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Outside perspectives appreciated

P parent10+ posts
This is all quite preliminary, as my son (a rising senior) has not received any offers yet. But it would be helpful to hear various perspectives.

My son, a position player, has received quite a bit of interest from a mid-major D1 that typically does not go into post-season play. Recently, the recruiting coordinator of a top-20 program saw him play and asked his coach about his willingness to walk on with their program. Obviously, none of this interest is at the offer stage yet, but we're trying to look at all the angles of various scenarios.

From what I have read, the new NCAA regulations limit the size of rosters and number of scholarship players to a max of 27 and permit an additional 8 walk-ons. If our son is an invited walk-on, would he make a verbal commitment or be bound in some way to a decision? If he walks on with this program, would he be granted all the rights and privileges of scholarship players? If he produces or shows great potential, is there the possibility that he could receive a scholarship in subsequent years? This school is quite expensive, but it has great academics and a very solid record of going into post-season play. My son has visited the campus and likes it a lot.

Apart from money, academics, and strength of program, what other things should we be considering?
Thanks in advance for your help.
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NewcomerNewcomer100+ posts
The verbal committment to walk-on is just your son's word and the coach's word about an arrangement. There's nothing binding. But if you consider your son's "word" to be pretty solid, then you should consider the coach's word as solid, too. Unless your son is really sure he'd like to go to that school, pursue a degree and maybe play a little baseball, maybe he shouldn't do it. He's got to like the school because he may spend some time there not playing ball.
You're right about the new NCAA rules. Not sure how any of this is going to pan out. There are many nuances of this new ruling that others on this site can speak to with more authority.
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
parent

Why does post season action play into it?

What about the opportunity for playing time?
The school?
The academics?
The team and the coach?

What does son think and feel about it?

My son went to a bottom rung team in their conference at the time because he saw the opportunity for playing time---as he said-- "they aint winning without me so what I have to lose"

Walking on is always a risk especially at a Top 20 Division I program
Last edited by TRhit
06catcherdad06catcherdad1,000+ posts
I think the most important thing for your son is to find the right fit between him and a college and their baseball program. I DO NOT think that the record of the team should have a huge bearing on his choice.

I am very familiar with a number of young men who've gone on to play college baseball. One in particular went to a fairly prominent west coast school with a good D-1 program (they made the NCAA regionals this year)and was miserable and will be returning home to play juco ball next year, re-group and find another 4 year school that is a better fit after his soph year. I also know a young man who went to a lower level D-1 program and couldn't be happier. He's doing well in school, started for his team as a freshman, had a good year on a poor team and is playing in one of the major college summer leagues in the country this summer. His coach at that lower level D1 got him into that league and he's very appreciative, to say the least.

FIT is about so much more than a team's record and prominence.
P parent10+ posts
Thanks to all for the dose of reality. We're all feeling a bit flattered by the top program's attention (which is good for son's confidence), but it's far better to have the rose-colored glasses stripped off now than when he's locked into a frustrating situation.

Not sure if the mid-major program is the right fit either, as one of their freshman started every game at my son's position and did an outstanding job both offensively and defensively this season.

I'm just wondering how realistic it is to be an '08 position player and expect a scholarship from any D1, given the new NCAA requirements. It seems that many programs currently have way more than the 27 max-allowed scholarship players on their rosters and will have to whittle their numbers down this coming year. Plus, I would think that they will want to reserve most of their remaining minimum 33% scholarships for incoming pitchers and ask position players to walk on. Am I way off in my thinking?
B BobbleheadDoll5,000+ posts
I agree we think too much and try to determine playing time as a factor in picking a college.
Every year they recruit payers you don't know about. the whole process is a **** shoot and bing a walk on makes it an even bigger one.
If a coach doesn't have or is not prepared to make an offer ,move on. You are already on the bottom of his play list. You won't get money the 1st year but now with the new rules you have to get 33% starting in the fall of 08.
The roster now are generally 33-36 players and a large portion do not get more than book money. When the new rules kick in there will be huge blood letting.
I talked to one parent of a guy at an IVY school and they paid him nothing. The father told me it was the prestige. They were out of state and I am sure he got top academic money but you have to be very well off to do that.

Get active and look for a school that is a good fit and who values your son's ability witha BB scholarship.
We turned down a walk on at a big D1 because they had no money left out of the 11.7. The other option was they would put my son in a local D1 JC and bring him over to the team next year. We passed on both.
B brod100+ posts
First of all, congratulations to your son getting a first call. It is an exciting day for you and your family. But - don't jump at the first call, nor plunge into an uninformed decision. BobbleheadDoll is right on and has given great advice. The life of a walk-on is a tough one - subject to the whims of a coach, or unknown competition that may or may not be beyond your son's abilities.

As a rule of thumb, go where you are wanted, and where you can play, based on expert evaluation - Yes some walk-ons make it and later become scholarship players, but many do not. I agree with the other posters that possible post-season play is only one factor in evaluating whether it is the right fit. Look at academics, location, cost social factors, then baseball.
FungoFungoHighly Regarded and Beloved Old Timer
quote:
My son, a position player, has received quite a bit of interest from a mid-major D1 that typically does not go into post-season play. Recently, the recruiting coordinator of a top-20 program saw him play and asked his coach about his willingness to walk on with their program. Obviously, none of this interest is at the offer stage yet, but we're trying to look at all the angles of various scenarios.


Your son has a more options available than you can imagine. There are hundreds of colleges where your son can play baseball. Look at the recruiting path as a "maze" that has many paths. Many players enter the maze and take one path that lead to one door and forget there are many other paths that lead to other and possibly better opportunities. I sugesst you and your son stay proactive as long as he can and "explore" some of those other paths as Texan suggest. Whether a team plays post season or not has nothing to do with a player/college "fit" in my opinion. We all are guilty of looking at the glitz, glimmer, and reputations of a programs and forget to look at those things that REALLY make for a good baseball/college experience. As they say --- "Keep on look'n" -- but at the same time don't burn any bridges. Wink
Fungo

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