Verbal offers

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Jul 12, 2010
47
8
How do you handle a verbal offer if you are still in process of evaluating schools? How long would they wait for you to make a decision? It's hard not to get caught up in the offer you do have versus the one you want but may not get and may not know at all until after showcases in the summer. DD is a junior.
 
Feb 17, 2015
318
18
USA
In my DD's search she was open and honest with the coaches. She told them what schools she was visiting and told them when they could expect her decision. They were all okay with this approach. If they are pressuring you ask them straight up how long the offer stands. I would imagine most won't give a time frame but will tell you that they are actively recruiting your DD's position so the quicker she makes her decision the better.
 
Jul 1, 2010
171
16
Depends on the coach, but most are straightforward. DD always asked how long is your offer good for? One coach told DD "I'm recruiting hard for your position and if another comes along that fits the bill, I'll have to offer them". Another gave her one month.

Like most recruiting stories, your mileage may vary, but don't ever forget it is a business.
 
Oct 19, 2009
1,277
38
beyond the fences
So far all advice is sound. Coach will always respect the player for transparency.
A verbal this time of year might have a 90+ day window as season gears up and
recruiting generally goes dark until after conference championships in May.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
As far as the time limit, it depends on the player and how badly the team wants her and how replaceable she is. My DD was told that if she accepted that the team would no longer recruit outfielders, that she was the last one they'd take. But if she didn't accept, the offer would stand but that they'd continue to recruit outfielders and the offer would be there up until another outfielder was offered and accepted. They said no other outfielder had been offered to that point. So the hope is that both sides will be honest.
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
It can depend somewhat on the division. D2, D3 etc generally have a longer time frame. Most D’s will tell you their 2018 classes are almost done by now, but there’s always changes up until and even after signing day. This is a good opportunity to tell her #1 choice “I’ve got another offer, but I really want to go here”. That should let her know where she stands with them.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
How do you handle a verbal offer if you are still in process of evaluating schools? How long would they wait for you to make a decision? It's hard not to get caught up in the offer you do have versus the one you want but may not get and may not know at all until after showcases in the summer. DD is a junior.

You and your DD need to be straight forward with the coaches and ask if the verbal offer is open ended or has a time limit. The coaches will probably ask for a time table on your DD's decision making process so be prepared to answer that question. A little competition between coaches can be a good thing and may get them to increase their offer if your DD is a priority recruit, but can also backfire if other recruits are a higher priority and make a decision before your DD.
The recruiting process is a lot like playing Texas Holdem. There are coaches and other recruits at the table and you have some cards in your hand and some on the table. Kenny Rogers said it best...
 
Jul 31, 2011
34
6
How do you handle a verbal offer if you are still in process of evaluating schools? How long would they wait for you to make a decision? It's hard not to get caught up in the offer you do have versus the one you want but may not get and may not know at all until after showcases in the summer. DD is a junior.

Well, I can tell you how we handled it: DD, also a junior, got her offer over the phone- the coach told her to think about it awhile and if she could get back to him within the next month to month and a half that would be fine. She called her head coach to discuss it for a few minutes then called the coach back to accept. For her, it seemed like the right decision. I am happy for her.
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
Well, I can tell you how we handled it: DD, also a junior, got her offer over the phone- the coach told her to think about it awhile and if she could get back to him within the next month to month and a half that would be fine. She called her head coach to discuss it for a few minutes then called the coach back to accept. For her, it seemed like the right decision. I am happy for her.

Interesting. My DD 3 told me your DD recently verballed, and was wearing a shirt with the name of the school on it to the Captains' practices. Impressive.

Actually, my DD 2 (a friend of Mike's DD who doesn't play softball) told me as well.
 
Last edited:
Nov 3, 2012
480
16
Well, I can tell you how we handled it: DD, also a junior, got her offer over the phone- the coach told her to think about it awhile and if she could get back to him within the next month to month and a half that would be fine. She called her head coach to discuss it for a few minutes then called the coach back to accept. For her, it seemed like the right decision. I am happy for her.

My daughter just recently got an offer from a school she likes. She's a sophomore pitcher. Coach just told me were offering her a percentage. Were happy with the percentage. Is that the way it works? They verbally say they're going to give that much, with nothing in writing. We got a couple of other schools were looking at. We haven't got a deadline from the school that offered.

Is it crazy to call the two other schools that are recruiting and say were now on a timeline from the other schools. Those other schools haven't made an offer.

Its crazy that you go to camps and show cases hoping for an offer, and when you get one, there's so much pressure on a sophomore kid to make a decision.
 

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