Offers & Committing

Well let's see, you found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with...but you are considering dating?

You got what you asked for..take it! Especially with the virus issues.

I agree with Good Night. My son did not take his first offer but when he got what he wanted at the school that made him happy (we had done a regular campus tour, a camp and gone to a game) we did not hesitate. 

Francis,

Not my son.  Not even by a long shot.  He thought his first school was his dream school, but when we started looking into their academic programs it was not a match for his intended major.   Clearly, he was not on the same page with his Mom & Dad as far as what "dream school" meant.   We had to redefine "dream school".   We didn't make that mistake again.

There are many ways to look at offers.  My son and I talked about this at length when he first started talking to coaches....offers are a way to understand your value to a coach at a point in time.   College is also very expensive, and my son had skin in the game.   My 16 year old son understood the gravity of the situation and wanted to make sure he picked the right school where he could also play baseball...overall it took him 20 months to find the right situation.  He had his share of offers, and I'm so glad it took him a while to get the right offer.  He definitely worked for it.

BTW Good Knight...I do believe in love at first sight, but I don't believe in committing to a college baseball program at first site!  

Good luck Francis!   Just our experience....

Boy, if the offer checks every box for you? My initial thought is to absolutely grab it and go. Everyone has a different set of boxes, but how many can say they got even 1 offer that checked every one of them? VERY few. Is he “loved” there?  If so, I think you’d be silly to pass it up. 

My son got multiple offers.  One checked almost all the boxes, but it was clear he was loved and he had 30 days to decide.  Do I wish we had waited longer and tried to do better? Nope. Not at all. The most important boxes were checked + he was loved + Covid = no brainer for us. 

Mine was talking with several schools but did take the first offer.    The first offer was from a school that was at the top of his list, had the major he is interested in, and is considered a top 25 program for baseball.   He felt "loved" from the beginning and wasn't interested in hearing counter offers from the other schools because of the relationship he had formed with this specific school.  I agree with the point that Good Knight makes above.   Good luck.   

My son accepted the first offer he had.  Sometimes you just know when the situation is right...and sometimes “the grass isn’t always greener”.  The school my son committed to checked many of the boxes we were looking for...location, academic support from coaches and teachers, great reputation for player development/placement after graduation, good communication with coaches..they wanted son from the beginning and were true to their word...what’s not to like?  I agree 100% with danj 

It really depends. Are you accepting the first offer because they made an exceptional offer, it checks all the boxes and is exactly what he was looking for? Or are you accepting the first offer because it's the only offer. Beware of the latter

I think the kid at least owes it to himself to listen to other coaches to get a good read on what he does and doesn't like. Check out facilities, locker rooms, campuses, etc to be able to have something to compare it to. 

The oldest accepted the last offer he received. His younger brother currently has an offer, but he won't be accepting until he gets another. If he can't get another, how confident can you be that he can play at that level? 

My son did not go with the first school to make an offer.  He went with the one that had the most boxes checked, with additional emphasis on where he would love to experience college life and graduating(sans baseball).  Once the decision is made jump all in, time will tell whether the choice was correct.  It will give you indigestion playing the what if game.  Be grateful for the opportunity you are given and make the best of it.  Best of luck

These are unusual times. If your son feels happy about the school, the coaching staff, go for it. And remember it doesn't have to be a P5 program.

Just make sure he has asked the right questions.

My son accepted his first offer. Several other D1 schools told him they planned to offer once they got him on campus. This was one of the two programs we had narrowed down as a perfect fit in the recruiting process based upon the pond we /he was comfortable in.

My now committed 2021 had some leads that seemed to indicate the offer would come once they got him on campus, but I can't help but wonder if that was simply tire kicking.  The dead period was the great unknown (still is for D1) yet we still saw plenty of kids committing without getting on campus due to Covid.  I get the theatrical piece of showing the kid around campus and it coming to it's climax in the coach's office with the offer, but that's not been possible for many, nor is there a guarantee of when that little dance will be possible.  My son is going the JUCO route so he did the traditional visit then offer deal.  The thought of waiting for a physical visit that might never be possible (before it's too late), is a gamble that I don't think is smart for many 2021s.  If they want you bad enough, offer now and then get the visit in whenever that's possible.  I just hate to think of any uncommitted 2021s out there banking on the dead period ending 10/1.  With D2's ending here in a week, I do think 10/1 is possible for D1, but it's impossible ignore that most everyone is expecting D1 to extend it through 12/31. I'm simply not into gambling in the Covid era.  Especially when losing could mean a kid never playing baseball again.

