I can't imagine the shock and pain right now.  While some may say the coach is being honest, this seems completely wrong.  Frankly, I'd ask you to name the school so others know what type of games they might expect from this type of coach/program.  I know a school in the SEC that pulled a stunt like this and took quite a PR hit when they were called out for it so perhaps that is your recourse.  I hope you son is able to find a school that actually wants him vs. this type of game playing.  Best of luck with this. 

First off that's not right...

 

Why not mention the Schools name.   As a warning for others.  That's the only way we can let people know which coaches do not manage their program well. 

But you signed a NLI and so they are responsible for your scholarship for one year, unless you back out or grades fail. (at least to the best of my memory)  That was the reason for the phone call.  They want you to look elsewhere and back out on your own.   You may also want to check out the transfer rules...  (its been 3 years since I had to worry about them) Your son has not attended classes or practices,  but did sign a NLI.  They should not apply but I wouldn't put it past the NCAA to not protect the athlete.  

I do believe that they have to honor the scholarship, they do not have to provide a place for him on the roster. I also beleive that they cannot use the scholarship money that they awarded your son.  I don't advise going somewhere he isn;t wanted, but don't go out without a fight, contact  the AD, what have you got to lose. Contact JUCO coaches asap.  If your son is good there will be plenty of other D1 opportunities.

 

I agree this is totally wrong, this is a perfect example of poor planning in recruiting.

 

While I do beleive you, I also think that there are always two sides to every story. I don't advise posting the school here, that is up to you, but you could pm privately those that might be interested.

SDBB,

It's TIGER PAW MOM.

Your son and mine both in the eastern league.

 

SDBB is correct, they did what they did so your son would walk away, you might let them know that it's not going to be that easy.  I think that they must by july, award all scholarship money to players, so they are in a bind if they don't have the money.

 

In many school situations where this occurs the juniors not drafted now seniors usually lose their money, not the incoming players with NLI.

The new draft rules throws a lot of wrenches into College coaches plans.  Used to be high rated Incoming freshman signing and all of a sudden extra scholly $$ and coach looks for someone to fill.   My own son benefitted from this.     The draft changed last year and only the really top players are making a large PAYDAY, and it is fairly well known which ones are signing ahead of time.  Gone is the day of a 18th round pick get a million plus.    I'm not sure how much leverage a college Jr has below the 5th round these days.   I know hardly anyone will get more than 100K after round 10....  So it seems more are opting for their Sr season and College coaches haven't adapted to the new draft just yet.    

TPM what team is your son on..?   My whole focus has been on my younger son recently.  In fact, I have developed a bad superstition, with my oldest.  It seems anytime I listen in to my son's game he K's and if I don't he does well.   For example today I'm just told about his first AB at the beginning and he does a 4-3 ground out.    I immediately turn it off and check 4 hours later and he's 3 for 4 with a HR....  go figure....

Of course this is very upsetting, but let's go through his options.

1) He can insist on attending the school.  They have to provide him with the scholarship unless he and the college mutually agree to dissolve the NLI.  In order to stay within the 11.7 equivalency requirement, the school may have to pull a scholarship from an existing team member, and that needs to be done before June 15.  If he attends the school without releasing the school from the NLI, they will have to include him on the 35 man squad list, but they do not have to allow him to even practice with the team.  

 

2) He could inquire about attending the school as a walk on, hoping that he will make the team, or even be awarded a scholarship the following year.  However, he needs to consider the possibility that the school have reassessed his potential value as a player since he signed, and the un-drafted juniors are actually a somewhat palatable excuse for wanting to pull the NLI.

 

In either 1) or 2), if he attends this school, and then decides to transfer to a D1, he will have to sit out a year.  There is a real possibility that he wouldn't be able to compete during the next two years- the first year because the school chooses to not play him, and the second by D1 transfer rule.

 

3) He can agree to dissolve the NLI, and attend college anywhere else.  Contrary to SDBB's fear, there is no transfer implication, and he would be eligible at any college.

