WHY COMMIT SO EARLY?

Very well put CARDAD19.

That is exactly what we want our son to do. We are in the process of trying to identify what our sons DREAM school is and I think that will take quite a bit more time, visits to the schools, watching games and practices when you can and speaking with the coaches trying to develop some kind of a relationship with them and the school.

This might lead to us losing that 55% from this great school, but in return hopefully we will find out what our son really wants in a school and what is important to him other than hot girls.

Do they really have money allocated to specific positions, beyond pitchers? That would surprise me.

JP got what I'm told was a very good offer from big D-1 after freshman year. He's an OF. But the conversation with the coaches was all about his bat and work ethic ... not his glove. So I'd think if he continues to improve with the bat and keeps working just as hard, there's a good chance the offer will be there later -- and it could go up.

Thank you PG! There is so much more I could post about the roller coaster but I was afraid of using to much band width.

JP24, keep betting on JP. I know he has the talent and definitely the great guidance of his parents. With his talent and work ethic, as well as his acedemics, he will only become more valuable or at least coveted. Son's everyday catcher has already caught the eye of several great D1 programs for his bat and speed. They view him as an outfielder at the next level. They will always find a place for a great bat.

They must because they offer my son some. Although they did say they want him as a possible dual player OF/RHP, they were recruiting him for his bat and his glove.

It's all very confusing.....

Midlo, good point!  Though I'm not certain we are talking about the same thing. I'm talking about the player that is in great demand more so than someone offered 25%. But to your point, most players aren't in that highest demand group.

Of course I fully understand how position need works.  My point is very simple... If a college is offering a sophomore a large scholarship, 75% and that sophomore does not commit to anyone and is still available as a junior.  First of all, this is a player considered extremely valuable.  Not someone you replace with another sophomore that would be second or third best.

Truth is... If we are talking about the top college programs.  They don't ignore #1 so they can settle for someone else.  If their assessment is correct #1 sophomore then becomes #1 junior.  All the top colleges will want him as a junior.  Even if they went out and got a commitment from someone else that plays that position, they will figure out how to get #1 and decide what to do later.

I've heard many times while discussing players with top level college coaches. If he is good enough we will find the money.  In some cases this means someone has to go!  But it is not going to be the #1 guy.  It might not be the #2 guy either because that could just end up being a position change.  Often it ends up being someone else that made a very early commitment. Maybe even someone that was told he had a week to decide.

Now if we are talking about the majority of programs or mid major types, things change! First of all they don't often get the #1s.  They can't afford to pick and choose as much.  When they are out of money, they are out of money.  But when the big power programs tell someone they are out of money it simply means we are out of money unless we really want you enough. Or they are so loaded with talent they really don't need any more. Winning is too important to settle for next best.

My point is... If a player has several big offers as a sophomore and maintains that talent as a junior. He will be just as much, if not more so, offered as junior.  If he were to decline in value his junior year, someone will pay for the mistake, that usually ends up being the player whether he committed or not as a sophomore.

The sophomore that is truly worth 75% Should be worth 75% as a junior! And for sure anyone like that is going to get many offers. The top guys never get ignored and sometimes become even more important to recruiters a year later.

If a player is worried about the college going out and getting another sophomore commitment to simply fill a position. Well, that's not one of the players who might be worth a big investment. These top programs want as much talent as possible.  That old sign today or we go elsewhere is reserved for the second tier players.

In the end, the most important thing for parents and players becomes knowing the true talent level of the player.  Not what YOU think it is, but what do the decision makers think it is. One offer is great, several offers means the decision makers have spoken. 

I really don't see anything wrong with committing early.  Just depends on the player.  For some I think it is a bad decision, for others a good decision.  I guess I see the biggest problem is when the sophomore has only one offer and eagerly commits. That can work out great, but it is also the biggest gamble.

my prediction is that as this trend of early commitments continues (its not going to stop) we are going to see many more disappointed people.  Lets face it, the closer they are to college age the more accurate the decision making becomes. The less accuracy by decision makers means more mistakes and those mistakes have to be corrected In order to survive. When that happens it is almost always the player that pays for the mistake.

Interesting stuff. I don't see this trend stopping anytime soon either. I just read an article about UCLA getting a commit form a kid in Huntington Beach, CA that's still in junior high. An 8th grader.

