Recruiting of younger kids

yes, true

There will be strings attached,trust me, at this early point in time:

has the boy peaked?
what if he gets hurt?
what if he does some crazy things?
what if he loses interest as many 14 year olds tend to do as they discover other things outside of baseball?\
nothing is on paper and will the coaches be there two or three years from now?

what strings?

a young man has an early offer on the table
the player "could" change his mind up until the NLI his sr yr
the coach(s) will be there at least 'til 2010


the ball is in the player's court,
but - he must continue to develop, qualify for admissions, AND .....
pray that the country's TOP 15 yr old player at his position does NOT choose the same school a yr before he gets there

I'll say yes also, it is being done more and more these days, so I hear. One of the reasons why camps have become hot for recruiting. And it is only a verbal agreement between two parties. I know of players who have attended camps and were told if they keep up their grades, game, they will a scholarship and even been offered while on campus, without going through the entire summer/fall recruiting process.

The player can receive tickets to any sporting event, however, not until junior year, I do believe.

If my sons dream school had offered him a chance as a freshman, sophomore, he would have said yes. However,sometimes our sons tend to grow emotionally during that time, making them aware that rose colored glasses can be removed.

I believe tickets would fall under "unofficial visit" guidlines

ie: 3 comp tickets for a home event, add 2 more for the prospects coach(s)

I don't remember any grade level limits for an unofficial visit


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Obrady,
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is happening but can be very damaging to the player. The recruiting “process” reveals much about college programs, coaches, rosters, and the players. This “process” is very educational and allows the player to compare his options and select a proper fit. This early commitment is advantageous ONLY to the college coach and I say avoid it like the plague. Seems to me this father is involved in one-upmanship and trying to prove that “my boy is better than your boy”. I feel for his son. His dad is trading away many of his son’s options for a few moments of glory. Even during the “normal” recruiting process my son received a verbal offer and I semi-announced he was going to attend that college. Within a week the colleges stopped calling. The word was out. I had to repair some leaks. (Shut my mouth) Good thing I did because everything changed!
Fungo

quote:

Seems to me this father is involved in one-upmanship and trying to prove that “my boy is better than your boy”.

Agree. Also, if this is the school I am thinking it is ... Then the player better stick to his academics because the big "string" is getting accepted academically even if his athletic prowess continues to develop.

quote:

quote:
Seems to me this father is involved in one-upmanship and trying to prove that “my boy is better than your boy”.

Not so. This dad and I are friends, and our sons are friends, having played with and against each other for years. No bragging or one-upping was involved in the conversation. This was the first time an offer like that had been made, and he was unaware of the rules or how the process works. He was very surprised that the school could offer tickets, or make the verbal offer this early.

Obviously that was not the impression Obrady got because he said. “the dad took it as a full scale offer and brags about it"

My response was tempered by his original post. No matter who feels what or what motivated who to do what, the end result will be the same. While it may not be one-upmanship or bragging on the fathers part (Although I know if my son received a full ride offer at 14 I couldn’t help but brag) it will still has the same effect on the young mans future. Options are good and if the young man gives up those options at age 14 .... well I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out it’s not in his best interest. There are many factors that determine where a graduating senior will attend college and MOST of those factors have not been established at age 14. Girlfriends and grades are the first two that come to my mind.
Fungo

I'd just give the guy a pat on the back for a job well done
if he's happy with the opportunity, so am I

having options is only of value when:

1) you don't know what you want
2) your first choice is not available

hey, if I want a red truck & found the one I wanted, I'd buy it -
I wouldn't shop for better deals on blue, green or white trucks that I didn't want anyway
(that's Mrs Bee's method)

JMO


hmm, maybe Fungo's read would change if it were a certain SEC school



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BEE> you know I'm not biased! Sure you could buy that new truck when you're 14 but do you realize it will be two years old when you are able to drive. Great analogy.... Of course I know this an intentional brain "glitch" used to send a subliminal message to those that are considering an early verbal??? ..... You're pretty slick for a Buckeye!
Fungo

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fungo:
Obviously that was not the impression Obrady got because he said. “the dad took it as a full scale offer and brags about it"

I admit, I got it second or third hand

Fungo,
just a hunch on the player who is now 15/16 yrs
just a hunch on the school
I'll throw in one more hunch - if the kid has a work ethic, he will indeed have options

jmo


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obrady,
Moot point really. I’m glad this was brought up. Whenever a player receives and offer or even “thinks” they have received and offer, they should keep it to themselves or only discuss it with their closest confidantes. It alters the whole process and can be damaging to the player. Parents should take note of how a college coach handles a verbal. They say NOTHING until the NLI is signed. I think they do this for a couple of reasons. (it may be an NCAA rule to protect the player) but from a coaching standpoint it does not put them in an embarrassing situation if they announce a high profile player has verbally committed and then that player moves on to another school. … and ….it allows them more options in their recruiting. They can continue to recruit their “other” prospects. They want to be able to dangle that carrot even though they have promised that carrot to another ballplayer or ballplayers.
Fungo

Fungo, Good point. I heard about this same player from a dad whose son was at the same camp. The dad I know has no idea who the player is, but he related the story. Point is, it must have been a much talked about topic. Bee, I get your point too. Based on the how recent the camp was, the player is either still 14 or just turned 15. It might be better to think about high school and travel ball for the next year or two.

Now, I'm not going to name names, but there a few of us up here in New England who know of a kid who bragged about getting offered "full rides" for baseball to Harvard and BC... then I asked him his SAT scores... no comment on his behalf.

I have a feeling that getting offered a full scholarship (very unusual in baseball with only 11.7 scholarships to give out) especially to a 14 year old is a bogus statement.

