"When would be a good time to talk this week" - Then Nothing

The coach should have returned call or text, no excuses. Sometimes things like this are warning signs.

However, in a few weeks, coaches will be deciding who stays and who goes, possibly opening up room for 2022 as I am assuming that they aren't recruiting 2021s.

Not much to add other than I know knownothing's kid. Coach really, really should have returned that email.

@knownothingdad posted:

My son, 2022 LHP, recently reached out via email to his dream school to see if there was any interest.  To his surprise and delight, he got a reply from the recruiting coordinator and pitching coach saying something like "Hey (knownothingdad's son), when would be a good time to talk this week?".  My son responded via email with some times that would work for his school and workout schedule, and he got absolutely no response.  After a week of nothing, he sent a text to the cell number listed in the coach's email.  Still nothing.  It has been 11 days since the coach's reply.

My son doesn't know if the coach lost interest, got busy, or is trying to keep my son's hopes up to disrupt the other interested coaches in the conference.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?  My son can't decide whether he should lay off for a while or double down on trying to make contact.

Have your son pick up the phone and call the Coach.  Recruiting coaches can't tell time, and can't remember what they said or promised yesterday.   Yes, this happened to my son numerous times.   Your son gets one shot at being recruited during this time frame, he needs to take charge.

As always, JMO.  Good luck!

Yes unfortunately quite often; according to my son and his friends who were recruited. (several years ago)

As my wife said during my son's recruitment time. "These coaches are a bunch of used car salesmen"

As Coach May has also said: "You will know when they are interested"

...and what Fenway posted.

If I had a dollar for every time we heard this I'd probably be close enough to cover the cost of scholarship myself.

@OskiSD posted:

Not much to add other than I know knownothing's kid. Coach really, really should have returned that email.

Thanks OskiSD.

Either way, my son will have the opportunity to play on this coach's diamond starting in 2023.

If this coach responds and is interested, my son will be wearing his dream school's uniform.

If the coach doesn't respond, my son will be wearing the jersey of his equally attractive rival with a huge chip on his shoulder doing everything he can to exact revenge against the man who ghosted him and kept him from his dream school.

@PABaseball posted:

If I had a dollar for every time we heard this I'd probably be close enough to cover the cost of scholarship myself.

PABaseball, I apologize for bringing up a topic that has already been covered.  Can you point me to the threads that address this?  It sounds like there may be some good info and advice that I haven't seen yet.

@knownothingdad posted:

Has anyone else had a similar experience?  

The list of people who have NOT had this experience would be a lot smaller.  In fact that list might not exist.

@9and7dad posted:

The list of people who have NOT had this experience would be a lot smaller.  In fact that list might not exist.

Thanks, 9and7dad for confirming that he is not alone.

It sounds like there are a lot of folks out there who would be able to share their similar experience along with some advice for how to handle it.

@knownothingdad posted:

Thanks OskiSD.

Either way, my son will have the opportunity to play on this coach's diamond starting in 2023.

If this coach responds and is interested, my son will be wearing his dream school's uniform.

If the coach doesn't respond, my son will be wearing the jersey of his equally attractive rival with a huge chip on his shoulder doing everything he can to exact revenge against the man who ghosted him and kept him from his dream school.

Your son maybe joining one of the largest baseball fraternities out there...the rival team that passed on him.

It is no accident that your son is being recruited by two similiar programs probably in the same conference.   Trust me on this, there will be a little extra in the tank when and if he gets that opportunity to bury the other school.

@knownothingdad posted:

Thanks, 9and7dad for confirming that he is not alone.

It sounds like there are a lot of folks out there who would be able to share their similar experience along with some advice for how to handle it.

Just understand that, as unfortunate as it may be, it is part of the culture with some schools/coaches.  The player needs to not take it personally.  He should continue with the process of pursuing all schools on his list (including the one that didn't call back) until he has achieved the goal and landed a good spot.  His position on that particular school's board may or may not change so no reason to rule them out but assume for now that he is not in the top slot on their board.

