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base4 I never meant to say YOU would lie, "lying" is implied in other posts. Actually, I don't think anyone really meant "lying", more "creative wording".
When you post a question, thoughts or otherwise here, you get opinions, help and sometimes a laugh! If the post offends you, do not take it personally, sometimes a thread gets a "life of its own". I believe everyone IS trying to help you, by giving their "differing" "takes" on your quandry. Everyone comes here with a different set of life experiences, some will help in your situation, some will not. It sounds to me like you may already have the answers you need. I wish you and your son the very best outcome.
Hi,
I just found this thread and I hope it's okay to add additional questions to it.

My son is in a situation where we are looking to transfer as well. Is this a process that can be started during the season or do you hold off until the season is over? Should we talk to the coach first or go to the Athletic Director of the school. As of now there does not seem to be any open line of communication to the head coach. I am not sure why, I don't think there has been an issue. It's just the way it at this program.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I can only tell you about the most EFFECTIVE way it works at my son's school...at the end of the season there is an "exit interview" with each player...at that time, certain players requested releases...and were given releases. All releases requested before that time were denied. Several players who did not request releases and played summer ball, expressed regret at not having requested release, because they saw better fit elsewhere. I am not sure if release/transfers are affected by the new NCAA graduation ratio rules. Someone else might know that.
Karen, Welcome to HSBBW!

As I shared earlier in this thread, my son decided to transfer early on last year while at his first year at a JUCO. This does make the dynamics a bit different than trying to transfer within NCAA schools. I will give you one bit of advice though and that is for your son to WAIT to ask for a release. He can approach either the coach (who will ultimately send him to the AD) or go directly to the AD. I believe the right (ethically) thing to do though is notify his coach before he skirts off to the ADs office.

I will also offer a bit of advice based on what I earlier said in this thread. Former coaches and scouts are great places to start for a player wanting to switch schools. However, make it CLEAR to anyone he talks with if his current coach knows his desires or not. My son had talked with a couple of folks back around easter last year. He had not told his current college coach and was actually waiting to see if a RS was going to be able to be granted. Well, in the meantime, a new coach that was interested in him and had heard through this grapevine called the current coach! A bit awkward to say the least! Also, not the way he wanted current coach to discover that he was leaving. Even if your son is very justified in finding a new fit, he needs to do things in a respectful manner.

Best of luck to him on this journey! Smile
Thanks for the welcome and the informative advice. We plan on utilizing it.

Finding this board has been a welcome relief because it lets us know that there are others in a similar situation.

We do feel extremely saddened by the sequence of events. Like most parents, one has a tendency to think highly of their sons or daughters talents especially when in the past, at every level, he has competed very well, if not excelled. We are just extremely disappointed with the process and the lack of opportunity but more than anything the lack of proper communication between the coaching staff and our son. It's very disheartening to even think that he was put in a position where he feels the need to leave because he really enjoys the company of his teammates and the very enjoyable relationships he has developed with them. He is doing well academically, better than we had thought, but his love of playing the game is being shortchanged.

He was never given a chance to prove either way his talents. We feel that at this stage of the game and with the utter lack of respect given towards him it is probably best to move on and look for better opportunities.

We always keep telling ourselves and him that there have been a lot of very gifted athletes that were never given the opportunity and have gone on to have very successful careers with a change of scenery.
There comes a time when a parent(s) needs to let go and let the athlete (male/female) do their thing---I can assure you that you do not know all the details, I have been there and done that.


What you may think are gifted athletes may not be such in the coaches eyes, regardless of the sport

MOM and DAD sit back and let go--it will be fine

example: my guy thought he had a situation where he might need to move on---did some research on his own--called me and siad I am staying I am not losing all those credits---HE DID IT ON HIS OWN before he called me


One more thing: the grass may seem greener on the other side of the fence but someone still has to mow it
Last edited by TRhit
TRHit,

Thanks for your input we appreciate your perspective and your point of view. Our viewpoint is this, life alone is to short, never mind 4 years of college. Just like in America where 1 out of 2 couples divorce sometimes separation is a good thing otherwise people have lifelong regrets. If he came to us tomorrow and said he was staying, we'd support that too.