I would brag too! Plus the coach really just one a recurit becasue what is the first school this kid is going to look at when he becomes a junior and send out letters, this university.

quote:

Originally posted by gold_glove3:
I have a feeling that getting offered a full scholarship (very unusual in baseball with only 11.7 scholarships to give out) especially to a 14 year old is a bogus statement.

I don't think he implied that it's a "full ride". He said it would lead to a scholarship and the dad felt it was a "full scale offer". By that I think he meant it was legitimate.

I would doubt the seriousness of an offer to a 14-yr-old. Most likely the parent was shooting off his mouth out of excitement or just plain bragging. But also be wary of the listening end of this piece of news. Stories tend to get exaggerated by both parties. Did you ever play "telephone" when you were a kid where you whisper in someones ear and the message gets garbled before its passed around the cirlce?
Last summer at a Area Codes, a player showed up at day two and claimed that a MAJOR D1 university came up to his hotel room and offered a full ride on the spot. All this after one practice game where the kid got caught stealing and didn't do anything in the field. The kid's older brother (mid 20's) was in the stands furthering the news of the offer to anyone who would listen. Low and behold, NLI's have been signed and this kid ended up at a much lower D1 school in the middle of nowhere in a little-known conference. I guess he should have gotten the first offer in writing! Or maybe it didn't exist? Needless to say, the other players were a little intimidated that no one had come to their room or made them offers. Don't believe everything you hear!

The truth is in in the announcements from the college--no other source counts

pardon my confusion, but it's an interesting pardox
or maybe a sign of senility? (not mine, btw)

if a player comes HERE and ASKS how to get exposure "targeting" his FAVORITE SCHOOL
dozens of folks would tell him - "IF YOU HAVE THE GOODS" . . . ATTEND THEIR CAMP!!

it's possible this player even got the idea from hsbbweb -
camps are often discussed and suggested

it's possible a friend or coach of this player printed out hsbbweb recruiting tips section for him -
again suggesting camps


soo . . . the kid follows hsweb "standard operating proceedure"

AND . . . IT WORKS FOR HIM


NOW - - the helpful folks poo-poo the results in disbelief - - go figure


you guys should have to sit in a corner,
I'll recomend a time out to MnMom



ps - re: academics -
14 yrs old - - a PERFECT time for the ACADEMIC reality check/wake-up call!



pps - a little bee told me, he HAS THE GOODS

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Bee>
Not a paradox at all. You’re comparing apples to oranges. You’re trying to compare exposure of a 14 year old to a verbal commitment at age 14. This parallels a father being excited that his 14 year old daughter, after returning from her first date, declares she is engaged and is planning to have a family. I’ve seen the latter happen and no one seemed overjoyed!
You said:

quote:

AND . . . IT WORKS FOR HIM

The jury still out on that! Seems to me the jury will be out for another few years until the young man signs the NLI, has the offer withdrawn, or watches as the coach transfer to another school. Or he could start dating that 14 year old girl that wants to get married

Fungo (& others) - Let's take a look at the poster's original question: "Could this be true?"

I'm not trying to read too much into it but I think Bee's point was that....

1) it could be true if somebody follows the steps outlined here on HSBBW and

2) it sound like it's supported by first hand knowledge.

I don't think he implied that the kid is already committed, just that he did catch their eye.

But a valid point too Fungo...nothing's signed YET.

my appologies Fungo,

my mind must be going, not sure I get your apples and oranges -
& up here the only date a 14 yr old goes on is her Sat. morning bowling league
*note* please stick to trucks, decoys, cold beverages, or lures for analogies



you ARE correct that I'm in favor of exposure for a 14 yr old if he's ready for it

and - I'd think it was waaay coool if a young guy stood out among older players

and - the desired end result of any exposure is an offer

and - the info here does not suggest any response was given to the offer other than
"thank you very much, we'll give it serious consideration" - very appropriate

add maybe a Woohoo! or two on the way home (ok-ok - ALL the way home)


sounds awesome to me, what a way to begin the recruiting "ride" - -
or did I miss something re a commitment?



btw II, coach recently inked a (new) 5 yr deal after being courted by Tx A&M -
(courted with permission in mid-contract)

btw III, "AND...IT WORKS FOR HIM" = he turned some heads, got attention, stirred some KARMA!

.

quote:

or did I miss something re a commitment

BEE> of course you didn't miss anything.... you never do

I agree 100% a verbal offer and a verbal acceptance are very different. An acceptance (commitment) was not indicated so I have to say .... no harm no foul?
Fungo

- Let's get to the REAL issue....if you need company on a trip south, I've got a certain 13u ready and willing to ride shotgun.

sorry Luke, I was watching the NC State/Hofstra game on GameTracker

wise that Slater didn't schedule them again in '06 as they are due

it's not pretty, but they brought my guy in the 6th in a jam & he got out of it,
tho they have a deep hole to dig out of


Beez, LOL - no way on the shotgun - adding to what I told Fungo above -

our 14 yr old girls DON'T DATE - - BUT

our 13 yr old boys can take their 6 hr shift drivin'
(btw, don't think I'm kidding around)

what could be easier than driving down a wide road listening to music??


.

quote:

Originally posted by Bee>:
Beez, LOL - no way on the shotgun - adding to what I told Fungo above -

our 14 yr old girls DON'T DATE - - BUT

our 13 yr old boys can take their 6 hr shift drivin'
(btw, don't think I'm kidding around)

what could be easier than driving down a wide road listening to music??

I'm betting you're behind the wheel before you get to Rt 30.....assuming you get THAT far!