What to do if you're not signing tomorrow

It's also not just second tier guys that are left.  Mostly but not all.  I agree with you though, keep working hard at improving your ACT, and your skills, because a lot can change quickly.  Who knows what holes a team will have to fill after the season and the draft.  Good luck to all the boys working hard!

Those who have not signed and do not have they interest they had hoped, may want to review the schools they are targeting. There is nothing wrong with being flexible and changing your plan. 

Are the target schools an athletic fit? If they were the athlete would have already received an offer I believe. 

Do they have interest from schools from other levels? If so that probably give the athlete a good idea on where they project. If most of the interest is from D3, D2, NAIA, or Juco, maybe that is where the focus should change to. 

Many will not be signing tomorrow, but that does not mean that your path has come to an end, you may just need to reset your expectations and continue to work hard. 

Echoing what others have said in this topic and in others, I do not believe that it is over for those not signing this week. Keep your grades up. Some will not. Keep your skills up. Some will not. Keep lines of communication open at those schools that interest you. Maybe broaden your horizon. Strive to better this HS season. Commit to being the best you can be on and off the field. Hustle. College coaches will still be watching. Maybe not you specifically but watching others and they will see you.

 

A mentor of mine told me once that if you cannot be #1 in a customer's mind then be a #2 because one day, that customer may choose to get rid of #1 and you want that customer to think about you next.

 

Same thing....if a college loses a player due to grades, draft, conduct, etc, be that player that the college thinks about next!

As the Dad of a father who just finished his college playing days, my advise would be the same, don't give up. While an adjustment might be needed, you would be surprised how many spring signees ended up playing a significant role and more.

 

 So far all the schools that we have visited, about five have interest in my son playing ball for them..  but we are still filling out school apps and getting paperwork together.

Question is how can we sign a early NLI if we are not sure which school my son is going to and which will accept our school app and make any kind of  offer to attend?

My son had about three schools that told him get your school paperwork in and we can go from there... so I am thinking later signing in spring of the NLI.. is this what happens?  The schools are D2, D3 and Juco... or is NLI just for D1 players?

Thanks for any feed back,

Joe

I can speak about d3. Since there is no athletic money, there is no NLI to sign. A D3 commitment is equivilent to a verbal commitment.
The coach does not know the player will attend until he shows up in the fall.

+1.  If you want to play college baseball there are opportunities out there.  Don't give up.

 

My oldest son just graduated college after playing 4 years.  His recruitment was not typical and a lot of hard work.  My youngest (late bloomer) wants to play in college despite a recent injury that he is re-habbing.  He isn't giving up at all despite casual interest & recruitment.  He plans on walking onto a D2 or D3 program in the Fall after he is accepted.  By no means is this chapter closed for him.  He is more determined than ever.

Something from elsewhere on the web:

 

Jlaro,

 

NLI also applies to DII as well as DI.

Just for reference point for those still looking, 4 years ago my son did not get an early NLI, his activity picked up when this did not happen. D3's came out of the woodwork, he ended up having a OV across the country, and several UOV locally and the school he eventually went with. He did not commit nearly 5 months after the signing period so there is lots of time. Of course you have to have a plan and be working it, and as Bishop Lefty's dad indicated broaden your search. My son had several players play JC ball and they did not start coming out to HS games until toward the middle of the HS season. 

 

Congrats to those who sign today and good luck to those still searching, keep plugging away at it. 

Hope Springs Eternal!  Maybe it really is darkest before the dawn!

 

On early signing day, when the kid had really all but given up on D1 possibilities,  and is also recovering from a deep bone bruise -- almost there but not quite yet --  he gets a personalized e-mail from the RC of a powerhouse D1,  saying that he is writing because  "they are still looking for a quality outfielder for their 2015 recruiting class"  and want to specifically  invite him to their last prospect camp of their year.  The RC specifically cites the kid's performance at an earlier event this fall at an off campus event (which was the high point of his fall and summer and just preceded the 90mph fastball that caused the bone bruise)  as the reason he is urging him to attend.    The RC says that while he can't make any promises,  he was very impressed with what he saw there, and wants the kid to perform in front of their entire staff. 

 

Bad timing, since the kid is still hurt and hasn't taken BP in quite awhile.  Nonetheless, this lifted his spirits  quite a bit.   Certainly we don't want to get ahead of ourselves -- I'm guessing that somebody who was ahead of him on the pecking order may have fallen through.  Almost certainly, there are other 2015 outfielders they are considering too -- aren't there always?   But the kid is definitely feeling good today, after feeling lousy for quite awhile. 

 

 

Very encouraging-way to go!

Never give up! We know so many "blue chip" guys who verbally committed in the first two years of high school who are now juniors and either buried on the bench or transferred away.  

 

My son didn't ever sign with anyone....he was a unheralded recruited walk on at a D1 with a very solid program.  He didn't see much of the field his freshman year, while many of his "signed" past team mates played their way off the field at their colleges.  By end of his sophomore year he was playing a significant role in a super regional series and baseball gods allowing, will be a starter at a top 10 D1 this year as a junior.  

 

So, signed or unsigned the story isn't written yet.  Sometimes it's the kid who know's how to keep working and not get discouraged that makes a role for himself even his college coach didn't imagine.  No matter what happens this year or next, (although I wish I'd had some financial help along the way for SURE), I know my son has skills that will pay off through out his life both on and off the field that I doubt he would have developed had he had an easier route to where he is today. 

 

Keep working, a chip on a shoulder isn't a bad thing for a late bloomer or overlooked kid.  It's completely true, there is more then one way to skin a cat....or get on a college baseball field. 

calisportsfan,

 

Excellent post ! Hard work and perseverance never goes unnoticed.

Thanks for the post, Calispotsfan.  It is very encouraging.  There is Always a way to get where is wanted to be!