Update 2017 rules for signing?

There is no signing in D3 because there is no athletic money.  The only things binding are an early admission application, a college admission (early or regular), and a student's acceptance of admission.  Any commitment a coach makes about a roster spot, a tip with admissions, etc. is only as good as his word. In many cases that means a lot, but in others not so much.

Some high schools have a sort of ceremonial piece of paper the D3 kids can sign, but as JCG said, there is no signing in D3 because there is no athletic money.

Thanks JCG and CACO3girl-- and I have to say-wow. Meaning that probably requires the most blind faith ever if you have only a shake or a conversation.  I'm picturing the ball player closing his eyes and falling backwards with the trust Coach will catch him as he said.��

I assumed that there would be SOMETHING besides an admissions letter to the school. I mean there are kids out there who apply to certain schools *Just* for the sport they play, no?

I hear you Momjbball, but on the other hand, just on this board we have several users whose sons are already playing D3 baseball, or will be soon, and the great majority of the stories I have heard about their recruiting processes have been very positive, with coaches being honest about their intentions and keeping their word.  This includes quite a few kids playing at highly selective schools (under 10% admit rate) who have gotten into the schools, as the coaches promised they would, if they applied ED.

Now as for roster spots and playing time -- well, except for an MLB contract there are no guarantees in baseball. But I often see the number that 50% of Division 1 baseball players transfer during their college careers, usually because they are not playing. I suspect the number for Division 3 players, at least those at high academic schools, is much, much lower.

If you have questions about whether a specific coach is trustworthy, you can post your question here, and if anyone has inside info or experience they can let you know, usually via private message.

CaCO3Girl posted:

Some high schools have a sort of ceremonial piece of paper the D3 kids can sign, but as JCG said, there is no signing in D3 because there is no athletic money.

Not quite complete as D3's can have an NLI.

Here is a link to Informed Athlete (Rick's site) which explains a somewhat recent change bringing in a D3 NLI:

http://informedathlete.com/nca...on-iii-rule-changes/

There are now D3 NLI's but very different than D1/D2.

JCG really has it right, I think.

There are many variations in the recruiting and commitment process at the D3 level, perhaps as many as there are baseball programs.  Our son's former coach makes it very clear to a recruit when that player is one of his "recruits." Unless someone is accepted on ED, even making a deposit after acceptance may  not be"binding" if the family can afford the financial aspects (some D3 recruits get D1/D2 opportunities during the Summer after their senior year.)

My personal view is D3 recruiting is quite a bit different than the current form of D1.  Every student athlete should visit the schools and, if they have baseball in the equation, watch games/practices, stay with players, meet with coaches, etc.  Potential recruits need to listen closely to what the coaches are saying about his ability and his potential as a recruit.

So many on the way up are seeking some type of "guarantee" or at least "assurance" of a roster spot.  At the core level, even an NLI for D1/D2 and even with 4 year guarantees at Power 5, there are no "guarantees" in college sports and especially college baseball. 

Competing on a college baseball team can be  second to none for athletic experiences.  On the other hand, probably an equal number (including those who sign NLI's) have a "subpar" experience as those who have  the second to none experience. College baseball is about competing, performing and producing.  Nothing which occurs before a player steps on a college baseball field is very meaningful in terms of success in college baseball (including an NLI.)

MOMJBBALL posted:

Thanks JCG and CACO3girl-- and I have to say-wow. Meaning that probably requires the most blind faith ever if you have only a shake or a conversation.  I'm picturing the ball player closing his eyes and falling backwards with the trust Coach will catch him as he said.��

I assumed that there would be SOMETHING besides an admissions letter to the school. I mean there are kids out there who apply to certain schools *Just* for the sport they play, no?

Welcome to the site, Mom. 

Some things to keep in mind...

There generally are no guarantees at any level when it comes to college baseball.  Athletic scholarship, where offered, is reasonable assurance that those $ will be applied for the first year, but not afterward (with some exception).  With D3, a player should inquire about where the coach sees him fit and ask for assurance of a guaranteed roster spot for the fall if there is any doubt.  That's about it.  The rest is up to the player to earn.

If you think about it, the Coach is also operating on a degree of blind trust in the player.  He can typically only afford to see the player actually play once or twice during recruiting.  Yes, the coach has to use his assessment abilities to try to find players who fit, just as a player should be making assessments to assure that his skill set will allow him to compete in the program he is considering.  The player should also be aware that the coach has to fill out an entire roster and account for the fact that some will not show up in the fall.  So, there is cushion he must build in.  There is also pressure from the school for him to carry more players, which equates to more tuition income.

Your player should go in with eyes wide open and with the expectation that he will always need to fight for a roster spot, playing time, etc., and with the realization that it is the coach's job to replace him with better players the minute he gets him to commit to the school.  A true competitive mindset will thrive, assuming the skill set is also there.

Oops, sorry Infield... sorta repeating your message - just saw that.

This shows my ignorance--I was not even thinking about playing time. With 2018 being a PO, we are used to game time, then off time. Never ongoing pitching for obvious reasons of protecting the arm. Somehow I see S as looking for a group of like minded college kids, who love baseball and will be a group right away. We aren't big on wanting him to join a fraternity. This seems like a good fit by his 34 ACT/decent grades (3.7 UW 4.02 W) are giving him a boost in the admissions area. 

