Sue Enquist, Early Recruting

[Lone Staarr]

Just watched a video in which Sue Enquist talks about early recruiting...

Would she be suggesting that if she was still coaching college softball? Complete transparency on commits, to what school and what they were offered?

Also and please correct me if I'm wrong. In college football athletes receive multiple offers and then they make a decision on what school they pick their high school senior year?

Shouldn't softball just go the college football route?

[Mark H]

If you are saying all commits should be soft commits till signing and all schools continue recruiting till signing then yes, looks inevitable to me. People freak about the early commits. Then they freak about kids not honoring an early commit. I say they should make up their mind.

[Lone Staarr]

If you are saying all commits should be soft commits till signing and all schools continue recruiting till signing then yes, looks inevitable to me. People freak about the early commits. Then they freak about kids not honoring an early commit. I say they should make up their mind.

Yes I think that's the way to go. So both party's have a backup plan and don't get left out in the cold their Junior, Senior year in high school when the college decides to pull the scholarship or vice versa, the athlete commits to another school...

[tbjd33]

If you are saying all commits should be soft commits till signing and all schools continue recruiting till signing then yes, looks inevitable to me. People freak about the early commits. Then they freak about kids not honoring an early commit. I say they should make up their mind.

Yes I think that's the way to go. So both party's have a backup plan and don't get left out in the cold their Junior, Senior year in high school when the college decides to pull the scholarship or vice versa, the athlete commits to another school...

Couple things:

1) The only people freaking out over early commits are parents who's DD hasn't been offered and parents of a DD that didn't work to fulfill their promise to develope.

2) Its is rare a DD doesn't honor the verbal. Vast majority of the time the offer received is their best or only offer. They are proud and anticipate signing their LOI. I call crap on your statement. Does it happen? Yes but it is rare.

3) I like the idea of posting the percentage of offer. Not to protect the school but more the player. That will inherently slow early offers cause coaches will be on hook. Their "fuzzy math" at schools like Arizona, Arkansas and a few other schools is absurd. I counted at one point 23 commits in two grad years at Arkansas.

4) Comparing college football is apples and oranges. Every football offer is 100%. They are allowed 85 compared to 11.7 offers. Most important boys develope differently than DD's and most of the time they need to be evaluated through their senior season. Softball is a cat and mouse game because of the 11.7 allotment. Majority of DD's saying they are verballed at best receive a 50% offer and in many cases are recruited walk ons.

Just my thoughts...

[Mark H]

1) The only people freaking out over early commits are parents who's DD hasn't been offered and parents of a DD that didn't work to fulfill their promise to develope. ...

Who ISN'T griping (if you don't like "freaking") about early commits? No one likes them.

2) Its is rare a DD doesn't honor the verbal. Vast majority of the time the offer received is their best or only offer. They are proud and anticipate signing their LOI. I call crap on your statement. Does it happen? Yes but it is rare. ...

Not following you here. Exactly what are you calling crap on (I think the term is call bs but as you wish).

3) I like the idea of posting the percentage of offer. Not to protect the school but more the player. That will inherently slow early offers cause coaches will be on hook. Their "fuzzy math" at schools like Arizona, Arkansas and a few other schools is absurd. I counted at one point 23 commits in two grad years at Arkansas. ...

It would still be a verbal offer carrying no weight.

4) Comparing college football is apples and oranges. Every football offer is 100%. They are allowed 85 compared to 11.7 offers. Most important boys develope differently than DD's and most of the time they need to be evaluated through their senior season. Softball is a cat and mouse game because of the 11.7 allotment. Majority of DD's saying they are verballed at best receive a 50% offer and in many cases are recruited walk ons. .

That's fair but I don't think it will stop the evolution of early verbals to soft commits.

[PDad]

4) Comparing college football is apples and oranges. Every football offer is 100%. They are allowed 85 compared to 11.7 offers. Most important boys develope differently than DD's and most of the time they need to be evaluated through their senior season. Softball is a cat and mouse game because of the 11.7 allotment. Majority of DD's saying they are verballed at best receive a 50% offer and in many cases are recruited walk ons.

I agree with the gist of your post, however you got your boys and girls mixed up - D-I baseball has 11.7 and D-I softball has 12.

I'll add some softball players get a token amount (e.g. books only) so they can participate in NLI and be eligible for benefits restricted to those receiving athletic aid. That doesn't happen in baseball since they have a minimum schollie of 25%.

[PDad]

Just watched a video in which Sue Enquist talks about early recruiting...

Would she be suggesting that if she was still coaching college softball? Complete transparency on commits, to what school and what they were offered?

Also and please correct me if I'm wrong. In college football athletes receive multiple offers and then they make a decision on what school they pick their high school senior year?