I think now that states have lifted quarantine, unless things get worse, the dead period for D1 will be lifted 10/1 and possibly extended.

JMO

Francis:

I think the only possible downside may be if the offer is early, which could bring some uncertainty. Outside of one HA D3, and a D1 offer which was in the same neighborhood of his HS,  RipkenFanSon's offers were during the traditional "summer before senior year."

After his "big tent" list of 25+ narrowed to closer to 5-7, he was ready to get the process over, though it was not on his time frame. The schools hold the cards, and may be awaiting other candidates' decisions. Two dream schools from the conference he sought, a top 25 program, and a couple other schools from another HA conference that were still a possibility.  After the top 25 program offered at an unofficial visit, one of his two dream schools (knowing about the visit & offer) offered later that same day. Son probably decided right away, but notified both schools about his decision (to attend one of the two "dream" schools) 2 days later.

To your question Francis, I think had he got the offer earlier (and it was the first) he would have accepted.  It was a dream school all around, and one in which he attended games. And with its small recruiting classes, he thought he would be given an opportunity for playing time. That coupled with the academics piece made the decision easy.

Every person's journey is different. Some journey's paths have more twists and turn than others. For a few, the path is short and straight.

bamatarheel and danj,

You've got my mind turning over this morning thinking "what if"....

Congrats on your offers and acceptance.   I'm probably not alone in thinking your posts reflect the true reality of college baseball recruiting in the Covid era.   We've been "talking" about it for 5 months on HSBBWeb, and your very real world experience is right there to share with our readers.   Thanks for sharing.  I'm blown away by the expediency of today's offer/acceptance in the recruiting process.   Both of you jumped at an opportunity based on what you knew and didn't know.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, my son spent 20 months trying to find a combination of a top engineering school and decent college baseball team.   My son is very data driven, and he never rushed into a decision in his life....even to this day   Given the recruiting climate today, I don't think it would have ended nearly as well for him.  He wasn't a flamethrower, but he was a control pitcher.  He was a talent that a D1 HC or RC needed to see at least twice.    I could see another reality where he would have picked the engineering school then tried to walk-on to a D1 or D3 school.   

The good news for your sons is they found a place that checks the boxes and you didn't have to field a handful of offers then revisit more colleges with offers in hand which is the typical operating procedure that most of us went through in normal times.   

Again, congrats and thanks for sharing your experience.

The really sad part now after committing early because of virus is you have to wait and see if footballs issues will impact your sport. You may have done everything right and still have funding issues in the next few years. Time for back up plans folks!

IOWA just cut 4-5 sports because of football issues. Our guy was recruited by Furman ( an 1890's bb program) and they cut baseball weeks later.

Hard times to predict. Put more emphasis on academics in your decision just in case.

Not to poach into Francis' thread, and this might be stupid, but since there are no D3 athletic scholarships, what does a D3 "offer" mean exactly?  Just help through admissions?  If your kid is academically top notch, help in securing merit money?  Just a guaranteed spot on the team for the first spring?  Thanks.

Question for those whose son got offers or still recruiting.

Did your sons discuss roster sizes with each coach?

@TPM posted:

Question for those whose son got offers or still recruiting.

Did your sons discuss roster sizes with each coach?

When my son went for his visit he got to hit with the team.  During that time, the hitting coach/recruiting coordinator told me that this year they would carry 37-40 but next year it would go back to 35 which was normal for that program.  

@Tim Turner posted:

When my son went for his visit he got to hit with the team.  During that time, the hitting coach/recruiting coordinator told me that this year they would carry 37-40 but next year it would go back to 35 which was normal for that program.  

Thanks, that was not a D1, correct?

I am just curious and hopeful that players aren't walking into a 45, 50 + situation. Because the player doesn't get the attention they deserve within a short period of time to improve. 

Also for those in college, does your player get tested regularly?