Squeeze play of sorts. I need your help!

"Coaches at Ivies and other mid-level, high-academic D1's said they would love to have me on their team and I would play as a freshman if I get into their school, but they saw me too late in the process and they are committed to helping their committed guys with admissions."

For a 2008 Spring signee recruit, it is not too late.

http://www.hsbaseballweb.com/no_early_signing.htm

If a player needs help from a coach for admissions, then that player is marginally eligible for that institution. Your grades are way above that need.

I know it might not be too late at some schools, but these specific schools that showed interet in me told me so.

And I know my grades are good enough for a baseball player at these institutions, but they are not for a regular applicant, which is essentially what I will be. Thank you for your help. That was a great link. I would love more of your input.

apply to all schools. You may have to forfeit a deposit at a DIII if you are admitted and then elect to attend another school.

I have applied to all of the schools. What do I say to the DIII's that want me to commit before I find out from the dIs?

I don't believe you formally have to commit to a D111 as there is no athletic money involved and no formal letter of intent as with D 1. You basically apply and are accepted, or not, and generally have a period to indicate you are attending or not, and that is not binding. This is essentially an admissions issue and not an athletic one. The coaches may have some degree of leeway with admissions if they want a kid in. Your grades are good enough that you should be fine witout intervention at most schools. The D111 coaches know the story, and what the situation is. It is not unusual for them to lose kids up to the last minute.
Of course they want certain kids, especially with good grades, but can never be sure until they actually show up in the fall. That can be tough, but that's the way it is. Some D 1 kids don't have their offer until late summer, which means they were probably headed somewhere else before they received it.

quote:

by jrm: top level DIII's are telling me how badly they want me. They said I'll need to commit before March 1.

maybe the semantics are confusing the issue -

DIII coaches want you commit, but there is no binding DIII athletic commitment -
so I'd guess pick the best DIII situation and say yes - ie: you'd actually be commiting to the school's admissions & not the baseball coach

then if a DI baseball offer comes later on you could consider that offer also

diamond fan and bee, i agree with you. i guess if i were to say yes to a dIII, then a dI offer were to come, it would not be the classiest of moves to commit to the DI?

On the other hand, if i told the DIII coach that I simply could not commit before march 1, he couldnt do anything about it, considering i was his "top recruit" (as he put it) Thank you so much for your help. Please feel free to reply/gripe/criticize me

Get your apps in to the DIII now, as well, so you can qualify for academic money.

This question is one which should be addressed by some experienced parents.
I know that telling a DIII coach that you are committed to his school is not "binding" because there is no athletic money. But, coaches says "I'll support your application, if you tell me you are coming to school here". It is hard to counsel a 17 year old to tell the coach one thing, but if a better offer comes along jump on it. Could someone with first hand experience with the DIII situation please comment.

quote:

by jrm: i guess if i were to say yes to a dIII, then a dI offer were to come, it would not be the classiest of moves to commit to the DI?

quote:

by DE: I know that telling a DIII coach that you are committed to his school is not "binding" because there is no athletic money. But, coaches says "I'll support your application

I'll defer to someone with more DIII exp. if I'm wrong, but a DIII commitment would be to the admissions office only - penalty for not attending, ya lose your deposit

I'm not sure how a DIII commitment would work?


if you DID commit you'd ....

1) get a bill for $44,0000

2) show up at tryouts with 50 other guys hoping to make the roster


if you DIDN"T commit (but still cose to attend) you'd ....

1) get a bill for $44,0000

2) show up at tryouts with 50 other guys hoping to make the roster


seems like half of one, six dozen of the other

Glad to hear that you are okay....just curious what was causing your pain and was rest the only cure or were there excercises that you did to get rid of the pain?

This is not an NLI issue. Anyone can apply to various schools. People get accepted to various schools, and in some cases pay a deposit and later get into a later school that they are waitlisted on and go there, forfeiting an earlier deposit. It is no different here I think. This is not an early decision application as I understand it. If you need the baseball coach to nudge the admissions office, then, of course, it is better to play it straight, although there are worse things that go on in NCAA athletics. That's a personal morality choice to a large extent. If you do not need the coach's nudge, then just apply.

One of the DIII schools I am looking at is Washington and Lee. They want me to commit so that they can help me with admissions. If i do not commit but still apply, i might not get in. then if the d1 offer does not come, i will be nowhere.

dad43, the pain was overthrowing and inflammation in my olecranon fossa, causing irritation upon full extension i.e., when i tried to throw as hard as i could. Rest was the only cure. as much pt as i did, it really did not help like the month and a half of no exertion on my arm.

dominick, the coach's nudge is necessary for admissions at a couple of the DIII's, which is why i am pressured to commit.

thank you all for your help.

