JUNIOR DAYS....

Every junior day I have heard of is invitation only.

I guess it's conceivable that verbal offers could be made at a junior day, but I think it would be highly unlikely. Usually, there are several dozen prospects milling around and I would think college coaches would have their hands full interacting with all their "guests."

Verbal offers can be given at any time. The only "talking" that cannot be done before July 1 is when colleges call prospects. Prospects can call colleges any time before that. They can also visit colleges and talk with the coaches on campus. Colleges can email recruits before July 1 and they can also call a recruit's high school or select coach and ask for them to have the prospect call.

Junior Days are usually pretty structured, with talks by various coaches, a Q&A session, tours of the campus, a visit to the academic study hall area for athletes, lunch (which must be paid for by prospects), and a game (with free tickets for the prospect and 1 or 2 parents). I would suggest just taking it all in and asking questions as they occur to you.

This might not be the place, but if you have an 09 or 2010 son who is interested in D1 baseball and is an exceptional student, I would recommend the Air Force Academy. PM me if you have any interest at all, they are looking for some Texas talent. Oh ya, %100 scholarships offered only.

Discussions with recruits prior to July 1 preceding their graduation year can only occur on campus. And offers can be extended. Abel Baker is a good example. Abel received an offer after an on-campus camp and responded with a verbal commitment.

Panther


Prior to the July1 date a player can phone the coach and chat and in fact can call him every day---the coach can not make the phone call

You're right TR -- I should have emphasized that my comments were directed towards school-initiated contact. It would be difficult to police phone calls from recruits to schools. There are new rules regarding text messaging now too. That's why you're 4 times smarter than me.

Panther

maybe 3 times but not 4 LOL

Robert S.,
It is my impression that your son has not yet begun his college career at the Air Force Academy. If that is the case, I would strongly suggest that you defer your "recruiting" until your son has personal experience with life at the academy. I certainly understand your enthusiasm as it is indeed a special place. However, the service academies can be a decidedly different experience for players once they arrive on campus than what they expected.

In addition to the above, all sorts of communications continue via e-mail, probably more now than when we went through it a year ago, since now text messaging is verboten.

Handshake deals are often made during junior days or other "unofficial visits". Coaches have many opportunities to get particular players and their parents one-on-one, away from the group. That's not to say that everyone invited gets an offer, far from it, but it's not unusual for a junior day to see an offer made to somebody, maybe even a handshake on it.

The rule was reversed, text messaging is allowed. I don't know if any guidelines were set with the reversal, but text messaging is allowed.

Uncle Ethan,
Probably good advice, but why give it only too me? I'm sure there are a lot of college coaches that over sell their Cool-aid, boys are disappointed when they get to campus and find out ....they really are not the starter they were told they would be. I PROMISE I have researched the AFA as much if not more than most parent research the school for their kids. Protecting our freedom, sorry if I'm just a little excited and "PROUD". But, thanks for the advice.

PS: I'll bet a nickle to a dime you didn't attend one of the academies.

Kirk,

Can you provide a link to your source on that? Because if that's so, I totally missed the memo.

Banning texting was the only thing they did that made sense. They were costing the players' parents a bundle with all sorts of little nonsenses messages, sometimes several per day per school. All unnecessary given the unlimited e-mailing and the accessibility to the phone.

Robert:

Tell your son thank you for making his committment to protect and serve our country. It takes a young man of strong character and integrity to do what he is doing and I admire him for that.

He can serve his country AND play baseball at the same time. You can't get more AMERICAN than that.

Robert S.,
I am not giving the advice only to you. I personally don't believe anyone should come on the board touting the merits of a program until their son has actually set foot on campus. I can tell you numerous stories of players who thought they had made the greatest choice in the world and were home by Christmas. The "recruiter" that gets your son to the school is often not the "same person" he was once he becomes his coach.

Having said that, I know that the service academies are an extremely demanding place - even if you don't play sports. Adding sports on top of the other requirements is a daunting task. I admire and appreciate your son's commitment to his country and the kind of person he will be upon completion of his time there. When my son was being recruited by West Point, I told him that if he chose to attend, he would be a heck of a man when he came out the other side. Ultimately, he chose a different direction. I sincerely hope your son is as happy with his college choice a year from now as my son is with his.

By the way, has your son broken in his boots yet?

Uncle E,
My frustration with your post was, it appeared to be a shot at the Academy. We are aware of the boots, just waiting on his liasson to get us a pair. I guess size 14 1/4's are not usual.

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
Kirk,

Can you provide a link to your source on that? Because if that's so, I totally missed the memo.

Banning texting was the only thing they did that made sense. They were costing the players' parents a bundle with all sorts of little nonsenses messages, sometimes several per day per school. All unnecessary given the unlimited e-mailing and the accessibility to the phone.

Don't have a link. Was told by a college coach that they could text recruits again. Don't know any more than that.