 

This is a difficult situation.  Even if the un-drafted juniors actually are the issue, the reality is that the coaches chose other incoming and existing players in preference to your son.  Now that they have declared this choice, I think it is unlikely that your son can succeed at this school.  I suppose that you could explore possibility 2) with them, perhaps discovering that they really do want your son, but I'm not sure I would accept their word, and NCAA rules prevent them from promising anything in writing.

 

This sounds like a bad situation.  TIFWIW, but if baseball is of importance, I would look elsewhere and take it as a lesson learned.  Usually there is nothing to gain by forcing the issue. Yes, you could fight it and you might even cause problems for the coach and program, but in the end that won't help your son. There is probably no way he will be treated fairly in baseball at that school. 

 

The Big 12 is a top conference, while the school in question might not have lost players to the draft, many other programs did.  My guess is that someone recruited by a Big12 College should be able to find another DI program that wants and needs him.

 

Unfortunately this will require some quick work, but it might be well worthwhile.  I'm a big believer in fate, sometimes what seems like a catastrophe turns into the most fortunate break.  It's too bad this happened, I feel for you, but it ain't over till its over! Things often work out, no matter how bad it seems.

 

Spending your time fighting isn't likely to help, spend that time finding a good college.  Use every resource possible. It will be interesting to hear how things turn out.

 

Best of luck

Thank you all.    I think this will turn out okay.  He played well today and he already has some leads on other options.

Now, we just need a bonfire for those team hats, shirts, license plate cover, sweatshirts, etc,  that we gave him for Christmas.  

PlayerMom,

 

I love stories that turn out great.  Please let us know how things work out.

PlayerMom,

 

I am glad good karma is starting to come your way! Not sure what karma awaits the coach and his program who did this to your son.

D1 coach contacting someone with an NLI...  Until you have a release that's a recruiting violation.   I'd keep this story to yourself until its all said and done. 

 

I disagree with "2) He could inquire about attending the school as a walk on, "  unless the coach made that suggestion to you already.   If they really wanted your son, that would have been already discussed with the lure of a scholarship as a soph.    

 

One question: did he get drafted by MLB? 

 

If Baseball is the goal... start looking at other schools.   Do you have any other contacts from recruiting previously.     Check on the NCAA rules to know what is allowed (I'm too far removed to have 100% certainty dealing with NLI releases)  http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/co...d+appeals/index.html 

JC may be the best route.  See RED below.

 

From NCAA website:  

The NLI is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an NLI member institution

• A prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the institution full-time for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).
• The institution agrees to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).

Basic penalty for not fulfilling the NLI agreement:  A student-athlete has to serve one year in residence (full-time, two semesters or three quarters) at the next NLI member institution and lose one season of competition in all sports.

 

Where is the penalty for the school not fulfilling the agreement?

 

By signing a National Letter of Intent, a prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the designated college or university for one academic year. Pursuant to the terms of the National Letter of Intent program, participating institutions agree to provide athletics financial aid to the student-athlete, provided he/she is admitted to the institution and is eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules. An important provision of the National Letter of Intent program is a recruiting prohibition applied after a prospective student-athlete signs a Letter of Intent. This prohibition requires participating institutions to cease recruitment of a prospective student-athlete once a National Letter of Intent is signed with another institution.

The National Letter of Intent has many advantages to both prospective student-athletes and participating educational institutions:

• Once a National Letter of Intent is signed, prospective student-athletes are no longer subject to further recruiting contacts and calls.

• Student-athletes are assured of an athletics scholarship for a minimum of one full academic year.

Hey SDBB, cool your jets a little bit. 

A D1 coach may contact a prospective student athlete even if a NLI has been signed.  It is not a recruiting violation per NCAA rules.  Instead, the NLI is a contract between the college and the player, and enforcement of the agreement is done by contractual agreements among the colleges participating in the NLI program. The NCAA does not administer the program, and in this situation the college with which the NLI agreement was made is certainly not going to complain if another college contacts the player.

