Hold firm on date for unofficial visit?

I would let my son call the coach that he has been corresponding with and have him explain the travel situation.  It is probably best if he arranges it with the coach, and if a mutually beneficial date cannot be decided upon, the coach may just offer him over the phone.

If the HC coach really want to offer he will over the phone.

However if you have never met him, he has every right to do things the way he wants, within reason.  Keep in mind that he is the one who makes the offer and signs the NLI.

Tough to answer because every kid and situation is unique.  However, I know in my son's case that we would meet with the Coach on his terms if an offer was in the balance and it was a top 3 choice school.  No doubt about it.  It is an opportunity to evaluate the Head Coach and a possible 4 year committment and investment.  In addition, offers validate your position in the marketplace, and give you options & leverage.  

 

We learned fairly early on that we only had so much leverage with these D1 schools before they would move onto the next interested recruit.  In most cases, the coach holds all the cards.  In our case we went to a prospect camp 8 hours away with the hope of a good showing and eventual offer (no possible offer was mentioned) from one of his top 3 schools.  My son had met the RC but not the PC or HC, and he wanted to spend time on campus as it is very different from where he grew up.   He showed well at the camp and got the offer.  He formally accepted a couple days later.  While it wasn't convenient, it was well worth the time and effort to be absolutely sure this was the ONE.

It shouldn't be "you" conferring with the RC....it should be your son...either by email or by phone.  While your son is on the phone, you can sit close and answer any questions...but in no way should you be the one directly contacting or answering contacts for the the RC....your son needs to take care of it.

Find a way to make the visit. Before my son committed, we drove 12 hours to one school and another 10 to the second (all in two days) to get his offers. It verified his interest was serious and got him a great feel for the schools. He ended up committing to the school 12 hours away. Driving 1500 miles in three days was boring, exciting, fun but also a trip I will never forget. Make it happen! 

At this point, there is nothing to hold firm to.

 

It sounds like neither party is completely sold on the other, and both parties probably realize it.

 

The school had your son on campus and let him leave without an offer.  If they had fully made up their mind about your son, the HC's absence would not have stopped them from making their pitch. 

 

You and your son are also communicating less than serious intentions by being willing to make a second visit only when it is convenient to schedule a side trip on a visit to a school he really cares about. 

 

Very few players have the leverage to say they can't guarantee they'll visit except on a date of their choosing without the coach telling them not to bother. It's not surprising you haven't heard back after telling him that.

 

My advice is to treat any school your son might choose with all the enthusiasm and flexibility he would show to the school at the top of his list.

 

Best wishes,

IMO, the other disturbing thing about this school that the head coach was not there during the unofficial visit. In my mind that would be saying something... Also, what has changed since the first visit?

I have to agree with Swampboy, it sounds like neither party is completely sold on the other?

My son had an unofficial visit set up twice with a local Big West Univ (Soph & Junior year of HS), and both visits were canceled at the last minute.  The RC ended up leaving and taking a HC spot at a D2, and HC recently retired.

Fall of Senior Year (still not committed), he had visits to a PAC 12 school with the campus tour, football game, etc...no offer. A tour of two WCC schools, again, no official offers.  He finally received a couple offers from a Big West & WCC school two weeks prior to the early signing period.  Our family was relieved when he finally committed to his current university.  BTW, my son's first collegiate appearance was versus one of those WCC schools, and his first "W" was against that PAC 12 school. 

I'd say approximately 80% of the recruiting coordinators that had my kid on the Radar have moved on to other schools in the past 4-5 years. There's an awfully good chance that whoever you're dealing with at this point will not be around once your son is on campus in a couple years.

ne_lefty, let your boy continue to improve and get stronger.  If he's getting this much attention prior to pitching in his junior year of HS it's not going to change over the next 6-9 months, in fact, he's likely to get even more attention.  Enjoy the ride, have fun, and best of luck to your son this season!  Looking back, I'm happy that my son didn't commit too early....but of course there's Pros & Cons to everything.

 

I wonder how often HC's are there? Wasn't the case with JP and a big D1 a couple years ago, where an offer was made.

Never accept an offer until you have met the HC somewhere along the process.
He is the boss, would you take a job without meeting the boss?
JMO

I have to agree with this. 

This story comes from the D3 level, so offers do not apply. An RC/Pitching coach at a school in our region was very high on an athlete and recruited him very hard. The athlete had never talked to or met the HC. He enrolls at the school and goes to Fall practice. It is pretty clear that the HC is not enamored with him. Later he learns that the RC had to sell the HC on this young man. Guess what teh RC leaves for another gig and the young man never sees the field. He ends up transferring to another D3 school in the south and gets a good bit of playing time. 

The difference? At the second school the HC wanted him, at the first school the RC wanted him but the HC was not that interested.