NFCA early recruiting video

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Apr 16, 2010
924
43
Alabama
Totally agree about the hypocrisy. I don't get to talk to coaches very much but I wonder if they actually feel pressure to early recruit or is it just a way to save face. One young lady that I know who is a 2022 pitcher, that has verbal-ed with one of the coaches in the video, told my DD that when she was offered a scholarship to not go public with it until they tell her she can. The reason being they had to cut another young lady loose that they had offered a scholarship to prior to her. A couple of months after she accepted the verbal, she announced it through social media.

I thought that the video stating that 1 in 4 athletes offers change by the time they reach college is ridiculous. I would really like to know the ages of the players when they verbal-ed, that had the agreement change on them and the reasons behind it.

I spoke with a PAC-12 coach at the D9 this fall. She was watching a game prior to ours and as it wrapped up I introduced my self and gave her our flyer. As we talked for a few minutes and I asked her where she was on our class she said its all about P, C, and SS. She told me she and most coaches she knew hated having to go after girls but if you don't you can't keep up. She said at least the players in those positions are easier to project.
 
Apr 24, 2017
203
28
Georgia
Okay, my two cents on this. I have NO PROBLEM with the coaches watching any age group at any time. Watch all you want. See who is developing nicely, keep tabs on the them over several years to see how they grow and mature. Let the girls play and enjoy themselves. Then when they are in 10th grade or so, start talking to them and their families. Then you have been watching them for three years or so, and can really see what kind of players they are and how hard they work (or not!). And when offers are made, they are BINDING. No backing out on scholarship offers, and the girls are bound to the commitment also. And for the love of God, these coaches should not self regulate. The NCAA has to put sanctions in the recruiting restrictions so there are not covert deals going on with eighth and ninth graders.
 
Last edited:
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
https://baseballrebellion.com/jkhittingrebel/baseball-rebellion-podcast-episode-22-lauren-haeger/

Baseball Rebellion podcast with Lauren Haeger.

Haeger says she would not have been recruited by a top program in today’s environment. Think about that.

The evidence to support that conclusion? Haeger was a 5’2” seventh grader and pokes a little fun that she wore size 11 shoes and was “a hot mess” at that age. Haeger STARTED PITCHING in 7th grade. Grew to 5’11” as a freshman. Committed to Florida as a sophomore which she said “was early at the time”. So in 2018, who would be playing in her place? Would that player be better? How many players does it take to replace a player that can pitch AND hit and would do anything...ANYTHING to win? Is picking middle schoolers as future players the best thing for SEC coaches?

Would the king of early recruiting have identified her as a dominant SEC pitcher/hitter in 7th grade? Remember, she had just started pitching!!! If one of the kings or queens of early recruiting found a hs sophomore Lauren Haeger this summer, would they dump some kid they comitted 4 years prior to get Haeger on their roster? They would be absolute fools not to!

Which leaves me with one last question. Just how screwed up is this process???
 
Last edited:
Feb 26, 2016
283
28
Murfreesboro, TN
And when offers are made, they are BINDING.
I should have read this before posting above. Go a step farther, and make it count against your scholarship totals. Once they give these up for those 7/8th graders who don't pan out, stop playing, etc. All the BS will stop and will go back to normal recruiting of 11/12th graders.
 
Feb 16, 2015
933
43
South East
The thing that bothers me most is that it seems that most coaches lack the courage to maintain their Integrity they claim to have. IMO it is a terrible look for college softball.
 

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