Shouldn't softball just go the college football route?

A couple thoughts on the video (http://www.flosoftball.com/video/990909-sue-enquist-takes-on-early-recruiting):

- Getting coaches to confirm verbal offers would probably violate NCAA rules against them publicizing verbals.

- Sue said 95% of the people act honorably and it's 5% that cause issues.

The biggest problem with the current system is people not understanding how it works and panicking when their DD isn't being recruited as an 8th grader.

[tbjd33]

4) Comparing college football is apples and oranges. Every football offer is 100%. They are allowed 85 compared to 11.7 offers. Most important boys develope differently than DD's and most of the time they need to be evaluated through their senior season. Softball is a cat and mouse game because of the 11.7 allotment. Majority of DD's saying they are verballed at best receive a 50% offer and in many cases are recruited walk ons.

I agree with the gist of your post, however you got your boys and girls mixed up - D-I baseball has 11.7 and D-I softball has 12.

I'll add some softball players get a token amount (e.g. books only) so they can participate in NLI and be eligible for benefits restricted to those receiving athletic aid. That doesn't happen in baseball since they have a minimum schollie of 25%.

Yea your correct on those numbers... But the baseball 25% is off cause they do offer many "preferred walk-on" opportunities I will say. UCLA is famous for that especially for local players. The SEC routinely offers them as well.

[PDad]

4) Comparing college football is apples and oranges. Every football offer is 100%. They are allowed 85 compared to 11.7 offers. Most important boys develope differently than DD's and most of the time they need to be evaluated through their senior season. Softball is a cat and mouse game because of the 11.7 allotment. Majority of DD's saying they are verballed at best receive a 50% offer and in many cases are recruited walk ons.

I agree with the gist of your post, however you got your boys and girls mixed up - D-I baseball has 11.7 and D-I softball has 12.

I'll add some softball players get a token amount (e.g. books only) so they can participate in NLI and be eligible for benefits restricted to those receiving athletic aid. That doesn't happen in baseball since they have a minimum schollie of 25%.

Yea your correct on those numbers... But the baseball 25% is off cause they do offer many "preferred walk-on" opportunities I will say. UCLA is famous for that especially for local players. The SEC routinely offers them as well.

Seriously?! "Preferred walk-on" is not an athletic $chollie.

15.5.4 Baseball Limitations. There shall be an annual limit of 11.7 on the value of financial aid awards (equivalencies) to counters and an annual limit of 27 on the total number of counters in baseball at each institution. (Adopted: 4/26/07 effective 8/1/08)
15.5.4.1 Minimum Equivalency Value. An institution shall provide each counter athletically related and other countable financial aid that is equal to or greater than 25 percent of an equivalency. (Adopted: 4/26/07 effective 8/1/08 for student-athletes who initially enroll full time at any four-year collegiate institution on or after 8/1/08, Revised: 8/9/07)

[tbjd33]

4) Comparing college football is apples and oranges. Every football offer is 100%. They are allowed 85 compared to 11.7 offers. Most important boys develope differently than DD's and most of the time they need to be evaluated through their senior season. Softball is a cat and mouse game because of the 11.7 allotment. Majority of DD's saying they are verballed at best receive a 50% offer and in many cases are recruited walk ons.

I agree with the gist of your post, however you got your boys and girls mixed up - D-I baseball has 11.7 and D-I softball has 12.

I'll add some softball players get a token amount (e.g. books only) so they can participate in NLI and be eligible for benefits restricted to those receiving athletic aid. That doesn't happen in baseball since they have a minimum schollie of 25%.

Yea your correct on those numbers... But the baseball 25% is off cause they do offer many "preferred walk-on" opportunities I will say. UCLA is famous for that especially for local players. The SEC routinely offers them as well.

Seriously?! "Preferred walk-on" is not an athletic $chollie.

15.5.4 Baseball Limitations. There shall be an annual limit of 11.7 on the value of financial aid awards (equivalencies) to counters and an annual limit of 27 on the total number of counters in baseball at each institution. (Adopted: 4/26/07 effective 8/1/08)
15.5.4.1 Minimum Equivalency Value. An institution shall provide each counter athletically related and other countable financial aid that is equal to or greater than 25 percent of an equivalency. (Adopted: 4/26/07 effective 8/1/08 for student-athletes who initially enroll full time at any four-year collegiate institution on or after 8/1/08, Revised: 8/9/07)

I understand that clearly. Doesn't stop the schools from using it as a recruiting tool. It happens much more than you think. Especially at public schools with in-state players where tuition is somewhat affordable.

Again, absolutely baseball does this. I can name several players using it as a tool. I don't care what the by-laws say. It's happening.

Also, verbals aren't an official description and not recognized by the NCAA either last I checked...