It is my understanding that D111s often have huge # of guys show up for tryouts. I think Bee> is right that there is only a verbal to BB and often guys don't show up because of a better offer from a D1.

quote:

Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
It is my understanding that D111s often have huge # of guys show up for tryouts. I think Bee> is right that there is only a verbal to BB and often guys don't show up because of a better offer from a D1.

Trying to understand recruiting at a DIII. They have tryouts. DIII do not commit to any one player to be on the team for sure. No need to send letters, tapes, etc.

let me also add that it depends on the coach's opinion of you as a player -

if he needs you and promises things that make you comfortable it could be appropriate to say "I'm your man" and not look back ...

I've known guys some that got into really good DIII situations and arrived "with a spot on the field" ... tryouts were for other guys

My son was recruited by a relatively decent D-III school this past summer and fall. We visited the school and met with the coach. The coach told us that he did not guarantee spots to anyone, but in the 4 or 5 years he had coached there, only 1 player who he had actively recruited did not make the team after fall practice. The guy seemed pretty sincere to me, and we also knew a kid from the next community who was a sophomore there, so we had a way to sort of verify what he was telling us.

I have also heard of a few D-III schools that will give a one-year roster spot to any player they actively recruit. Obviously this is promise they could break if they wanted, since it is not in writing.

In the end, my son signed with a lower end D-1 program because of the larger campus atmosphere and a guaranteed roster spot via an NLI.

quote:

Originally posted by gimages:

quote:

Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
It is my understanding that D111s often have huge # of guys show up for tryouts. I think Bee> is right that there is only a verbal to BB and often guys don't show up because of a better offer from a D1.

Trying to understand recruiting at a DIII. They have tryouts. DIII do not commit to any one player to be on the team for sure. No need to send letters, tapes, etc.

gimages, DIII's are not allowed to have tryouts. Those are limited to DII and NAIA.
I can assure that many DIII coaches recruit exactly the way DI coaches do. In fact, top level DIII programs will be recruiting players who are mid to lower level DI players, and in some cases, even higher DI prospects who fall through the cracks.
Finally, I can assure you that a DIII coach will indeed commit to players. Not only will they commit, they will provide guidance on where the player fits as a freshman, how they can progress, what options exist for summer wood bat leagues and the expectations that coach and player can share during the college experience.
Last summer I sat with some coaches at the Stanford camp and they were discussing a DIII program that was improving rapidly by making commitments (including the financial aid package)
to players during the visit and having the commitment open for only a short window following the visit.
Some DIII coaches are known to, literally, be able to provide a map for their top recruits that helps that player know where they stand from the first day they arrive until the last time they walk off the field as a senior. Clearly, lot's can change, but if both work hard, the results are remarkably close, after 4 years, to what was discussed in recruiting.

My daughter's experience may provide some input to your decision. It isn't baseball (it's volleyball), but her situation is relevant, I think. She applied to a DIII school that had shown interest and eventually was offered about 55% in academic scholarships. She verbally committed to the school and the coach (which is about all you can do at DIII). In the spring vollebyall club season, she was spotted by a DII coach that was interested. He requested that she apply and said he would then offer a scholarship package. She did and he offered a package that covered about 95% of costs. She decided to turn down the nice DII offer because 1) It offered a degree close to what she wanted, but not exactly 2) It was too far from home for her 3) She didn't want to break her verbal commitment. After turning down the offer, the DIII coach was fired. She has still started all three seasons that she has been at the school, but the program is still recovering from the disruption of the coaching change and she went through a lot of anxiety having to reprove herself to a coach that was different than the one she committed to. The DII program has done well (the coach was new and trying to turn the program around), so it may have ended up being a better sports situation, though the ultimate goal was still academic. Her current school has been a very good choice in that respect. So, no regrets, but you may want to keep your options open.

IMO there is no real loyalty in baseball (college) ! Coaches try and get the best possible players for the least amount of money !It's a game inside a game the recruiting process !It's about winning !If they don't win their job is on the line ! Let's talk about loyalty ,coaches recruit you & you ask are you guys (coaches)going to be there ,they say yes ! You go to their school the coaches leave for another school , they tell you ,your are guy next year at that position , they bring in Juco transfers that take your spot or telling you ,you're going to summer league then they say the rosters are full ! This is college baseball ! The players that get it done on the field are the ones that play period ! Like i posted before, go where you have the best opportunity to play & they want you the most ! = scholarship money = love = playing time = fun = great college experience !

You do have a real dilemma. Your decision-making on this is too complex for message board. I hope it works out for you.