You do sound as though you have a wealth of experience under your belt and that is again why we appreciate this forum.
Karen, you're right in that sometimes a change is for the best.

a few things to add to Lafmom's & TR's info -

yes the release comes from the AD, if the coach wants to be a stinker he can (for whatever reason) not sign off on it - the AD often tells the coach to "get over it", but may occasionally stick with him & deny a release -

here is the BIG HOWEVER & it's why they are seldom denied when push comes to shove

YOU have the right of appeal to their athletic oversight committee -


those folks are from the academic side & most feel that their mission in life to put an AD or coach in his place ... it's why so few releases are denied ...
the AD dosn't want to get his knuckles slapped & come out w/egg on his face because of some stubborn coach (a non-revenue one t'boot)

discreet inquiries can easily & legally be made by anyone but the player/family & there is also a "permission to contact form" from the Athletic office -

if the whole deal is really shot anyway - I see no good reason not to get a head start?
+ give the coach who gave you a migrain a few headaches of his own, so to speak
Last edited by Bee>
Base4,

Been there done that, as have sons of friends. It's an interesting time. Our son went to his head coach, leveled with him, and the head guy was very helpful, even calling the coaches where our son wanted to transfer, saying he appreciated hearing it first from our son, rather than the grapevine as seemed to be the norm. A friends' son tried a similar approach and got verbally blown away.

The college baseball grapevine is pretty incredible and word will get back quickly to your son's coach. I know of one situation where a "third party" approached a scout and mentioned a player was looking to move. The scout sees the boys head coach a couple days later and asked about it. Head coach knows nothing, calls the player in, and it's not pretty.

There's no easy way to do it and you pick a strategy and hope for the best. The honest direct approach worked for us, but others got blown away, although in every situation, the player was able to get transferred eventually.

Permission to speak to other schools was given on a school by school basis; there was no "blanket release" that we experienced. Transferring in conference is tough to pull off.

I hope this helps. It's a tough time but I remember my son calling me after he spoke to his head coach saying he felt the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders.
quote:
Originally posted by hokieone:
The college baseball grapevine is pretty incredible and word will get back quickly to your son's coach. .... and it's not pretty.


Yup, same thing just happened to my son..... and he is looking to transfer for reasons mostly OTHER than baseball.

Hokieone--What about transferring within conference but a different division? Is that equally difficult?
Most coaches don't want to face a guy in a conference game that was on their roster. My son was used very sparingly and the head guy said he would do anything he could to help him, BUT he wouldn't help with an in-conference transfer; my thought was why would you care, but this seems to be a pretty consistent concern that I've heard in numerous transfer situations. Some conferences have a one year sitting out rule for in-conference transfers.

Not sure about different divisions, but I'd suspect that would be an issue.
Very interesting thread, with great posts. I'd echo hokieone that releases are made school-by-school (per NCAA website). The releases are only good for a certain length of time (30 days?) and, in addition to conference rules, there are also different rules for Div I, II and III. For example, at DIII, the student-athlete can "self-release". Although, I imagine word will likely get back to the current coach through the coach-vine.

Anyway, before a player gets to a "release point", what are some good questions players should be asking in assessing the "grass on the other side?" Clearly, they can learn from the choice they made on the first school... but what are some other unique things to look at this time around? The transfer situation IS different than the shopping you do as a HS Senior. As discussed, if you are a potential transferee, you can't talk directly with a potential new coach/team. On the other hand, you've gotten a good dose of college life under your belt... and you've at least had a glimpse of other teams/coaches in action up close.

Having personally attended several different colleges in my life, I know that just transferring can be a challenge... credit evaluations, different curriculums, different cultures, etc. Adding baseball to the mix makes it even more of a challenge.

In some other post (I forget where), it was recommended that one explore college team websites to look at rosters and stats among other things. That is somewhat helpful, I suppose. But,for what it is worth, you can get some really good information (stat-wise) from NCAA at http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careersearch. This site carries several years of stats for all NCAA teams, all in the same format. You can even follow individual players progress from year to year... or see how many don't stay on. Stats are only a small part of the picture, but it does provide some additional insight (i.e., playing patterns, turnover, etc.)
quote:
but how do you get him to go get the release if he won't even approach his coach?
your answer can be found earlier in this topic - if he's not scared of the AD

fwiw, guy we know transfered after his soph yr - his dad handled the brunt of the required communication with the school thru the AD
Last edited by Bee>

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