Two Sport Recruit Question

Let's make the hypothetical a little more plausible by making the non-baseball sport something like football that doesn't overlap with half the baseball season.

If the baseball coach accepts a verbal commitment with such a contingency, he should be content to accept the result.  The player can play any sport he wants at the second school--the only one he signed an NLI with.  

Thanks for the opinion Swampboy. 

Right back at you with this:

I realize the more plausible two sports might be football and baseball, but let's just say the basketball and baseball is one that's a little more useful for this dad.  I know of one current ACC player who got a hoops scholarship, and has been a 4-year starter for major D1 basketball team, when team is done in early March, he then picks up cleats and glove and goes out and is a stud RHP.  He was drafted out of HS, and just got drafted again last June for baseball.  Crazy I know.

The baseball coach, who did not have to cough up any scholarship $, calls it "Christmas in March" when this extra RHP walks on the field from the basketball court.

Bottom, line:  My kid plays hoops and pitches. He is being recruited now as an RHP, but he will most likely also be recruited for hoops within the year.  Problem is if he gets a baseball offer (as pitcher) and accepts on contingency that he still may play basketball on scholarship at a different school, can he then still play baseball at the "basketball school" as a walk-on with no issues from NCAA or damage to his reputation and conscience? 

In this complicated scenario, the scholarship $ has to come from hoops and the baseball has to be as a walk-on (and NCAA rules).  That way for baseball coach it is a win-win.  My concern still is what about the first commitment to a baseball coach at a different school?  Even though it was made on  contingency of possibly playing scholarship basketball elsewhere though?

Sounds like Swampboy, bottom line as long as he plays the sport that he signed the NLI with he can then heap on any extra sport he wants as It will be as a walk on?

Google Pat Connaughton.  Notre Dame basketball and baseball player.  I presume he was on a basketball scholly (I don't know that for sure - a presumption), and he played baseball, RHP.  Drafted by the Orioles after his junior year, this past June.

Yes your son can do what you are saying.  Why would he not be able to?

But if his main priority is to play college basketball, why would he commit to a school to play baseball, KNOWING he might reneg on the commitment.  Seems like basketball is his first sport, so why not go all in for recruiting for that sport.

I'll be blunt on this.  Why would you care about his reputation and conscience with a baseball coach at a different school.  What about his reputation with the baseball team he would be playing with.  He would basically be saying, "I wont be at fall workouts, or winter workouts because I will be with the basketball team.  But I will be joining you a month into the season when basketball is over.

But its a good problem to have.  He must be a hell of an athlete to be recruited to play two sports in college, and excel at both, without devoting 100% to either.

Of course he can....he was only a verbal commit to the baseball school right?  He has no connection to them or any issues with the NCAA...as a verbal commit is essentially invisible to the NCAA.  Are the original school and the school he's at in the same league?  I would think that could cause a little animosity...but if that's the case I would think the new coach would at least be able to keep him from throwing against the original school

Nothing stops him, per say.  However, basebsll coach will not touch the kid without the permission of the basketball coach.  

Thanks for all input there.  Yes, 9and7Dad, Pat Connaughton is the ACC player I was referencing.  And IEBSBL, great point, Connaughton makes a point of always saying why he went to ND; that Mike Brey (Head Basketball Coach) WANTED him to play baseball also.  That is huge, if the hoops coach is fine with it?

Question: now is how to address this with baseball coaches who are interested in son?  I read on an old 2005 thread about this topic that "can't go wrong being honest up front."  Son will do that.  He just wants to play both sports as long as possible.  We are just trying to be ready for the potential problem of an offer for baseball before an offer (knock on wood) for hoops. 

Yeah, Connaughton is a freak and phenom.  Not putting my son in that echelon of talent.  It's a size thing though, blessed with it.  If he was a 6-1 RHP I would not be throwing this out for discussion.  He'd be going all in for baseball.  He's 6-6 now and could go a couple more inches.  Focusing on Pitching Only now, and basketball. 

Yes, tough problem to have.  I realize.  Thanks for all input thus far.  Old threads on this topic are 2005 at best.  Thanks for all thoughts.

IMO you really need to think through the time commitment.  I ran track in college and I can tell you trying to balance 1 sport and college life is difficult.  While my experience is not directly related to baseball, the time commitment for all sports is similar.  Figure you have 15 hours of class a week which will generate another 15 hours (at a minimum) of out of class work.  Practices will be 2 to 2.5 hours a day and that does not include any weight lifting, speciality training or athletic trainer time.  Add another hour into that so you are 3.5 hours per day of sports related commitment.  You now have about 50 hours of your time committed for just one sport and we have not even competed in a game yet.  If your lucky its a home game and you only have 4 to 6 hours that week committed for the game.  If its an away game most likely you will be on a bus there and back.  Figure another 12 to 15 hours of your Saturday lost.  Where you are going to struggle is trying to fit in practice time for the "other season" sport.  Trust me when the coaches will expect him to show up to his other sport ready to go.  