It almost doesnt seem fair that he gets special consideration just bc of his fastball. Ha! When you compare the millions of service activities, stellar GPAs, jobs,experience etc of students who get rejected, I almost feel guilty about it. Not guilty enough to stop him from going for it of course, �� But it's kind of a tricky thing.

Lastly, he has one D1 in the running and 3 D3's. One of the D3's is seriously sweet talking (comp the meals, overnight visit, "we REALLY want you to seriously consider us), and yet, even if S falls in love with that D3, the sticker price is crazy high.

AND... then there's the reason our kids go through all this-a college education!!  H and I are wondering what if these high academic schools are so hard that S can't hack it? Baseball certainly wouldn't help that.

I am definitely going off topic. The next few months are so.....Big. !!!

A lot to unpack there so just a couple of random thoughts.

1. Life's not fair. If a great fastball gets your son into ____ College, good for him!
2. Sticker price is just that.  Wait until you see the "real" price before you decide if you can afford it.
3. With your kid's GPA and ACT he can probably hack it almost anywhere.  Of course there's a lot of hard work to go, but from what what coaches, students, and parents have told me, getting in is the hardest part.
4. You don't have to join a Frat to be part of a brotherhood.  Your son's team will be his fraternity.

The question about a fastball helping a young man get into college bothers me. It is not unfair. If a son/daughter is exceptional at he Cello, and it helps get them into that same college, is that unfair? Throwing a fastball, or hitting one, are talents. Many times talents take hard work. Does the baseball player work less hard than the Cello player.

While the Cello player can get extra money for college, at D3. The baseball player cannot. 

I very seriously doubt that baseball player, is taking the cellists spot. D3 schools want a diverse culture. And believe it or not, that included athletes.

Even after a student gets admitted, there is no guarantee he shows up on campus in the fall, or makes it through fall and is still in college come spring. I know at my son's old school, the coach never cut a kid until after their sophomore year. He had a two year commitment to all his recruits.

If a D3 is talking to your son, it usually means they are interested. I have known quite a few players that went on to D3. Very rarely did I see a coach drop interest, and stop calling. Unless grades or other charater issues were involved. But as anything, it is buyer beware. Do your homework. A player has to look at a program, and decide if he has a real chance to play there. As others have said get to some games. And watch with a realistic eye. 

D3 has some great opportunities. 

And if an athlete can truly work and compete at that level then roster size and class size should not matter. Again go in with eyes open. It will take hard work with talent to play at any level. 

1. Sticker price is just that.  Wait until you see the "real" price before you decide if you can afford it.

My daughter applied to a state school with a sticker price of $19,000., no financial aid. Also applied to a private D3 with a sticker price of $45,000. Her first aid package brought it down to $24,000. I have no doubt that with negotiation, serious interest, etc., we could have matched the state school.

There's almost nothing to lose by letting the process play out. There isn't "athletic" money, but there's money.

Bishopleftie- I hear what you're saying about ball players bringing a special skill set to the colleges (not unlike a musician). I guess the part that I called "unfair" If you will, is that my whole life I was taught that being well rounded and having plenty of extracurricular activities  were critical parts for many/most elite private colleges/universities.

(Good grief! As I type that I feel so old!! )

It's clear that schools nowadays look for kids that are special in some way, and/or show mastery in a particular area. Every Joe and Jenny can have a plumped up resume. But I agree, it absolutely takes work, sweat, tears and diligence to be excellent in a sport. Didn't mean to minimize our sons/daughters or selves! I have the utmost respect for what the players do.

MOMJBBALL posted:

Bishopleftie- I hear what you're saying about ball players bringing a special skill set to the colleges (not unlike a musician). I guess the part that I called "unfair" If you will, is that my whole life I was taught that being well rounded and having plenty of extracurricular activities  were critical parts for many/most elite private colleges/universities.

(Good grief! As I type that I feel so old!! )

It's clear that schools nowadays look for kids that are special in some way, and/or show mastery in a particular area. Every Joe and Jenny can have a plumped up resume. But I agree, it absolutely takes work, sweat, tears and diligence to be excellent in a sport. Didn't mean to minimize our sons/daughters or selves! I have the utmost respect for what the players do.

In regard to the well-rounded student comment, recently I was told that admissions people at elite universities are looking for a well-rounded class, not student. To build a 'round' class, they need a whole bunch of 'pointy' students. Students who are very talented and enthusiastic about a couple of different things, not all the things. Kind of like how slices of pie complement each other to form a nice, round shape.

MomJ, since you mentioned that your son has one D1 in the running and 3 D3's, I strongly suggest that he think a lot about what his ultimate goal is.  If he begins to think along the lines of "perhaps I'll play a year or two at D3, and then transfer to D1", that doesn't happen very often.

The primary reason is that D1 coaches can't "recruit" athletes from D3 colleges, or from any other colleges (assuming they are following the rules the way they are supposed to).  If your son starts off at a D3, he would be required to obtain permission from his coach and athletic department before a D1 coach could discuss a possible transfer with him.

Would be easier in general to transfer "down" from D1 to D3, rather than from D3 up to D1.