It's like a job interview.  He may be very well qualified and would perform great if given the job but at the moment, the employer is sitting down with someone with a shinier resume.  That other candidate may or may not take the  job.  Your player resume may improve between now and hiring day and he becomes the shiny one.

When schools reached out, my son would always send a text saying what time he would call.  If they didn’t answer 3x, he didn’t contact them again.

It could be a few things. RipkenFanSon was informed by his Legion coach that he would get a call from a School at the first day (September 1) they could contact. He waited and waited. He sent a follow up. It turned out that the coach at the school (who would offer the following July) had reversed 2 numbers on his cell phone number.

It's also possible that the OP's son may be up, by not "top" of the coaches list.

RipkenFanSon primarily pursued schools of the same conference. It was fun for him to look back at the recruits his year that were selected from the rival schools.

This could mean that the coach is disorganized, or that he is not that interested, or both.  Does your son have a travel coach who can contact the college coach, and inquire/advocate for your son?

@knownothingdad posted:

PABaseball, I apologize for bringing up a topic that has already been covered.  Can you point me to the threads that address this?  It sounds like there may be some good info and advice that I haven't seen yet.

That wasn't intended to be a jab at your post, was a joke about hearing this from coaches all the time. Went thru this phase once and am currently in the middle of it right now with the other. It's pretty much a nice way of saying we like you but we don't love you. You'll know when they're seriously interested, until then there will be a lot of vague comments and actions that will have you feeling hot and cold.

@nothingdad, I don't know if you are aware, if so I apologize.

Coaches group recruits into 3 categories. A,B,C.  The A recruit is the guy they want. B is the guy they would take if A is not available and C is the guy they would offer but more than likely on a shorter leash when they arrive.

So it's possible that coaches are recruiting 3 players at the same time.  That doesn't make excuses, and I don't buy that recruiting coaches don't remember what they said to who and when, sorry Fenway!

I would just wait, as I said coaches are wrapping up fall and making decisions on who stays and who goes. I would try again in a week.

@knownothingdad posted:

My son, 2022 LHP, recently reached out via email to his dream school to see if there was any interest.  To his surprise and delight, he got a reply from the recruiting coordinator and pitching coach saying something like "Hey (knownothingdad's son), when would be a good time to talk this week?".  My son responded via email with some times that would work for his school and workout schedule, and he got absolutely no response.  After a week of nothing, he sent a text to the cell number listed in the coach's email.  Still nothing.  It has been 11 days since the coach's reply.

My son doesn't know if the coach lost interest, got busy, or is trying to keep my son's hopes up to disrupt the other interested coaches in the conference.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?  My son can't decide whether he should lay off for a while or double down on trying to make contact.

YUP!  I've posted it before on here.  My daughter was told by a coach to call her at x time for her offer.  The daughter did so.  No answer.  She called several times and panicked thinking that she had the wrong number.  I had that number and it was correct.  Long story short, no more calls.  Daughter attending that school's rival school  As I have posted here before, the kid would wear the shorts she got on her official visit from that school under her uniform each year as they played for the conference championship.  3 of 4 years the kid hit at least one bomb in the championship game and the kid's team won 3 of 4 conference championships. 

KnowNothing Dad;

is the School in California? Ask the coach a question: How do you teach your players to "WIN"?

Bob

Has your son’s coach contacted the team? 2021’s coach asked for top 5 schools, reviewed list to ensure they were appropriate athletic match, and contacted. 2021 had all of his answers in 72 hours—some yes come visit, some no—no longer interested. 3rd party is helpful once you’ve narrowed down the field! Lots of information and support on this site to help figure if now is right time to press the issue and if LHP’s numbers match school of choice needs.

Thank you to everyone for the excellent advice.  My son is going to continue working with his travel coach and make a few cold calls before he gives up.

I'd wait and have him reach out again to follow up and close the loop. At least one side of the party should do that. This reminds me of the recruiting journey of my son. Although not a big kid and not an A player for his early recruitment, he had some coaches calling. Somewhere in the midst after he decommitted and was back on the market late...a coach called him and followed up with an email referencing the name Ryan. My son's name is Ryley and while not a big deal, I  kept that name on my son's caller ID for quite a while just to remind me of the craziness of the process and who really invested time and energy into recruiting him. I've said it before, this board and the people on it helped me navigate the process and while there wasn't a template,  the ability to bounce things off people who have been there was awesome. Good luck with your son's journey.

