To pursue or not to pursue?

[softballninja]

With the recruiting process starting earlier and earlier, it seems that at some point in time you'll have a "You know, I can't play softball for X University, looks like its time to cross them off my list," moment. This I guess could come from going to their camp and feeling out of place, or maybe meeting the coach and not liking them.

This website, Robocoach: Verbal Commitments/Signees by Team - has lists of all of the verbal commitments to D1 schools. The players' names are color coded by graduation year. Schools like Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, ASU, etc. already have multiple 2014s verballed and some even have a handful of 2015s verballed.

My question is: If you are a 2014 who is interested in a school that (according to this website) has already committed multiple 2014s, should you still pursue the school? OR, is that a sign that you're too late, and that the school would not consider you because they have already got their players from that grade? I mean, if you are a 2012 who has not yet committed, then you are in a different situation. But for a 2014, who is possibly just starting their first year of showcase, is it too late for those schools?

Tell me what you think!

 

[marriard]

Verbals are worth the paper they are written on...

And yes I mean exactly that.

 

[sluggers]

Tell me what you think!

OK...you asked for it.

Softball is a silly little game that kids play for fun. It has about as much relevance to the 21st century world as 9th century Finnish poetry. Your DD is not going to suddenly achieve enlightenment by learning how to catch popups.

The single most important thing for your DD is her college education. Nothing is even close.

What you *SHOULD* do:

(1) Find out what your DD wants to do after college.
(2) Make a list of the best schools for her to achieve her goal.
(3) Visit the campuses of the schools on your list, and decide which schools your DD likes and doesn't like.
(4) After you make the short list, then go talk to the softball coach about playing there. See if it works or doesn't work. You'll be surprised...when you find a fit, everything works out better.

The hardest part is (1), because this requires the parents and the DD to actually talk and communicate about something very, very important...which parents and DDs usually have trouble doing.

But, as to your questions:

But for a 2014, who is possibly just starting their first year of showcase, is it too late for those schools?

Probably.

As Marriad said, the verbal commitments don't mean anything. But, that is kind of missing the point.

The coaches make a list of kids they are interested in. If one of the kids who verbally committed changes her mind, the coach just goes to the next name on the list. If your DD were on the list for the schools that you listed (Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, ASU), she would already know it.

 

[Nocents96]

Verbals are worth the paper they are written on...

And yes I mean exactly that.

Since you fail to see the value of a verbal commitment please share your recruiting strategy.

Do they hold up in court? Absolutely not. Will there be a large numbers of players signing a NLI based upon a previous verbal? Without a doubt. In my opinion Sluggers is correct about what is actually important. Does that mean you ignore the offer when it is presented since it is only a "Verbal" offer? Please.

 

[marriard]

Since you fail to see the value of a verbal commitment please share your recruiting strategy.

Do they hold up in court? Absolutely not. Will there be a large numbers of players signing a NLI based upon a previous verbal? Without a doubt. In my opinion Sluggers is correct about what is actually important. Does that mean you ignore the offer when it is presented since it is only a "Verbal" offer? Please.

A large number of players with a 'verbal' will also NOT sign with that college - including a number of players who verballed but then didn't get an actual offer from that school for whatever reason (#1 is that someone better came along (for the player or the college) and #2 is that the player stops working hard believing they have a spot on a team)

You certainly don't ignore verbal offers whether they are to you or someone who might be your competition - but you also have to know what it really means, To me, a verbal is just an expression that you are interested in the college and they are interested in you. It is almost like the early stages of a relationship that may or may not work out. What you do not do as a player is stop the recruiting process when you verbal to a college. You continue to work hard, explore your options and see what else you might find as well as try to continue to explore whether your verbal commitment is still the right one for you.

Totally different sport and many years ago I had a verbal agreement with a PAC-10 school but ended up playing elsewhere. The original school made it clear i was not going to be allowed to major in the area I was really interested in and play basketball as well - I ended up in a mid-major conference but got the education I wanted (plus I got to start every game I played for 4 years).