In my 4 years of college we had maybe 2 to 4 athletes trying to play two sports.  Mainly it was football players running track which seem to complement each other.  And by the time their college careers were over they were down to 1 sport.  What I saw as more common was an athlete completing their 4 years in one sport (no redshirt) and then playing another sport for a 5th year.  I would need to look up the rule but since you have 5 years to complete 4 years of athletics some athletes will try to fit the 5th year in in another sport.

One of the HS coaches in our league played both basketball and baseball at a nearby D2.  Both teams won league titles when he was there, and he's in the school's HOF.  He played some MILB as well as a RHP.

I'm sure it's very, very difficult, but apparently it can be done, at least at that level.  BTW he's 6' 6".  I'm sure that helps.

Posters,

Thank you for all the input.  Whether or not son is crazy enough to try to play two sports in college will be his and recruiters decision obviously, not mine.  The free market of college sports will be biggest hurdle.

My original intent was simply asking about the potential problem of committing to a baseball program early; and if by doing so, a potential college basketball experience would be sunk?  From input thus far, it sounds doable.  Joes87, your thoughts are sobering and I agree. Tall order for sure.  That will be son's decision.  Again, my purpose was just confirming an early baseball committal does not negate the possibility of playing scholarship hoops, then walking on baseball diamond in spring, as a pitcher, at a different school.

Sounds like, it is an uphill challenge, but can be done with support from coaches, tutors, and a desire from player.

Similar situation for us but for another sport besides basketball.  Kid also a very tall pitcher, but LHP.  He would be looking at Ivies or NESCAC where there are precedents of good students playing two sports. 

Depending on the type of basketball player he is, he may need those couple more inches.  Son's college roomie (and HS teammate) was 6'6" HS forward.  He could shoot 3's, swat balls out of the gym, dominate inside, etc.  Heavy accolades.  Also a good baseball P and OF.  Everyone expected lots of basketball attention but he was considered a tweener for college.  Showed great athleticism for HS but 6'6" puts you at guard for most D1 basketball schools.  He wasn't elite quick or have elite ball handling skills so was left out.  Plan B was as a P but had some arm issues crop up playing summer ball just prior to college freshman year.  He is now on plan C trying to make it as a position player.  My point is to keep your eyes wide open to the realities of college ball and... continue to be flexible.  Things happen.

Also consider that his desire to play two sports in college may be appealing to some coaches, as you have illustrated, but may be looked at quite differently by others.

Sounds like your son is very talented.  Best wishes and keep us informed of his journey!

I think your son's in a great situation. As long as he's straightforward with basketball recruiters that he's interested in walking onto the baseball team, as well, I don't think there's a thing in the world wrong with it. It wouldn't surprise me if the basketball recruiters who want him the most go to their baseball cohorts and create a package approach to his recruitment.

Best wishes for his two-sport success!

Pat Connaughton was a top 100 prospect out of high school and blazed a trail very few can follow.  The number of players who can miss fall practice, off season throwing, pre-season practices, and the first month of the season and then just show up in late March and make an impact for a D1 baseball program is miniscule.  The proper reaction to the Pat Connaughton precedent is not to think basketball-baseball is a realistic combination; rather, it is to realize how impractical that combination is for anyone with anything less than his rare combination of gifts.

But the hardest part of this hypothetical situation for me is imagining what baseball coach would tie up scholarship dollars by accepting a verbal commitment from a player whom he knew was still looking for offers in another sport.  Why would any coach do that?  If you're still looking for other schools, you'd better believe he's still looking for other players. 

Rick at Informed Athlete can tell you authoritatively, but I believe it is the case that if an athlete plays a head count sport and an equivalency sport, his grant in aid is charged to the head count sport.  What this means at a practical level is:

a) The basketball coach is paying the bills so he is going to be the boss.  You might want to look for an amenable basketball coach before you look for a baseball coach; and

b) You won't be an automatic counter on the baseball roster.  When the baseball coach makes his final cuts, he has to be convinced your son--whom he hasn't seen in practice--is better than every other player competing for that last spot on the roster. 

It would be very cool if your son could pull off this very rare double.  It will take a lot of open communication with all parties to make it work and avoid hurt feelings. 

Best wishes.