My son (a 2020) was talking to a P5 weekly for about 3 weeks.  The P5 RC told him to text him the next day before he was going to call. Son did, RC didnt respond to text or call.  Son called a few more times after texting and even sent several emails and never got a response again...couldnt figure out why the phone calls were going great he thought...we'll never know why he didnt respond

We had the same issues in two sports.  The worst one was that my son had a phone call that was supposed to be an offer from an FCS school for football.  He'd been talking to the OC and QB coach regularly and our high school coach told us they were offering on the scheduled call.  They never called.  Never responded to the high school coach either.  The way the recruiters behave, I have no sympathy towards them when they lose kids at signing day or kids flip commitments.  The coaches will do the same thing to you in a second. 

Same thing happened to son as well with a P5 school (2020).  They talked daily for over a week leading up to a season ending tournament rising Senior year.  Last conversation was, "we have your schedule and well see you in person and have a chat tomorrow".  Never showed, never responded again.

Turned out to be a blessing in disguise though - son is going to school at a place where it is a much better fit, and the love was there from the beginning.

Just had the same experience.  Pitching coach reaches out after a PBR streamed event via text.  Asked my son if he was interested in his school.  Son responded yes, great business school, love the facilities visited the school as a freshman attending a camp).  Coach said great let’s chat I’ll call you in a few days.  It’s been nearly two weeks, no call.  Son texted back video just to keep communication open.  Probably a B -C lister at the school.

When they love you, you know it.

Don’t chase them, they need to chase you.

What the OP describes is common.  It means that the kid wasn’t a high enough priority for them to follow through, or (less likely but possible) the program doesn’t have their act together.  Either way, does that sound like a  “good fit”.?

My son has a similar situation to the OP in that his original 'dream' school has been indifferent to date (they know him, they like him but aren't ready to move on him). He's weighing that against his 1A choice, who appear to love him and have offered. It's fascinating to watch the mantra of 'go where you're loved' play out in real life. A million thanks to everyone who helped get that through my thick skull. One more thick skull to go

Until the NCAA decides what it will do with rosters after 2021, unfortunetly, this might be the norm.

Being realistic at this point in time is key to finding an offer.

Same here. Son got ghosted from local D1 school after talking every other weekend throughout summer 2019 (SO-JR)....same thing from an east coast school (ACC), came and saw him at WWBA in ATL, then went to Prospect Camp, somewhat interested, but told travel coach he would be a "next summer low offer, or PWO".  Goes to Ft Meyers as a Junior after breaking 90 at Texas Prospect Showcase in August, lights out, hits 90 again, goes to Jupiter hits 91, 11Ks and throws a Perfect Game in from of said ACC School and others, phone blows up, in dug out, visits happen. (Arkansas, UVA, GT, etc.).

You know when they love you couldn't be more obvious.  Reached out to East Coast School (ACC) and they were still a pass...committed to GT, can't wait to pitch against them!! Already told DBo at GT. It's going to be glorious and EPIC. He will be relentless.

Also obvious when the school is interested in developing your son, or bragging on their program. HUGE differentiator. GT was all about the LOVE. UVA was all kinds of awesome, very honest, running out of $$, extremely expensive.

Most P5s are done by Thanksgiving of Junior Year. Maybe a few stragglers, but spots were drying up in Oct of Junior Year....  (pre-covid, of course).

Also look at recruiting classes. Like @adbono mentions Vandy and Florida, etc. recruiting 20+ each class is not realistic. Yeah, they get poached come draft time (pre-covid) but that isn't the case now. You just won't play play and you'll have to transfer to keep playing. Other schools love that, but your kid loses precious time.

Go where you're loved, where they'll develop you, focus on education, and where you'll play. 40 year decision is the school and the degree.....