I think I will commit my newborn now and get it over and done with....It should save me some time.

PG...In my case, that offer is 55%. Would you consider that a second tier guy offer. If so, by my son deciding to wait,  that offer could go down in order to squeeze a 75% player in.

I have been told that once a verbal offer is given, it's in the school best interest to stick with it because if they rescind that offer future verbals form that school will become meaningless and nobody would want to commit early. A bad rep type thing. Is this true.

Seaublitz,

55% is a good offer.  Sorry I can't tell you what to do.  In general if your son is worth 55% now, he should be worth that much later on or maybe more later on.  It tells me that at least one college thinks he is very important.  Are there any others at this time?

No doubt about it, colleges love to keep everyone happy and enjoy a great reputation.  The only thing more important is WINNING! It is amazing how winning can affect future recruiting.  It isn't anyone's fault, just the nature of the beast. You either correct your mistakes or you don't. The higher up it is, the tougher it gets.  When recruiting classes get too big, somebody has to go.  That is the player!  When you don't win, someone has to go. That is the coaches!  The better your players, the better coach you are. 

To be honest, not every program operates the same way.  Some actually have to depend more on development than recruiting the best talent.  Some programs are not win or else types.  

A lot of pressure to put on an 8th grader. wonder how talented he really iS?'

What if he gets burned out and doesn't want to pursue baseball in College?  Most kids in 8th grade don't have clue what college is best fit for them, esp academically. Hopefully parents help guide him in right direction. 

We just had a surprising, early commit at our school. I read this thread with interest. If it comes up in talking to parents I want to know what it really means since it could be construed as "He's going to be a starting player with a full ride scholarship" I know that's far from guaranteed.

1. It's verbal and likely no scholarship dollars mentioned
2. He can't take it easy in class, he still has to meet same admission requirements (Grades, SAT, etc)
3. If it works out he won't have to deal with applying for colleges, visiting campuses an all that.
4. Poor performance in class and on the field, discipline issues, injuries could kill the deal.
5. The actual offer will set at signing which can't happen until later. When?
6. It could create a lot of pressure for the kid to live up to the hype.

7. The collage coach is projecting the player he will be 3-4 years.
8. He's passing up potential better offers.
9. At 14-15 years old does he really know what he wants from a college?
10. He and his parents have taken an active roll in promoting him. Playing year round, seeking out best scout teams, attended college camps, somewhere somehow* he got on these college coaches radars.

*In my opinion he fit in well but didn't stand out on our Frosh/Soph summer team. He's practicing with Varsity now.

Sometimes I think it creates a buzz, good or not good I don't know. But it always makes us talk about it and I wonder how often a kid benefits from the buzz itself....either a better deal or maybe more scout attention? If there is a possible angle here it will become more common.

The kid hit 86 the summer before Freshman year at a PG event.  I've been told he's hit 90 recently.

so he likely will never go to college

This article is mostly about girls soccer, but also refers to early commitments in general. Not much new information, but the topic has hit the mainstream.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01...-9th-grade.html?_r=0

I read this article when it came out. What I found amusing is college coaches want NCAA legislation to protect them from themselves. They're all so afraid of missing a stud they're signing players too soon and then players don't pan out. Girls do mature sooner. But their attitude, passion and work ethic can change in the following years before college.

Hope they don't abuse his arm and he's healthy when draft time comes.

I saw this too.  I get the impression that early commitments are old news in  girls' sports. My kid's school is nationally ranked in soccer and between that team, volleyball, softball, golf, and tennis, they seem to send at least a handful of athletes to D1 and D2 schools every year. For the most part, those start as verbals in sophomore or junior year. While there has been one girl who committed as a freshman and backed out because she apparently lost her passion for the game, I've never heard of a college backing out of a deal.

Another very early commit:

http://msn.foxsports.com/colle...play-for-lsu1-022414

"The teen's nonbinding declaration continues a trend of adolescents committing to play in college. He is at least the third junior high student from Texas to commit this school year."

So I need to have my freshman son find a school he really wants and make a nonbinding declaration to the local paper that he will play baseball and football. 

Maybe I'm soft, but this sure seems like a heavy burden for a teenager.

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/60579860/