Just read in the Ashville Citizen Times that a Sophomore just committed to Clemson. Does NCAA allow this? Can Colleges Verbally or otherwise make an offer to players before their Senior year? What grade can players commit?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
It's really not all that unusual to see such early verbal commits. Very often, especially with Sophomores and younger, there's a change of mind and they wind up signing with another school. A LOT of water goes under the bridge between the Sophomore year and NLOI signing time.
Verbals are not agains NCAA rules as they're not binding.
Verbals are not agains NCAA rules as they're not binding.
I recently heard second hand of a high profile softball tournament where a top PAC-12 head coach was in attendance. When asked if there was anything she could be helped with by the coach of 2014 & 2015's (looking for OF, IF, P, C?) her comment was, I'm really here looking for 2016 grads (rising 8th graders).
I found this to be incredible as this coach has to be in her mid-50's and a 2016 HS graduate reaching their senior year in college in 2020 would mean this coach would be of/past retirement age. What are the chances the kid can still play and the coach can still coach in 9 years?
Baseball recruits early but there are other sports that are totally insane.
I found this to be incredible as this coach has to be in her mid-50's and a 2016 HS graduate reaching their senior year in college in 2020 would mean this coach would be of/past retirement age. What are the chances the kid can still play and the coach can still coach in 9 years?
Baseball recruits early but there are other sports that are totally insane.
Girls physically mature a lot sooner than boys. The competition for the top players for the PAC-10, Big 12 and SEC is fierce. My daughter was an excellent travel player and D1 prospect. She was hardly a top shelf studdette. She verballed after her soph year of high school. Waiting another year for D1 would have been too late.
As noted, verbal commitments are common. Division I programs are prohibited from indicating in writing that they will offer athletic aid to a prospect until August 1 prior to the prospect's senior year. Prospects and parents need to get a good sense of their "connection" with the head coach (not an assistant that's doing the recruiting) since it's the head coach that will authorize the official offer.
@JMoff- Looks like I better fnd a quality 3U clib team for my 2028 daughter.
Verbals are a joke! Be careful!
quote:Originally posted by jsingerjj:
@JMoff- Looks like I better fnd a quality 3U clib team for my 2028 daughter.
If she's already 3U and without a top notch travel team, you might as well give up softball and go play water polo.
Seriously, they do start early in softball because of the "early bloom" of the girls. My daughter is about 12 days too old to be a freshman, so he's a very young sophomore, thus she is behind the curve for her grade.
Tough to showcase when you don't necessarily have anything to showcase yet. She's getting there, but she'll be a late commit or very good student.