How committed is a verbal commit?

[RubberBiscuit]

So i was talking to a dad of another DD about their college verbal commit. They jumped on a D2 offer, their first one, and they are wondering if they jumped too fast based on my DD's good fortune. (His DD is just as good catcher as my DD is pitcher).

He asked me how "acceptable" and "risk free" decomitting might be.

I told him i would ask my family here on DFP.

What's your guys thoughts on this?

 

[smddad]

Does it mean anything? Yes and no. In the fastpitch world, a verbal is a very strong commitment. Other coaches respect the verbal and no longer pursue anyone who has verballed. They are pretty much considered hands off. However, it does not have any legal standing as far as either party following through. When someone does, there are reasons why. Grades fall off, kid gets into trouble or something similar and a school will back out. Likewise it's best if the kid also has a good reason.

In the football world, a verbal means nothing and coaches will pursue whoever they want up until the NLI is signed.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I can only add what I've seen with our group. All our seniors signed to their committed schools, and only committed once. None committed to the first offer when it was first given, but after weighing other propositions a few did commit back to the first offer. ( be careful because some schools will place a deadline )

Our 2 juniors, both have committed BUT still have contact from a couple of schools. I wouldn't say they are as "pushy" or as actively recruiting, but it doesn't take a mental giant to know their intentions.

I do "hear" of decommits from some of my old coaching buddies from the area about their players.

I was talking to DD's college coach about this a few weeks ago, he says decommits happen more than we realize in all levels. But he made a good point that we aren't going to read about it or see it on the news like in male sports, unfortunately because no one cares except softball people. I guess we're a minority.

Personally I feel the timeline of the commitment probably has a great deal of weight on how often some decommit. The younger you are ( 9th ) you have no idea what you really want or you may change your preferences 10x's. "Hopefully" a ( 11-12th ) has a better vision of their future and make more sound decisions...........ending with a "true" commitment.

2 cents

 

[David Carter]

So i was talking to a dad of another DD about their college verbal commit. They jumped on a D2 offer, their first one, and they are wondering if they jumped too fast based on my DD's good fortune. (His DD is just as good catcher as my DD is pitcher).

He asked me how "acceptable" and "risk free" decomitting might be.

I told him i would ask my family here on DFP.

What's your guys thoughts on this?

The biggest thing to consider is why did she accept in the first place? IF they got a good aid package to a great school that the daughter wants to go to that has the right environment and academic program... I would not always assume holding out for that offer from a mid-major D1 offer is automatically better....remember the grass is not always greener on the other side. On the flip side if they were afraid they would not get anything else and are still paying a big chunk out of pocket for a school the kid is not happy about how much is it really worth to stick with that program especially if she is only a junior. The problem comes when you have to navigate how you go back on the verbal and still get recruited by other schools...what if nobody else makes an offer? If it is her senior year probably too late to hope for other offers anyway. It is always a hard choice to go back on your word but not sure it is worth being unhappy for 4 years.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

So his DD would be relatively happy with the school but apparently their not getting that much scholarship assistance but they feel they "will find a way" if they have to to come up with the funds.

To be honest with y'all i think i am going to advise them to just use this summer before the senior year and fish around for a better school match with a better scholarship. But if his DD is on some sort of "verbal commit dont touch" list that coaches share then maybe this is risky bad advice with false hopes. Also, his DD will be getting much more exposure this summer on a good TB-A team versus the no-overnight-travel team she has been on til this year....

Agree/Disagree?

 

[GOINGDEEP]

RB, if you feel your friends DD is good enough to get another offer.........I'd probably advise decommiting. I'm not talking about getting the call from Bama, just good old fashion playing college ball for the educational value. If you're not the 1% superstar who has been sought after by the top 10 schools, there are tons of colleges who do a bunch of recruiting the summer before the senior year.

You know this situation with your friend better than we do, but she will need to decommit to fully "reopen recruiting" and the benefits. Just be honest with any coach, college, recruiting service why she did so, this stuff happens. If the motivation to reopen is financially based, then it gives future coaches with offers a starting line.

It's a gamble, but the odds are different for everyone and so are the payouts. No safe bet on these situations........unfortunately.

 

[redhotcoach]

Nice thread. Just talking about this with my breakfast buddies yesterday, reading about a freshman girl (basketball) verbally committing to_________. What benefit is this to the girl?

 

[Cannonball]

Here is the rub. Your friend's dd has verballed. They aren't happy but they do have a place for her to play. Sure she can decommit and "play the field" searching for another school. It is a gamble. Sluggers is always pointing out that the education should be the top priority and so, if this young lady can play at another school and get a better education then fine. If not, maybe she had better stay where she committed. Listen, a part of why a parent/player who committed to a D-II wants to go elsewhere after they commit is that they have a sense of embarassment that everyone else is signing D-I. Believe me, we felt that when dd had all of the D-I offers and she wanted to go D-II. It was as if we percieved that other families were rubbing it in our faces. That was silly of us. I hope that your friends are discontent because she can do better and not because they see everyone else going D-I. BTW, several of those players that went "D-I" are either riding the bench or have "come home" and are now playing D-II. JMHO!

 

[redhotcoach]

Here is the rub. Your friend's dd has verballed. They aren't happy but they do have a place for her to play. Sure she can decommit and "play the field" searching for another school. It is a gamble. Sluggers is always pointing out that the education should be the top priority and so, if this young lady can play at another school and get a better education then fine. If not, maybe she had better stay where she committed. Listen, a part of why a parent/player who committed to a D-II wants to go elsewhere after they commit is that they have a sense of embarassment that everyone else is signing D-I. Believe me, we felt that when dd had all of the D-I offers and she wanted to go D-II. It was as if we percieved that other families were rubbing it in our faces. That was silly of us. I hope that your friends are discontent because she can do better and not because they see everyone else going D-I. BTW, several of those players that went "D-I" are either riding the bench or have "come home" and are now playing D-II. JMHO!

We aren't there yet...but I just keep thinking that....in the middle of a game...does any D3 player ever think "I wish I was playing D1 right now!" Sure, I am understand the travel would be cool...but it is the same game if it is played juco or D1. (I played juco baseball, dw played d1 softball).
When the 4 short years are done, the lasting results will be what kind of education you got from it. When you are 30 years old, no one is going to care what school you played ball for...except at the bar and on internet forums.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

"But the real issue isn't actually that she changed her mind. It's that she made an early decision in the first place. Back in the good old days it was letters, then phone calls, followed by home visits, some official campus visits and ultimately, a decision. Early, by definition, back then was a senior making a decision in August before the home visits or canceling remaining official campus visits after she had taken just one or two. Nobody bats an eye today at commitments from athletes who have yet to play a varsity game. I'll be the first to acknowledge that kids are more mature than in the past, but we have 14 year olds making decisions about what they'll need and want at 18. I don't care what generation you're talking about, that's wishful thinking. "

Pretty good article. Decommitment has a far-reaching effect in women's basketball recruiting - ESPNHS

This is why I encourage lots of time to think things over. If you remember I use to complain I was losing sleep trying to find the right situation/choice for my kid. Basically I removed the "division" of the schools, and based all the answers on the other 99 things the school had to offer and what my DD was looking for. Like CB said, if you're solely basing your decision on the division, you're using the wrong logic.