question on verbal commitment

Anyone have an answer.

Never heard of memorializing a verbal agreement. Anything less than an NLI would have no binding effect on either party.

It would not surprise me if you see something like this in response to the new roster rules. Under the new rules you can only have 27 funded roster spots. But coaches obviously want, and need, more kids than that. Most will want 30-35 kids. They will "offer" non-funded roster spots to however many kids they want (max of 8). From the coaches standpoint, how do you make sure those kids actually show up? From a players standpoint, how do you make sure they don't change their mind at the last minute? Without an NLI neither side is bound in any way.

As you point out, verbal committments are pretty much a leap of faith for both parties. "Offers" of non-funded roster spots are going to be the same. I guess some sort of memorialization of the agreement might give both sides a little peace of mind, but that's about it. In the case you raiesed, maybe the coach thinks the player will be less likely to back out of his "committment" if he gets the kid to sign something.

Earlier this year on the first verbal offer my son reveived the coach asked if we wanted it in writing but we did not pursue getting it in writing.

There was no request for my son to sign anything when he responded with a verbal committment on that offer.

We had no other indication from a coach to put an offer in writing or sign anything.

My son's offers were all in writing however no one asked us to sign anything. All the school that he committed to asked him to do was contact the other school(s) and let them know he had committed.

I have heard of putting verbals in writing in baseball but not signing them.

In basketball I have heard of high profile players signing "Written Agreements" instead of LOI's. In that case the player is able to backout if they desire without running into problems with the NCAA but are guaranteed a spot by the school if they elect to attend. I believe this is done most often when a coach may be close to being "on the hot seat" and the player doesn't want to attend the school if they fire the coach and doesn't want to have to go through getting a release.

AL MA 08 Where did your son commit?? Just curious b/c we have visited some schools in Alabama.