walk on roster questions

justagame - welcome to the hsbbweb!!

I don't know any of the answers about when the 35 man roster is cast in stone. I know last year that my son's team cast their roster in stone in the fall and it was the same roster in spring. I don't recall anyone being cut but there may have been a few transfers before fall season got under way (last year of the no-sit transfer rule).

I feel your angst and probably would feel the exact same way. Once they get on the field however, the size of their scholarship will not help them. It is survival of the fittest. Do not let him use his walk-on status as an excuse. My son was a little distraught when he found out there were kids on his team getting a lot more money than he was when they were freshman. My response to him was was how in the world does that affect you? I said you let me worry about the money and you worry about the baseball. That was the last time we had that conversation and he has since seen his scholarship increased every year he has been there. If your son was recruited there as a walk-on, then he is a good player. He needs all your positive energy building him up. Whether his scholarship is zero or whether it is a full ride, that will have no bearing on whether or not he can hit or whether or not he can get somebody out. Best of luck to the young man.

My son is in the same situation...recruited walkon. He has gotten phone calls, mailings from team coaches this summer and on the team roster-- at this time he is an official player. I'm also would like to know when the 35 man roster needs to be set. We were told by other parents Spring 2009.

Normally how many players travel on the Spring trip?

Is there a date when the 35 man D1 roster must be set ?
I think it is like 36 hours before the first scheduled game of spring.

If a walk on is practicing with the team in the fall as part of a 35 man group - having gone through all of the NCAA elagibility paperwork, physicals, etc. - is he considered on the roster ?

Depends upon whether he was actually recruited walk on or just a walk on, with 35 only, most likely yes, teh coach brought him in for the spring.

A team can not practice with 40 guys in the fall then cut 5 to make the 35 man roster limit in the spring - can they ?

Yes they can. There is no roster limit for fall.

Or keep 5 injured scolly guys off of the fall roster - let them heal - then put them on the final spring roster replacing the walk on's ?

Yes, they could do that to. Remember the coach needs players for fall practice.

If I sound confused - it's because I am - and - yes - I am the parent of a D1 walk on trying to understand his chances of making the roster.

Best of luck to your son.

A coach can travel with whoever and how many he wants, but only 25 can dress out for conference and post season. The travel roster can change from week to week, but must be finalized by a certain date (sometime in June before post season I do beleive).

Ran across this article?

http://blog.ncsasports.org/2008/08/23/why-you-should-wa...fect-walk-on-player/

Note that 35 players is the max, many programs will carry less especially when the travel squad is 25 players.

quote:

A coach can travel with whoever and how many he wants, but only 25 can dress out for conference and post season.

Heard a great story on Wednesday that relates to the above statement. My son's college coach told us about a player who experienced some struggles during his first 3 years. His junior year, he didn't even make the travel roster all that often. But he persevered and had an awesome senior season. In June, he was drafted in the 10th round.

Let me add some detail to the previous posts. First, about the word "roster". We tend to use that word to mean many things, but the 35 man rule uses the term "varsity squad", and I'll use squad here to avoid confusion with e.g. the fall roster.

So according to 17.4.8.3, a varsity squad must be declared by the day before the first scheduled game in the championship segement. In baseball the championship segment means the spring season, which this year begins on Feb 20, 2009. A team could declare the squad list sooner. A player must be listed on the varsity squad in order to practice or play with the team during the championship segment. Furthermore, any person who is a baseball counter must be on the 35 man squad.

A counter is anyone who receives financial aid which is countable against the 11.7 equivalency limitation. Most aid is countable, but there are exempt scholarships, such as National Merit, or academic aid for students who have high SAT/ACT scores, or a high standing in the HS class.

For 2008-2009, a team may have a maximum of 30 counters (15.5.4). Of course a team may have fewer counters, and 35 minus the number of counters represents the maximum possible number of spots available for non-counters. Non-counters aren't necesarily walkons, however. Returning players may have never had aid, or may have had their aid reduced to zero, or may have exempt aid. In a well funded program, there is likely 30 counters, and some programs carry less than 35 on their squad (e.g. Fresno State).

Being on the fall roster has no direct bearing on making the varsity squad. Also, players who are hurt, and haven't practiced during the fall may well be receiving athletic aid, and consequently must be on the 35 man squad, even if they won't be healthy in the spring. Note that colleges can't cut aid to injured players until the next academic year.

Depending on the circumstances, the chances of making the squad could vary from very good to vanishingly small. I think to make a decent estimate, you'd need to know which players are counters (and automatically make the squad) and then see where your player ranks among the rest.

Thanks all for the responses.

Exactly the information and insight I was looking for.

I was - of course - very encouraged when I heard the news that he was invited to join the team as a walk-on - knowing the rules just helps one remain grounded.

Appears that he has a long road in front of him - but - hey - it's going into the fall of 2008 and he's still playing ball at the school of his choice - life is good !

That is a good explanation of the rules. Players who get BB money are automatically deemed to be on the squad in the spring. A roster for fall aloso has to be submitted to the NCAA and again has no bearing on your chances of making the spring squad.

Justagame, with a great attitude like that your son is sure to be positive and to succeed. Our son's (and daughters) pick up on our positive attitudes or negative attitudes.

I know when our son's are faced with pressures and stresses on trying to make a team, make varsity, or start in the rotation as a freshman, they will rely on the things they learned from home on how to deal with them.

Good luck to your son!