<< and I totally agree with Sluggers on the whole "How your DD should really choose the proper college for her" post >>

 

[Nocents96]

I hate to disagree with you but your information is 100 percent false as it relates to NCAA softball. The overwhelming percentage of girls who verbal to a particular school will sign their NLI to that school. There are numerous discussion relating to this exact topic so I will not start another one but suffice it to say that Softball does not follow the same trends as other NCAA sports.

Edited to add that it sounds as if you made a very adult decision that worked out well for you in regards to your education and sports. I hope my DD is able to make a decision as intelligent in the future.

 

[marriard]

I hate to disagree with you but your information is 100 percent false as it relates to NCAA softball. The overwhelming percentage of girls who verbal to a particular school will sign their NLI to that school. There are numerous discussion relating to this exact topic so I will not start another one but suffice it to say that Softball does not follow the same trends as other NCAA sports.

Edited to add that it sounds as if you made a very adult decision that worked out well for you in regards to your education and sports. I hope my DD is able to make a decision as intelligent in the future.

Didn't know that about NCAA Softball and I am not sure why that would be. Another discussion for another day... I do know some girls locally who have changed where they are headed from their verbal commitment.

I'd love to say it was a mature decision I made, and maybe it was, however at the time it was an easy decision. I was clearly not an NBA player (not quick enough for my size or not tall enough for my quickness) though I thought I would be a very good college player and then play professionally back home in Australia (or maybe Europe) until my knees gave out. Since I wouldn't be making millions playing I needed an education and degree for a real job. Everything worked out as I hoped with the exception that I blew my knee out a month after my college career ended and during rehab I took a job local to my college and never went back to playing high-level competitive basketball (still play some pretty good pick up games for my age group though). Did end up umpiring and coaching the game on and off though.

 

[softballninja]

Interesting, because I feel that most people relax once they have verbally committed, even though it is not a 100% guarantee. Sluggers, of course I know that after college, softball will not be able to support me in life. I already have a fairly good idea of what I want to do after college (the first thing is to go to graduate school!). But I only get to play college softball once, and that is one of my factors that I look at when considering a college. The colleges I am looking at are all good softball schools AND highly rqnked when it comes to academics as well.

For me, my ideal college is one where I can play softball at and be an impact player. And I know that after college the softball is basically over, but I want to live it up and enjoy it while I can.

Hopefully I'm not sounding quarrelsome in any way, I just want to let people know that some of us players understand that we need to look what we will do at after college, but playing college softball is still something that we want so badly.

 

[sluggers]

I had two DDs play college sports--one played D1 softball, the other D3 basketball. So, I do understand your passion about the sport.

The problem is that someone of your age really doesn't understand "the deal" with college sports. It isn't what you think it is. It isn't like travel ball or HS ball. In college, the coach is trying to find someone to replace you every year. When the coach says, "There is optional weight lifting WMF at 5:00 AM", that means "you have to be lifting weights at 5:00 AM". If you don't, you won't play. A college coach is interested in one thing and one thing only: winning. If she finds someone better than you at your position, you are gone. It really is that simple.

My DDs were both impact players...both were all-conference. The one who played D3 hoops won a national championship. Both were "stars" and are on the record books at their schools. Both loved playing and had a great experience, and both wish they could play 'one more game'. But, they can't. When college sports are over, they are O-V-E-R.

Playing D1 is a full time job, where you go to school in your spare time. It is about 6 to 10 hours a day during the season, and 3 to 5 hours a day in the off season. If you play D1, you will put your academics on the back burner. You need to take a course that interferes with D1 practice? Too bad, take it after your eligibility ends (this happened to my DD). You have a big exam on Monday and your team has an away game that weekend? Study on the bus. You need to talk to a professor? Do it before practice.

Playing D3 is 3-4 hours a day during the season, and 1-2 hours a day in the off season.

In college, you can play sports, have a good social life and get an education. But, you can do only two of the three.

 

[jacketsfan]

I agree completely with slithers. 2 out 3 is it.

One thing DD is learning too is that sometimes, the recovery period after practice can be substantial too. Those hours don't count, but there are days where she is totally shot at 8 pm after finishing practice that started at 4. She finds herself getting up at 5 to write a paper due at 9 quite often.

It is work, no doubt. I have to remind her quite often of how lucky she is.