Cut from Fall DIII team. Now what?

JUCO transfers at a Division III school?

Don't see that too often

At my son's D3 college I believe they have 8 JUCO transfers this year, along with about 18 freshmen. The new head coach (starting his second year as HC) recruited heavily. Fortunately they are also fielding a JV team this year.

Sue54, it's difficult to give advice in your friend's son's situation. It depends so much on the student/athlete's desire to play college baseball vs. how much he really likes that school after he has another month or two to make friends, get involved in classes and social life, etc. He could transfer to another school for academics only. He could even find another D3 where there was more opportunity to make the baseball team. Or he might find that he wants to stay at this school and continue developing his friendships and opportunities there. Probably one thing he should avoid is making a hasty decision when the "sting" of the unexpected cut is so fresh. Best wishes to him.

Julie

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
JUCO transfers at a Division III school?

Don't see that too often

Apparently so. I had actually heard from this site that it is common at this school.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
JUCO transfers at a Division III school?

Don't see that too often

Happens quite a bit here. Quite a few JUCO players transfer to DIII and NAIA schools. But that may be because we have so many JUCO's in IA.

Here in the Northeast you do not see it too often

My son's NAIA school has several JUCO transfers, including my son as well as a pitcher who's been drafted twice while in JUCO. Not unusual to see JUCO players recruited by NAIA and DIII in this area.

It honestly is up to him. I've been cut before in college, but if you want it bad enough you can get it. I got a job at a batting cage, worked my rear end off, got better, and transfered schools at the end of the fall semester. I'm now a starting OF for my current college team and am currently hitting .280 this fall (let's just say I'm a better defender than hitter ). It all depends on what he wants to do.

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Nice work and peristence thegame2003...

Echo MnMom on this....The young man in question will have to decide where his heart is. Baseball? Academics? School itself?

Maybe he swallows any pride and goes back and talks to the coach and finds out if there is any hope for a future spot, what can he do? Maybe he goes back one step. If he was highly recruited he will likley have other schools he can "fall back" on. Maybe he goes to look at JC and builds. AS we have said before this is more a beginning than an end should he choose it to be. College baseball is often an odyssey in it's self...

I think this all speaks to the fact that with the middle class trend to baseball as the sport of choice and the amount of energy, money, emotion and time that is being poured into youth baseball with the hope of playing college ball the competition is getting infinately tougher every year.

Older had 45 players walk on at DI for no immediately avilable spots. And JC is not an easy go in many cases...Younger had somewhere near 80 players out for his JC team and IMO most all of them could play.

It ain't gettin' any easier...

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All the DIII coaches we've spoken too this summer and fall except one (Gettysburg is the exception), have told us that their RECRUITED players have an almost guaranteed spot on their rosters as freshmen. The thought is that they aren't going to go through the whole recruiting process with you, take up everyone's time (ours and their own), convince a player to come to their school and not give them a spot. The rare exception they say is if a player shows up in the fall out of shape, with a poor attitude, and not ready to give 100%. Food for thought.

This is a perfect example of why you need to pick a school that fits your needs as a person first and an athlete second. I would say that is true at the D1 level but even more emphatically when attending a D3 school. School has to be the priority at that level.

ncball, the point has been made in here over and over again, no question about that. But I'm going to throw out the totally radical idea that baseball and academics can be on equal footing for a kid. If for some reason (and I still find it hard to believe about a recruited player) you don't end up making the team at your college, then by all means, evaluate your situation and transfer if that's what you want to do. They say to pick a school that you'd be happy with without baseball, but I say you have every right to search around and find a school you can play at! What if a part of a kid's overall plan was to play baseball at college? How can he be happy or fulfilled if he ends up NOT playing? You seem to be suggesting that the kid should give up playing ball because he did, afterall, pick the school for academics first and baseball second.

I agree with POPT. If the 1st school is not giving you all you need to enjoy those 4-5 years it may be wise to move on. Baseball is equally important for your fulfilment of your college experience find a better fit.
There are other things that also play into your decision like great location.

Thank you for all of your insight. Not sure which way he will go. My friend said he is setting up a meeting with the Coach to get more clarity. He may try a Showcase to see if he can garner any interest from another school. He may even decide that he loves the school he is at with out the baseball. I wish him the best. I know it has got to be hard when he felt he was going to be playing College ball to suddenly find out he won't be.

