly was joking.  My wife, who is really hot, reminds me of all the ugly girls I dated prior to her!  So I guess there is still hope for any kid that goes to prom with an ugly girl!

Justbaseball - spot on with your last comment!

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

Or any kid that chooses a relatively frumpy school over a glitzy one.......if the frumpy school cares about him more, meets his needs more, and motivates him to be the best he can be.

Getting back to the subject of the thread, it is the high school sophomore who is more likely to be swayed by superficial things about a college than a senior who, it is expected, might have more maturity to look beyond things that are just skin deep.

That's one of the reasons there is risk in early commitments. But I have also seen some work out well. Like Billy Martin in the old Lite Beer ad, I feel very strongly both ways.

IMHO early commits should only do so to their dream school, where baseball is only the icing on the cake. If play time is what you want, you better go to a school that love's YOU! 

To me, summer after junior year should be the earliest. So many things change in the college baseball world. 

In my sons case, there has been significant changes since signing in November, to the start of fall ball. Injuries, transfers, new coaches and guys transferring out.

One thing that does not change. College baseball is hard, no matter skill level or division. You better love the game, the coach and the school. Once the thrill wears off and you show up for school , all the work begins. You are no longer a prospect, you are their property.

So far for PO Jr, it has worked out(fingers crossed).  

Green Light - 

If my comment offended you or more importantly your son, he is not ready to play college baseball.  

Here is a link to a scene from Inning By Inning.  Auggie Garrido usually keeps his cool.  Most coaches do.  But sometimes it takes "locker room" language to make a point.  

WARNING:  The following clip includes "locker room" language that may offend some and be inappropriate for your work place.  But it is also a wonderful example of how a college coach will probably speak to your precious sons at some point during his college life. 

http://www.dailymotion.com/vid...ait-of-a-coach_sport

FYI Green Light, this coach cares about those kids.  Big time.

This is real life parents.  

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

No offense taken when you refer to pretty girls or ugly girls, PIS. So you didn't need to go to all that effort to say my son or me couldn't play college baseball if either of us were offended by those words.

I think your comments about pretty girls and ugly girls are at cross-purposes with the message you are trying to convey in your business, though. Think about it. If my observation is something you can use, go with it. Otherwise forget I said it.

Again, can't come down definitively on the early commitment issue. The risks have been well-stated in this thread. But it can work out too.

I'm pretty sure we are (and have been) in agreement.  You just didn't like my comment about ugly or pretty girls.  

I actually think that relates perfectly to the recruiting process.  Many kids fall in love with the very fist school that shows them any kind of love.  Many boys fall in love with the fist girl that shows them any kind of love.  Does not make either the right fit.  

And, if any of you have not seen Inning By Inning, I'd suggest watching it asap.  It used to be on Netflix.  It is outstanding.

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

Gosh I love that Augie video.  It never gets old.  Maybe part of it is that I can identify with  him just a bit.  When he talks  about the players getting over the loss in a short while, while he has to live with it for the rest of his life, I can almost see myself as a LL manager, beating myself up over a loss while the children happily line up at the snack bar for their postgame slurpies.

My son verballed in October of his sophomore year. Did I/we have concerns? Of course we did. However after talking with several people we knew about the school, coaches, education, pros and cons of making an early commitment etc. the decision was somewhat easy to make. In our situation it worked out just fine, son just started his freshman year a few months ago.

For three years our family followed the college program after committing. We saw them play every time they were in our area, watched their games on the computer, saw the coaches at countless tournaments, showcases etc. visited the campus when we had time and definitely established a great relationship over time. I think this was a huge plus for my son entering the program as he had a pretty good idea on what to expect.

So far I can say my son is enjoying every minute of school and baseball so far. For us the decision to verbal early has been a positive experience.

Nice post warningtrack - good to have a different perspective. 

I don't think I would have labeled the video "Portrait of a Coach" but "Coaches gone wild".  

I think you can be intense without having a filthy mouth. 

My philosophy is for my kid to take the offer that is closest to the full ride. 

I wonder what kind of girl that would be equivalent to? 

Family has money, but she's still not a looker.  

Thanks for the laughs, Mania and NYDad!!

Chelsea Clinton?

There you go!

Full ride and my son is thinking he landed Kim Kardashian.  

"Early" may depend on what part of the country you are from.  Around here, if you wait between junior and senior year for the dream school, it may be too late.  Many have wrapped up their recruiting classes by then.  The exception: if you are a pitcher.

Sometimes the dream school may not love you.  The "dream school" near us had already picked up a top guy in his position for son's class and another top program had picked up THREE from the class ahead of him. If we had not done our research and waited until after junior year for either of these schools to make an offer, he may have missed out to his early commitment to an up-and-coming coach at a top-notch academic school.

If you have a freshman or younger player, have him make a list of schools that he would like to go to.  Keewartson's list of 30 were mostly Omaha contenders, but it opened the door to explain the economics of out of state tuition, what we could afford to contribute as parents, conferences and travel distances between schools in the conference, and his "wants" in a school (his were for the school to be co-ed and have a football team - ha!).  Be sure to check rosters of schools on the list for how many they may take from your state or area. Trying to make the roster of a big state school in Texas, California, or Florida from out of state are for the elite. This was the eye-opener for keewartson.

I am glad his decision is made and the ED application is in.  Now, the "elephant in the room" is where the GF will wind up, which is out of our court, and VERY glad it is not the other way around!

Most kids have no idea what they want to major in at the end of soph year of high school. I would think this would be an important part of the decision. If a kid is so good he can get a really early offer he should have many more offers in the next year. If a kid gets an early offer from his dream school and knows it fits academically, go for it. 

Because girls physically mature sooner they have to deal with making early decisions all the time. My daughter verballed early in the fall as junior year started. She knew what she wanted for a major. If she waited until summer after junior year the softball programs would already be working on the following recruiting year.

I think you need to see the entire film to really get a feel for how much Garrido is a teacher... These snippets of Coach Garrido blowing up are real, but I feel they're sensationalized when singled out...

Also, if the 2nd ALL-TIME winningest, and 5-Time National Championship winning coach (over 4-decades) wants to berate his players, I have to believe it's for good reason and OK by me.

I agree. Coach G is the real deal. I was taken back a bit by the snippet/clip of him freaking out. That said, it must have been deserved. I've read his book, heard him speak, which he admits to not being perfect and made mistakes. All said and done, you can't over look his success. In today's world, kids are a little soft and need leaders like Coach G. I sent the clip to my DI Freshman he said, "sounds like my coach". I asked does it bother you? Not in the least, sometimes we deserve it.