If both college and player agree, the NLI contract is dissolved and all of the provisions are no longer effective.  In this case, that's what the coach is proposing-- he wants the player to agree to dissolve the contract.  So all of the stuff you've underlined, including the part in red, would no longer apply.  JC could be the best option, but not because of anything to do with the NLI program.

 

My point is PlayerMom should read the agreement.    I'm concerned and helping by providing information.  And a viewpoint from my 10 years of direct experience with  NCAA institutions.  The way I read it;  Before PlayerMom can do anything concerning any school and still completely fulfill the agreement her son signed;  Her son has to get a release, (which seems school will agree to).  Even going to a JC if you read the letter of the agreement a release is required to go back to any NLI school for the next 4 years, or graduating the JC.  

   Once the release is signed the school is off the hook, but that doesn't mean the athlete will necessarily get another scholarship with another school.    Just another case where the athlete isn't the entity being protected.

 

From the NLI website link I provided earlier.

Recruiting Ban After Signing

I understand all participating conferences and institutions are obligated to respect my signing and shall cease to recruit me after my signing this NLI.  I shall notify any recruiter who contacts me that I have signed an NLI.  Once I enroll in the institution named in this document, the NLI Recruiting Ban is no longer in effect and I shall be governed by applicable NCAA bylaws.

 

Basic Penalty

I understand that if I do not attend the institution named in this document for one full academic year and I enroll in another institution participating in the NLI program, I may not compete in intercollegiate athletics until I have completed one full academic year in residence at the latter institution.  Further, I understand I shall be charged with the loss of one season of intercollegiate athletics competition in all sports.  This is in addition to any seasons of competition used at any institution.

Statute of Limitations

I am subject to the NLI penalty if I do not fulfill the agreement; however, if I do not attend an NLI member institution to fulfill the agreement or penalty and four years has elapsed since my signing date, the NLI is no longer binding.  Therefore, this NLI is in full force and effect for a period of four years, commencing with the date I sign this NLI.

 

Provisions of Letter Satisfied

a.   One-Year Attendance Requirement.  The terms of this NLI shall be satisfied if I attend the institution named in this document for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters) as a full-time student.

 

b.   Two-Year College Graduation.  After signing this NLI while in high school and if I later attend a two-year college, the terms of this NLI will be satisfied if I graduate from the two-year college.

Release Request and Appeal Process

In the event I wish to be released from my NLI obligation, the NLI release request and appeal process information can be reviewed on the NLI Web site at www.national-letter.org.  I understand that the NLI Policy and Review Committee has been authorized to issue interpretations, settle disputes and consider petitions for complete release from the provisions of the NLI when extenuating circumstances are determined to exist and the signing institution denies my request for release. I further understand the Committee’s decision may be appealed to the NLI Appeals Committee, whose decision shall be final and binding. 

3fingeredglove is the hsbbw resident ncaa official rules interprtator.
I think it unfair to come back after a long absence and challenge his knowledge he has provided over the years.

Just sayin'  and JMO.

PlayerMom,

 

Sorry this happened to you, and I hope it gets better soon.

 

FWIW - I do know someone who went through this with an SEC school, and it worked out extremely well for him.  They ran away from the school and coach, and feel blessed the coach's true colors were shown before he matriculated.  Four years is a long time.  

 

I certainly wouldn't start the recruiting process all over again, but simply inquire to the schools that your son had previous serious discussions. Good luck, and I'm sending some good karma your way. 

 

I think this type of thing happens a lot more than we realize. So glad it's seems to be turning around.

 

imo, It seems like all the burden is on the student athlete and his or her family even after a contract is in place.Obviously the consequences to a player for honoring a contract is massive compared to what happens to a coach or a school when they are asked to honor something they don't want to. 

same situation that happenend in 2010 with a FL D1. Only in that case a local newspaper was following the kid and picked up the story and ran with it. School did not come off looking real good. Player wound up at a FL JUCO. Which is not a bad thing.

Sorry that this happened. I too think it happens more than we know. I think in some ways it may be better than if he had gone and got cut, or never got to play. Its tough,sometimes I think I wish my son had become a fisher, golfer etc. LOL  Less stress.Hope it all works out I truly do.