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Maybe the school is the perfect fit for him?

Maybe he loved the size and feel of the campus?

Maybe the school is the perfect match for his major?

Maybe it's an incredible baseball program?

Maybe he loves the head coach?

Maybe he would rather play for a Top 15 D2 than play at a 200th ranked D1?

Maybe they offered him a significant scholarship?

Maybe he would rather play at a school that consistently wins 70% of the time than one that usually only plays .500 ball?

Maybe he would rather play at a school who is in the running for a national championship than one who has no shot?

Maybe he would rather have a chance to play as a freshman than sit the bench for one to two years?

Maybe it's all of these reasons?

Maybe people can stop asking him why he went D2 instead of D1?

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Francis,

The general population doesn't understand this stuff the way you and I do.  They've never experienced it or realize that athletic recruitment decision making is about a year (or more) earlier than regular students.   

Honestly, you have to find a way to deflect the question when it comes up without explaining all the nuances that we understand on this website.   My response was always that "he had several opportunities across NCAA Divisions, and he selected the school that best fit academically, athletically and financially plus his 40+ year career goals".   This is true, and it pretty much cuts off any further questions.  If they have a clue what college recruiting is about they will understand.   If they don't have a clue what college recruiting is about they will still understand.

I had run into a few snarky people at cocktail parties who knew my son was headed to an Ivy to play baseball.  Oh course their first question is athletic scholarship related...."did he get a full-ride".   When I explain the ivys don't provide athletic scholarships I got one of two responses.  Either "oh", or "I know somebody who's brothers son got an athletic scholarship to an Ivy".   My response is "well that is interesting, and they must be very,very  special....then I smile."   

Keep it simple and high level to those people that are genuinely interested.  As for the snarky people, I'll let you come up with your own response. 

Just my two cents....

I find there are two kinds of people who comment on college baseball decisions. 1) Those who know just enough to know what schools are D1 and believe any D1 is a better choice and 2) those who don’t know the difference between Vanderbilt and Wossamotta U. Yes, there’s a difference between playing at Vanderbilt versus Bullwinkle’s alma mater. But “college baseball player” is still a small club.

When mine committed, right away friends started on me "I thought he would be D1?" or with "What if we wants to play D1" And, I told them all the truth: "Actually, he turned down an offer to play D1 to accept the D2 offer."

But, that's other parents who think D1 is the major leagues and everything else is inferior.

Recently, my son played the first scrimmage for his high school team. When he came home, he said "Three different people asked me today why I went D2 and how come I'm not playing D1."

When he shared that, I said "Seriously? Who asked you that?" And, he said: The home plate umpire, the head coach of the opposing team and the media guy who covers local High School sports.

So, I asked him "What did you say?" And, he said "Because the coaches are great where I am going."

I told him that was a good answer and to get used to having to use it a lot. (The actual reasons are all that I listed in the OP.)

A good friend of my son is one of the top '21s in our area.  A local scout tweeted out that he is a potential late round draft candidate and PG has a grade of 9 on him.  He heard from a number of D1 schools but has committed to a local D2 for several of the reasons listed above.  I think its a very mature decision on his part.

Maybe many casual fans don’t understand there’s overlap between divisions. Historically, Tampa would kick the crap out of half the D1’s. I remember looking at their roster one time several years ago. A majority of the roster was SEC and ACC transfers.

Last edited by RJM
@Francis7 posted:

When mine committed, right away friends started on me "I thought he would be D1?" or with "What if we wants to play D1" And, I told them all the truth: "Actually, he turned down an offer to play D1 to accept the D2 offer."

But, that's other parents who think D1 is the major leagues and everything else is inferior.

Recently, my son played the first scrimmage for his high school team. When he came home, he said "Three different people asked me today why I went D2 and how come I'm not playing D1."

When he shared that, I said "Seriously? Who asked you that?" And, he said: The home plate umpire, the head coach of the opposing team and the media guy who covers local High School sports.

So, I asked him "What did you say?" And, he said "Because the coaches are great where I am going."

I told him that was a good answer and to get used to having to use it a lot. (The actual reasons are all that I listed in the OP.)

The comments from your friends to you and from the participants at the game to your son are meant to be complimentary observations, meaning something like "I always thought you were such a good player and the sky is the limit".  You can, perhaps, consider it somewhat unintentionally backhanded but it really depends largely on YOUR sensitivity to it.

The "level of play" topic is an intriguing one for most folks around the game to talk about and ask about but few have reason to know it to any extensive detail level.  No reason to take those questions and comments personally.

Your OP title sort of implies this to be an unusual scenario.  Of course, there are literally hundreds if not thousands of players who are capable of some D1 level but go another direction.

Last edited by cabbagedad
@Francis7 posted:

When mine committed, right away friends started on me "I thought he would be D1?" or with "What if we wants to play D1" And, I told them all the truth: "Actually, he turned down an offer to play D1 to accept the D2 offer."

But, that's other parents who think D1 is the major leagues and everything else is inferior.

Recently, my son played the first scrimmage for his high school team. When he came home, he said "Three different people asked me today why I went D2 and how come I'm not playing D1."

When he shared that, I said "Seriously? Who asked you that?" And, he said: The home plate umpire, the head coach of the opposing team and the media guy who covers local High School sports.

So, I asked him "What did you say?" And, he said "Because the coaches are great where I am going."

I told him that was a good answer and to get used to having to use it a lot. (The actual reasons are all that I listed in the OP.)

Of all the reasons listed "Because the coaches are great where I am going." would not seem to be THE priority reason. Coaching changes happen all the time. Also, it could be interpreted by the other coaches that he feels they are not up to speed....I would assume that word will get around.

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