D1, D2, D3 Time committment

I assume you mean when do they start practicing and how long the season is?  I can't speak for D1, or D3.

At the D2 my son is at now, official spring practice began within a week of classes starting in January.  Season began 1/31 (had to get an exception from the NCAA since the 1st game could not start before 2/1 - wanted to play 1/31 to avoid Superbowl Sunday).  In the fall there were limited practices, but they worked out in the weight room nearly every day.

The regular season will end this weekend - last conference series.  They've played 43 games with 5 to go.  Originally had 50 games on the schedule but a few were cancelled due to weather.  Can have up to 56 games in the regular season.  Then it's the conference tournament (4/29-5/2), regionals and then the world series.  The D2 WS is scheduled for 5/23-5/30 if they make it out of regionals.

When my son was at JuCo, they played 10-15 games in the fall (NJCAA rules are different than the NCAA) and scheduled 56 games in the spring.  5-6 games would get cancelled due to weather.  As I recall they were in regionals until early - mid May with the JuCo WS in late May (didn't make it that far).

I can speak for D3 at my sons school. This may not apply to other D3's. D3 fits under a very large tent, and different conferences and schools have different emphasis on sports.

Since Freshman year my son has woken up early and gotten an hour or two of work in before classes start every day. Depending on in season or out of season, he might be doing a bull pen or long toss. He would get back to his Dorm/Fraternity in time to grab breakfast and finish up homework. He would go to classes, After classes depending on the day and season he would head to the weight room for another hour or two. Then back to the dorm/Fraternity to do reading/homework/study until after midnight. If it is in season add practices on top of that.

My son is a chemistry major. He would take a very heavy load Fall semester every year. one time he had O chem, P chem and a high level math class, such as multi-variable calculus in the fall. In the Spring he took many of his liberal arts coarse's such as English, sociology, Geopraphy..... Being a Chem major many of his classes required labs. If a Lab conflicted with practice you went to the Lab. But you still had to get your work in on your own time. And the coach knew whether or not you got your work in.

So off season my son spent 3-4 hours a day on baseball and as many as 6 hours a day in season. Not including DH's ever Saturday and Sunday. 

Add to that Fraternity requirements, My son held office every year but his Freshman year. Junior year he was the social planner. 

My son is a PO, so a position player may have more or less time. A two way player probably does not have enough time in the day. And usually either pitching or hitting suffer as a result. 

Again this is for my sons school. your mileage may vary. 

Great question, and you get a tip of the cap for asking it.  As BLD stated "your mileage may vary"...I'm here to tell you it will vary considerably (2x) even within some Division 1 schools.  There is one top 10 school that I'm very familiar with.  I know their players spend twice as much time year round than my son did at his school....which is one of the reasons my son picked his school.  

In addition to the advice already offered, I think it is going to vary between position players and pitchers.  At my oldest son's school there was a greater time demand put on the position players.  My son told me he could not have been a position player based on the demand of his major.   We knew this going in, and it helped tremendously. 

This is a question you want to get answered with every school your son considers.  JMO.

Good luck!

At every level a player will work just as hard unless the D3 doesn't have fall ball. A big difference between D1 and D3 is the geographical size of the conference and the bus rides. You might be surprised how far away an opponent is before the decision to fly is made.

As others have posted it really depends on the program. Top programs in any division are going to be more demanding than ones in the lower levels. Some D1 programs allow science/engineering students miss some parts of practice for labs/etc and others, fo geta bout it. D3's will allow for it. 

One of the big differences between D1 and D3 are the number of games, D3's max is 40 regular season games and D1 is 54. Top D3 programs usually are in their conference tournaments and Regionals/CSW and end up playing 55ish games, while lower level D1's usually top out at their 54 and head to the BBQ.There are also differences in the contact hours in the fall between D1 and D3. All levels get around this with "captains practices", again it varies between programs.  

Life as a pitcher is much easier than a position player at all levels. 

My son's nationally ranked D3 demands were in the neighborhood of 40-45 hours per week during season and a bit less off season. He could miss practice but per the coach "you have to get your work in on your own". I think his D1 friends were in the same level, but travel demands were greater at the D1 level.

So as others have said "your mileage will vary"

40-45 hours on baseball related activities alone?  Wow!   Then add in the school work!  Not much time to just chill.

Here by the way, are the results of a student-athlete survey about how much time the spend during their seasons of competition.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/do...time-to-be-students/

Now I remember why, when injuries ended my college athletic career after my sophomore year,  it finally felt like I was actually a college student for the first time.  There were parties, and girls, and time to study while not exhausted.   I remember thinking half way through my junior year  "Wow.  This is college.  Who knew?"

BOF,

I sent you a PM.

When I played college ball I felt owned and cornered (time wise). I still got to football and basketball games. I had a beer now and then. I had a girlfriend. Given the option of a do over, I'd do it again. My kids feel the same way.

Just posted by MTH

http://www.coachad.com/news/pa...-exhausted-to-study/

ANother example for D1 sports.