What Would You Say "About Committing"

You’re thinking too much.

It’s not a conversation you have to have with people not in the know. Grasping college baseball is so far beyond most people’s comprehension they will think he’s getting a full scholarship and starting freshman year.

People in the know understand he’s been given an invitation to prove he belongs.

I say once the kid commits he needs to stay relevant i.e., train hard to improve all metrics and play against great comp. It may stir additional interest from other programs but that is a good thing until the NLI is signed

Ok cool, tell him I said congratulations.

Francis,

It is not a conversation, it is a way of telling those closest to you about a huge milestone or achievement in your son's life.   Do you want to share this great news with 10-15 deserving people or blast this on social media to a bunch of people that will look at the post for 1-2 seconds and then move onto see stupid cat tricks?

My two cents....Read what RJM is saying, then read it again.   After he verbals and confirms with the head coach , If there is anything to be said at this stage, it should be a personal (no social media yet) "big thank you" directed to family, coaches, teachers, trainers, possibly members on this board that helped him in his journey and get this opportunity.  In my oldest son's case it was a very long list of thank yous, and it kept him busy for a while.   After he shared his news with friends, family and supporters, he called (no email, no text) a handful of other offering coaches to tell him of his decision.    All coaches wished him well and only one had an attitude   

Once he signs the NLI or gets an admission letter then go crazy with your social media.   My oldest son's high school administration was so excited for him, they hosted a "signing day" with the local newspaper just for him.  The ironic part is the Ivy League doesn't require an NLI (no athletic scholarships) so he was signing a blank piece of paper.   We did this signing event after we received the admissions letter.

JMO.  Best of luck to your son and family!

Most of us have been where I think you are at.  Let me help you.  There are no guarantees.  You just have to go with your knowledge and gut feeling and make a choice.  Most of us second guessed were we making the right decision and wondered if it would go bad.  We all wanted a backup plan but in college baseball recruiting there cannot be a true backup plan.

To answer your question, from both of my boy's situations who played D1.  Once you commit you are taking your son off the available list but not off the radar.  The problem is no one will talk to you or make an offer after you commit unless you de-commit.  My youngest had a P5 come watch him his junior and senior year every game he threw.  My mom, who is pretty point blank, asked the RC why he was still coming to watch if he was not going to make an offer.  He told her we will not make an offer unless he de-commits but we want him to know we are still very interested if he does.  No one talked to us but there were several SEC/ACC schools that were at most of his games.  They kept telling our HS coach and our travel coach that they would make an offer if he de-committed.  It would have been easy to second guess but we knew he was at the best place for him.  We had done our homework and trusted our knowledge.  Thats all you can do,

A hypothetical conversation between two adults who are incapable of having an adult conversation

Don't worry, if another school likes you they will DM you on Twitter.

----- Adult 2:  In my experience, baseball is not like football.  A verbal commit does in fact, end the recruiting journey.  Baseball coaches will not pursue a committed kid. -----

Honest question for this thread - Is this the reality  from your personal experience?  I have a P5 LHP, and once he committed, the communication from other coaches dried up.  During his Sr year, Juco's would reach out, but to say, "hey, if that school doesn't work out, give me a call." 

@LeftyDadP9 posted:

............................................................

Honest question for this thread - Is this the reality  from your personal experience?  I have a P5 LHP, and once he committed, the communication from other coaches dried up.  During his Sr year, Juco's would reach out, but to say, "hey, if that school doesn't work out, give me a call."

Yes, my son applied ED to some very academically competitive D1 schools with the Coaches assistance and positive pre-reads from admissions.   He was asked to "stay in touch" if anything changed by a couple coaches when he was notifying them of his decision.  One of those coaches was in same conference.  My son did stay in touch only as a contingency until he received formal acceptance.   

We didn't know any better at the time, but frankly I would do it again in a heartbeat.   Everything is in the favor of the school and coach, and there is very little someone can do about it if something happens on their end.  After all, you are taking the word of a Head Coach you barely know...this is a tremendous leap of faith.   

I had heard a few stories through the grapevine about some recruits who were decommitted by schools in this same conference.  As it turned out, my son played with a guy who was decommitted by one of these schools (same school my son was staying in touch with) in the conference and wound up at my son's school.   My son worked very hard on his baseball skills and academics his whole life.    We wanted a Plan B if things fell through on their end.  He had very specific reasons why he committed, and he wanted to stick with that commitment 100%.

Just my experience.....

No reason to "post and boast" until there is an NLI.  I know of many stories where players have reached out with social media and even a local newspaper article only to never sign the NLI with that school.  Could be an uncomfortable conversation to have with many.

If one ever has too much free time...go to the preferred travel programs that list players commitments and then go the roster at that school.  You will be amazed how many players don't get to the campus they originally committed too.

Always keep the options open.

Just my opinion.

@LeftyDadP9 posted:

----- Adult 2:  In my experience, baseball is not like football.  A verbal commit does in fact, end the recruiting journey.  Baseball coaches will not pursue a committed kid. -----

Honest question for this thread - Is this the reality  from your personal experience?  I have a P5 LHP, and once he committed, the communication from other coaches dried up.  During his Sr year, Juco's would reach out, but to say, "hey, if that school doesn't work out, give me a call."

Son was same situation as yours.  When he committed, that was it, nothing from other schools. He committed as a sophomore. Some JUCO's did reach out when senior year was cancelled due to Covid and landscape changed a bit.

Several recruits I know changed their verbal commitments to other schools.  They initiated the conversation with the new school.

My son committed, called all the other coaches and told them he had committed, and then came home and told his dad and me and asked me to proofread his social media post thanking the coaches, travel team, teachers, etc., who had helped him be successful.

We knew the school he wanted to commit to and we were good with it, but we thought we were still having a conversation. He was done.

Some of the other coaches he said no to hung up on him and never talked to him again. Several others said congrats, we knew you were going to go someplace better. Stay in touch.

He has. Not because he might want to go to school there, but because he someday may want a job there. Baseball is a small world and relationships matter.

@Iowamom23 posted:

.....Stay in touch.

He has. Not because he might want to go to school there, but because he someday may want a job there. Baseball is a small world and relationships matter.

^ This.  The coach that recruited my son left for a larger school/conference before son stepped foot on campus.  After a coaching change, that coach wound up coaching a school that competed against son's school, so they did meet up again, and chatted quickly after the game . He texted son after he was drafted and has contacted him since about players from his high school that he was interested in. 

Don't burn bridges.