Juco or Wait? Need Advice!

The answer is no, it will not deter interest. You can commit Juco and still be recruited by other divisions. If it was me, I'd talk to the Juco coach and let him know this was my plan. It's just better that everyone be on the same page.

If your local Juco isn't the high level baseball program you'd like, you can also consider other Juco's to contact. My experience is that Jucos, unlike D1's recruit much heavier into the spring, and therefore you may have more options by waiting.

JMHO

quote:

My question is if he accepts the JUCO offer now will that deter any possible D1 interest later this spring?

This subject was talked about a few months ago actually.

Just a few questions about your question piratefan.

What lesson does that teach your son if you let him sign with the JUCO now and then you allow him to persue DI and sign with a DI school?

What message does that send to both the JUCO that your son signed at and the others schools that would persue your son?

Your son has a number of options. He CAN commit to the JUCO and still have the D-1 options available or commit to a D-1 and still have the JUCO option. JUCO and D-1 do not have to “legally” honor the others’ commitments or letters of intent. Some players commit to both keeping both “dangling” waiting to see how the pro draft plays out. If I were in the same situation as you (your son) I think I would talk to the JUCO coach and get his personal advice on your situation. Maybe he would be OK with your son committing to his JUCO and then wish him well if he gets that D-1 offer. Does your son have the option to tell the JUCO coach he’s unable to commit at this time and would he wait for an answer this spring or will he lose the JUCO offer? A crystal ball would be nice.

Fungo

One juco head coach told my son that he could verbal to him in the Fall and if a big time D1 offered in the Spring he would be ok if he accepted their offer. With the 2008 class I have been told that there have been over 50% less players sign than last years class. It may be that many of the players are committed to juco's during the early period and will wait on the D1's until the Spring.

just went thru this with son. JUCO coach said all along that he understood that son might have chance at D1. His main concern was that if son went JUCO that he went to HIS JUCO. Pushed us for commitment, which we gave because we were sure that it was the JUCO we wanted.

Coaches know this is a possibilty with their recruits. Now if you changed and went to another JUCO, it is a different situation and the questions Doc_K brings up would be viable.
In our situation the eventual D1 coach and the JUCO coach were in contact with each other, (as you would expect they would be in the same recruiting region, for upshoot of JUCO grads to D1) and he actually knew the D1 coach was going to contact son before son did.

Sooo.... son ends up with NLI with D1 school, JUCO coach not perturbed, happy for son and still contacts him to ask about other players in our area.

Bottom line Piratefan, if you are up front and communicate with JUCO coach, all will most likely be good simply because it is not an uncommon situation.

quote:

What lesson does that teach your son if you let him sign with the JUCO now and then you allow him to persue DI and sign with a DI school?

Doc_K - By all means my intent is not to compromise my son's integrity. Maybe, I should have been clearer in earlier post that my son has been forthright with JUCO coach already and has told him he has D1 interest and that his goal is to play D1. The JUCO wants him to sign early to get a commitment to his program and knows that he will sign D1 if he gets acceptable offer. The JUCO coach understands and accepts this. My question was: Would D1 coaches overlook him if he commits to JUCO first?

absolutely not, if he has an exceptional spring, they will not be concerned he is committed to JUCO. they WILL recruit him.

It is very common to commit to a JC and then sign with a 4 year program. The only time a JC coach said he was upset was when he wasn't told up front.

Your son could always contact the D1's he's interested in and let them know he has committed to a JUCO but is desiring to play D1 ball. He can let the coaches know that the JUCO coach is aware of his plans so the D1's won't be hesitant in making him an offer.

What if he commits to D2 and then D1 comes knocking what's his situation then?

Once he commits to D2 that is it, only option to change is JUCO or NAIA.