D3 Signing

D III, baseball at least, has no signing. It's normally called "commitment", because the players commit to going to a particular school, but no binding contract, written or ****. Son #2 was offered a "guaranteed" spot on the roster in the fall, orally of course, but that's as committed as it gets. When other schools called after my son "committed", coaches took that the same as a written commitment and ended their pursuit.

p.s. didn't know that o*r*a*l* was a bad word; we'll go with "verbal" next time.

so once you commit to a d3 school will a d2 or d1 that sees you play over the summer not talk to you ?

If you have placed a deposit at a DIII, which is the only true committment, a DI/II which thinks you can play can recruit you until the first day of class in the Fall. It does happen a fair amount.

Bob15....infielddad is correct....after son verbally committed to a D3....there was D1 recruitment....

Correct, correct, correct. They, other schools will keep looking, especially a D I and D II that decide a player, committed to a D III or not, is of interest.

They committed when they applied or were asked to apply early decision.

Sometimes D3 signings are just local media events....there is no specific meaning attached to the "signing", but an opportunity for the media to give the athlete and school some deserved publicity....

Playing college baseball on any level is an honor to be proud of.

If you see the signing in the paper, you will most often see the player, the parents, the HS coach and/or the AD. I believe the NCAA still prohibits D3 coaches from commenting on recruits.

thanks for all the informative responses

My son has recently gone through the D3 "recruiting" process. He is 6'5" 190 lbs pitcher and position player. He wanted to go to a college that offered a business degree, was a couple of hours from home and had a competitive BB program. He received many offers from D1 through D3 but decided on this D3 school in Maryland due to the "recruiting" promises made. They were: (1) "We recruit for a position that we know will need filling in the coming season and when a player commits to us we don't recruit any others for that position." (2)"We assure that you will have a roster spot and ample playing time if you commit to us because you're the one we want for that position."
The reality of D3 recruiting is that the colleges over recruit since there is no money and players can't be bound otherwise. Therefore the coaches can and do promise anything they feel thay have to to get the players they want.
When your son shows up in the fall, don't be surprised if there are 70 or more players competing for 30 roster spots. They have a 4 week period in they fall allowed by the NCAA for 6 day a week workouts. These are actually tryouts and all the promises that were made to get you there are now forgotten.
Also, there is no "redshirt" in D3. If your son gets minimal playing time in his freshman year he has used a year of eligibilty.
In retrospect, my son feels that he would have been better off going to a D2 or D1 where money, no matter how little, was offered. When they offer money, they can't play the same games the D3 schools do.

sqeezeplay, your bio says you are a high school senior. Could you explain the reference then to your "son's" experience. Read this post and your other post. IMO, your comments on DI and DII and the value of a "money, no matter how little" is way off base. Equally off base are the comments that "all DIII's overrecruit" and the implication that DIII coaches make promises that they forget in the next Fall. I am sure it happens. I am equally sure and know that it does not happen. Personally, I think that your post loses credibility because it conflicts with the bio and seems awfully naive on the DI/DII side and way over the top, demeaning and just wrong on the DIII side. Dont' you think it is inappropriate to paint with such a broad brush? If not, then I think you are wrong on that position also.
While you don't say say this, I can certainly infer it from your post. When someone chooses a top DIII for it's baseball, they had better be a very talented player. Too often, the calibre of play and players is underestimated. That may not anyone's fault but it certainly is a fact that can lead to a lot of disappointment and anger. Same thing happens and perhaps even more often at the DI/DII level. If the coaches have committed money to you, no matter how little, and it turns out you are not in the top 30 players, many have a way of making that obvious. They also may not renew that money the following year. Bottom line, you have to be very talented to play at a top DIII or if you are on scholarship at DI/DII. Sometimes we overestimate that talent or fail to adequately research the skills of the players in a program. It can be a rude awakening when a player gets to college.

sqeezeplay

Sometime parents and kids "hear what they want to hear" when a coach speaks to them

I also feel that you are incorrect in your statements regarding $$ and playing time--many if not most kids playing D-III have finacial packages, not for baseball, but for academics and grants so there is $$ involved--

Whether you are the son or the dad you are way off base in your thinking