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Just wondering if anyone has any advice that I can pass on.

While I've always said that academics is probably the most important issue in school choice, I now confess that I talked myself into that line of thought thus, I lied . Recent posts have had me looking back and I will now admit we went with a combination of A) baseball opportunity, B)Social fit, C) scholly offer, D)academics, and E) "gut feeling", in that order. The rz1 definition of a "good fit".

Now in the 4th academic year I can say that "order of relivance" is one that I would do again for this reason.

A) Regardless of how hard he works a player cannot completely control the outcome of his baseball opportunities so many times he must consider his best option. My son thought he could pitch at many places but we did "roster research" looking for that early opportunity.

B) If you don't like the environment you live in the the rest of the adventure is hosed.

C) Scholarships in many cases are not an issue. However, I don't know about everyone else but my pockets are not that deep and I have troops coming up from the rear so the scholly offer was an issue.

D) Education; regardless of what anyone says about where you get your degree I feel that except for a few exceptions, every college is an institution of higher learning and what you put into it is what you will get out of it.

E) The gut feeling is something that cannot be defined, it is inside every individual and I feel is that deciding vote when all other issues seem even.

Throw them all on paper and the answer may magically appear. I may be different from most but I feel that living your life knowing that you did not put your dream at the front of your "to do" list would frustrate me more than my academic choice of schools. IMHO

rz..very well put as usual. But on point D, though I do agree that you do get out of an education what you put in, I'm pretty sure that getting a degree from a highly reputable academic institution will open more future doors than one that's not so reputable. I could be dead wrong on that one.

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I'm pretty sure that getting a degree from a highly reputable academic institution will open more future doors than one that's not so reputable.

PopTime,

No doubt. But not everyone can get into those elite schools. When I interview a perspective employee I will see that they have a degree but unless they are a Yankee fan I will not hold that piece of paper against them . You go to school to impress a professor, now you have to impress me. There are those jobs that the school pedigree plays a part but for the most part a 4 yr degree accompanied with college athletics shows me you made a sacrifice and suceeded. At least in my line of work it's not where you came from, it's who you are, and what you can do for me now.

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D) Education; regardless of what anyone says about where you get your degree I feel that except for a few exceptions, every college is an institution of higher learning and what you put into it is what you will get out of it.

E) The gut feeling is something that cannot be defined, it is inside every individual and I feel is that deciding vote when all other issues seem even.

Throw them all on paper and the answer may magically appear. I may be different from most but I feel that living your life knowing that you did not put your dream at the front of your "to do" list would frustrate me more than my academic choice of schools. IMHO

rz1 - you have been on a roll for quite some time now. I have only highlighted a few of your points but I am sure many can see their own decisions similarly in yours.

Look, I don't see things as an either or proposition. Academics can always be addressed - even if you have three kids, two car payments and a house payment - please send me a pm if you don't believe me. If you pass on baseball while still in your youth, you will pass on something that cannot be replaced in this lifetime imho.

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rz1 - you have been on a roll for quite some time now. I have only highlighted a few of your points but I am sure many can see their own decisions similarly in yours.

I just got my AARP card in the mail last month and who knows how long I'll be around to spill my guts. One thing I can say is with Ryans injury last year, upcoming college graduation, and other personal issues, I have had time to reflect and weigh on the baseball decisions in my life and you my friends are my captive audience. Discussion breeds thought, and thought brings out opinion, and opinions are good.

I hope other members old and new throw in their constructive ideas to any discussion as it can only add value.

quote:

Originally posted by PopTime:
rz..very well put as usual. But on point D, though I do agree that you do get out of an education what you put in, I'm pretty sure that getting a degree from a highly reputable academic institution will open more future doors than one that's not so reputable. I could be dead wrong on that one.

IMHO - I think overall there's a small number of schools where it makes a difference where the diploma was from. Probably less than 20.

Schools do make a difference and open doors. Check with the placement office as to what percentage they place and what the average salary is. Also find out what type networking system they have.

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RZ...

I too have enjoyed your posts in this thread.

A question to add to your "Education is YOUR responsibility" comment...

While an employer may choose one diploma over another...

...would I want my son to go to work for a company,

...that based their decision on WHERE he went to school, rather than WHO he is and what he can do?

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