mfrmorg wrote:B34R DOWN wrote:Or since Verbals are worthless make them wait until a NLI has been signed...
"Legally non-binding" does NOT mean "worthless" ...
The overwhelming majority of unofficial verbal commitments come to successful full fruition.
The biggest problem with the recruiting process (whether early or late) is that a great many kids make decisions on universities with very little serious consideration beyond the softball element. For it to be the best possible university experience, a kid should give thorough consideration of the best overall “fit” of a university to them personally.
Additional regulation from a quasi-government agency (NCAA) will do nothing to solve that root problem. Parents need to step-up and assume their responsibility to guide their kids to identifying specific universities that are their best overall “fit” (athletically, academically, culturally, and socially) to them personally. Then pursue recruitment to those specific universities with an effective action plan. The earlier a kid starts this process, the better.
Some travel ball coaches do a great job of supporting the process of a kid identifying their best overall “fit”, but most do little to nothing in this regard.
Bottom line, the most effective way to address any problem is to address the root cause, rather than trying to regulate for a desired result.
I agree that change needs to be made, but I disagree slightly with your assertion about the biggest issue being that, "a great many kids make decisions on universities with very little serious consideration beyond the softball element."
I agree that what you say is definitely a huge issue, but the biggest issue in my opinion is that the majority of these young ladies will likely change their minds (more than once) about where they want to go to school and what they want to study in college. Trying to decide this at such early ages and locking them into that decision is a huge mistake.
A lot of them will regret being allowed to make those decisions and wish they had a do-over, resulting in:
- Transferring
- Staying where they are but not being happy about it
- Quitting altogether
Allowing them to wait until they are at least Juniors to make these decisions will help tremendously.