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Jan 30, 2018
252
0
SE Michigan
Football and basketball have enough scholarships to have a complete team roster and all scholarships are full scholarships and this makes a huge difference. Anyone not on scholarship is a walk-on. They are not trying to make 11 scholarships fit into 18-20 players or more (some teams have as many as 30 players get time in a season). In addition, there is also a solid culture of commit/decommit in these sports where no one blinks when a player changes commitment or get dropped or whatever. I am sure money plays some part here, but is not really the main reason.



That is how it is now as well anyway. You will still be visiting schools etc, you just can't do the whole visit the team thing until Sept 1 of your junior year. It will be less clear where you are, but people will continue to do the things they do today. YOu are not excused from prep work just because you are no longer allowed to get a straight answer from a softball coach.




You can see how this is easier when you are dealing with full scholarships only and have enough scholarships for a full squad. It is a yes/no decision - do I want this guy or do I want that guy. Nice and easy. I am not giving 20% to this kid and 40% to this kid and taking away some % from a non-performer to give to a new player or a player who deserves some more money. If I give 20% to this kid I can only offer 30% to this kid - is it enough? Partial scholarships (and not enough of them) add a whole extra level of complexity along with the culture where breaking commitments is not publicly built into the culture.



Yes - but it is the limited partial versus roster size full scholarships that is at the heart of the issue.

The partial scholarship portion is what gives parents/players even more need to weigh options. "I am getting 40% from this school (A) but only 20% from school (B). I really am interested in school (C) but they are giving only 25%. These rules don't seem to benefit players/prospects at all and if it was really that important they would do it in all sports.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,328
113
Florida
The partial scholarship portion is what gives parents/players even more need to weigh options. "I am getting 40% from this school (A) but only 20% from school (B). I really am interested in school (C) but they are giving only 25%. These rules don't seem to benefit players/prospects at all and if it was really that important they would do it in all sports.

As I said in my first post on this - this has nothing to do with being a good thing for the kids. It benefits the coaches both in recruiting and recruiting costs and likely in having more and more kids turn up at their camps trying to get some sort of clarity if there is actual interest or not.

You are quite right - come Sept 1 when offers can be made it will be a bloodbath with huge pressure on players and families to make immediate decisions with limited scholarship money available. You may get your A. B & C options but you may only have 24 hours to make a decision or risk the options disappearing on you.

These changes have been driven by coaches primarily for their benefit while trying to project that they are doing it for the kids benefit. I am not saying that many don't have the kids best interests in heart - just that this particular decision has nothing to do with that.
 

butcher-boy

old school
Jul 10, 2013
53
8
ARIZONA
Possible work around ?

I may have missed this so I apologize in advance. Regarding contacts do parents fall into the "third party" category.
 
Apr 24, 2017
203
28
Georgia
Perfect. Thanks for finding that.

Edit: I see 6th graders are fair game. That'll make Tim Walton happy.

* Slow clap* :eek:

So second year 10u/first year 12u will be getting their own "Power Pools" at showcases from now on. Gotta commit those 6th graders!

This was my take away from reading the definition of a PSA as well. The problem is the verbal commitments in 6th and 7th grade (and some 8th). I don't have a problem with anyone in high school making a commitment. So you mean to tell me this change is only focusing on 7th through 10th grade commitments? Awesome.

And the camp issue stinks. I don't want to pay to attend prospect camps at my DDs top six or seven schools for the next three years! That is a ton of money down the drain and we will have no way of knowing if coach is interested in her or not. But maybe if TB is cheaper (less showcases, more real tourneys) I will be able to afford more camps.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,328
113
Florida
I may have missed this so I apologize in advance. Regarding contacts do parents fall into the "third party" category.

Yes.

There is already posts online from the NFCA on what vague things D1 coaches can and cannot say. They can say things like "they are interested" but they can't say things like how interested or what a scholarship might look like or who else they are looking at or where you rank in their prospect list and so on.

Ugh
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,258
113
Is it permissible for the booster program to fund scholarships?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Yes and no. Many softball programs aren’t “Fully Funded”, meaning they’re allowed 12 scholarships (D1), but the school might only be able afford 6. In that case a booster could come in to make up the difference if done through the university.

A booster under no circumstance can award scholarships (or cars, $$$ etc) directly to an athlete.

A booster funding scholarships or anything else for a boys/mens program could have huge Title IX ramifications.
 
Feb 17, 2014
551
28
What want does recruiting mean with this rule? Is a college coach telling a travel coach that they like little Suzy's swing and the way she plays SS considered 'recruiting'? Is a college coach telling a travel coach they would like to see a player make X changes to her swing or asking to see a player play SS instead of 3rd, etc considered recruiting? Is a college coach asking a parent how basketball season is going for DD considered recruiting?
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,258
113
* Slow clap* :eek:

So second year 10u/first year 12u will be getting their own "Power Pools" at showcases from now on. Gotta commit those 6th graders!

This was my take away from reading the definition of a PSA as well. The problem is the verbal commitments in 6th and 7th grade (and some 8th). I don't have a problem with anyone in high school making a commitment. So you mean to tell me this change is only focusing on 7th through 10th grade commitments? Awesome.

And the camp issue stinks. I don't want to pay to attend prospect camps at my DDs top six or seven schools for the next three years! That is a ton of money down the drain and we will have no way of knowing if coach is interested in her or not. But maybe if TB is cheaper (less showcases, more real tourneys) I will be able to afford more camps.

I have mixed feelings in regard to this too. Junior high kids committing is ridiculous, but one of my greatest frustrations of the recruiting process was all of the stupid rules regarding communication with coaches. It would be so much easier if they could just call you back or even contact a family first to express interest.

It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out in regards to showcases. With such a limited window for exposure it’s almost going to be imperative to get on a big name showcase teams that plays in the top showcases. D1 coaches simply won’t have time to make it to local tourney’s to see one player. DII coaches on the other hand have got to love this. They can go after sophomores unabated and convince them to commit before they can even talk to a D1. I like the effort, but I’m not convinced this makes things better for families and players.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,328
113
Florida
What want does recruiting mean with this rule? Is a college coach telling a travel coach that they like little Suzy's swing and the way she plays SS considered 'recruiting'? Is a college coach telling a travel coach they would like to see a player make X changes to her swing or asking to see a player play SS instead of 3rd, etc considered recruiting? Is a college coach asking a parent how basketball season is going for DD considered recruiting?

Coaches wont be able to directly discuss scholarships, commitment, level of interest, where they fit on their prospect list, other players, have someone on campus specifically to see the program (officially or unofficially), specifically invite them to a camp or other activity and anything else that directly relates to a roster or scholarship position until Sept 1st of their Junior year.

Implying these things or being vague or whatever - that is all still OK (i.e. there is already 'code talk' I have seen going around today from coaches to prospects). They can make you as confused as they want and they are not allowed to discuss your confusion or provide any clarity that is binding in any way - and now there is no 'verbal' so they are exempt from having to making anything real until Sept 1 Junior year.

Talking about what kind of player you are, what to work on, how they like a swing or speed or athletic ability, etc, etc. All that looks fine. But that will probably end up adding to the vagueness for 99% of players.
 

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