Why verbal as a sophomore?

[fasterpitch92701]

Assume a very good softball player... wants to play college... very good grades. We hear it all the time; sophomore verbals to xyz. My question is; why? Why would you verbal at that age?

If the verbal is to a dream of a lifetime school and it's a perfect fit and a full ride (1 chance in a billion) then I can envision it. However comma pause that just doesn't happen a lot. Hopefully there are choices and some fits are better than others IF you even get an offer from anyone.

So, back to our very good softball player... in lieu of the perfect fit, why verbal when a sophomore as it then eliminates any other options. Or, perhaps better put, why not wait until you are a junior and then not "verbal" but sign? After all, a verbal IS a verbal. Coach leaves. School burns down. Earthquake devours half the state... who knows what might happen... including the coach finding the superstud at your position a year from now and says... well, thanks but no thanks.

I can see it if its the absolute dream school. If grades stink and someone bites, I suppose that's good as there may not be future alternatives. And maybe that's my point. If there could be alternatives, why commit yourself so early? Fear that nothing will be there in the future? Why eliminate future options? Just seems... unnecessarily early.

[Old Darter]

If the verbal is to a dream of a lifetime school and it's a perfect fit and a full ride (1 chance in a billion) then I can envision it. However comma pause that just doesn't happen a lot.

Well, I can name four or five kids off the top of my head that met that criteria when they verballed. Shoot, three of the players are from the same high school and two are even in the same year and all four play on the same travel team. And I would bet that if a kid IS verballing as a sophomore, it's because those very criteria are being met. After all, how many sophomores are we talking about, maybe 20 nationwide? I think your one in a billion number is waaaaaaay off. What evidence do you have that Susie Ballplayer is in fact verballing early if one or all of your criteria are not being met? Are there really sophomores out there verballing for a 1/4 scholarship at schools the don't want to play for? Seniors who have no other offers might, but I doubt there are many sophomores.

[Blind Squirrel]

One thing to keep in mind when it comes to sophmores verballing is that the college coaches making the "hard" offer are seeking to get a verbal commitment from the best player possible ASAP. That means that if their first choice declines, they quickly move to their second choice. It also means that the offer is not left on the table for an extended period. Coaches can't afford to have that happen. What if they wait for 6 months and their #1 choice decides to go elsewhere? The coaches #2 choice is very likely long since committed and in fact, the number of perceived top uncommitted players has dwindled significantly.

Background info over, the obvious answer to the question: A kid makes a decision because they want to play for a school that has made them an offer and they know that the scholarship offer goes away if they wait an extended period of time after the hard offer is made. And BTW, it may not be the kid's "dream school" because there are surely times when the kid either has no "dream school", doesn't have the grades, etc.

In my opinion it sucks that 15 year olds are forced to make such an important decision. It sucks for many reasons. Unless/Until college coaches agree to end the practice, it will continue regardless of what the NCAA does. If the NCAA tries to legislate it away, you can be damn sure the practice will simply become part of the rules skirting charade and will continue.

BTW, yes a verbal commitment is a 2-way street and legally it is not binding. What do you suppose the result would be if a college coach became known for backing out of verbals? As for the kids, most parents (all the ones I know personally to date) treat a verbal the way they would signing a NLI. That hopelessly old skool notion about the importance of your word or for whatever reason. (Yes I know how to spell school)

Regards,
John

[NorCal96]

What if school ABC makes a better offer once you have verbaled with XYZ? Do coaches back off once they know a player has verbaled?

[Bill_B]

I can think of a couple of other reasons why making an early verbal commitment would be good for both the player and the school.

1) A committed player will know what the high school academic requirements are for the target school and be able to optimize the effort expended academically. I am concerned that excessive AP classes could lead to a time management burden that may adversely affect performance measures. If there is no need to load up with AP classes why do it? Conversely, if there is a need, the player can work to achieve known requirements.

2) Committed players can communicate regularly with target school coaches and determine what sort of development would enhance the player's value to the team. There may be some specific role the player is expected to fill and early preparation during the high school years with the travel organization could be done.

[Blind Squirrel]

What if school ABC makes a better offer once you have verbaled with XYZ? Do coaches back off once they know a player has verbaled?

Yes, from what I understand and from what we experienced, coaches do back off. I'm sure that is not always the case and there are probably plenty of gray areas. Verbals are listed on various internet sites as one might imagine, for example SpySoftball. I don't know if there is a specific mechanism that coaches use to let each other know they have received a verbal commitment from a kid.

We narrowed the choices and planned unofficial visits with the idea being that after the last visit we would be in a position to make a decision. That seems to be the way people I have talked with have done it as well. If after the committment has been made, then I guess it is up to the character/values of the parents, and perhaps extenuating circumstances, as to how to handle a "better" offer.

Important Caveat: Obviously everything I post is JMO and is based upon a small subset of all relevant information. Differing views don't necessarily mean anyone is wrong and in fact likely helps people to get a more realistic picture.

Regards,
John

[Hawk17]

Just need to correct one thing. You cannot "sign" as a Junior. You must wait until the signing date the Fall or Spring of your Senior year.

Now, for my opinion. It depends. I know that sounds like I am sidestepping the issue, but each kid is different. Generally, I don't think sophomore athletes are mature to know what they want academically or athletically. My daughter changed her ideas at least three times between her sophomore and senior year. The school and program she decided upon finally was not what she thought she wanted as a sophomore. But, she is ecstatic about where she will be this fall and the next four years.

That being said, I know other athletes who verballed early who are very happy with their choices.

What I tell parents is not to let their daughters feel pressured or rushed into a decision.

[Blind Squirrel]

I was talking to a coach of another sport and he told me when a player verbals it usually starts a bidding war between schools. Verbals are held to a much lower standard of enforcement.

From what I can recall reading in the sports pages about men's basketball and football, there are clear differences between recruiting in those sports and softball. For example, I don't recall sophmore basketball or football players verballing, even the ones going to top schools. Of course that may also have to do with the nature of the sport although football teams have far less at risk given the sheer number of scholarships they have.

I would never suggest a Spazsdad post is anything less than gospel. I just haven't heard of any bidding wars for softball players after they have verballed. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I have to wonder what coaches offer in addition to a full ride without obviously breaking NCAA rules?

One more thing. When we told the other interested schools of my kid's decision to go elsewhere, every single one wished her well, made no effort to change the decision and immediately ceased all efforts to recruit her. Maybe she just wasn't good enough to warrant a bidding war. That certainly could be the reason.

Or maybe they just couldn't compete with the lifetime supply of "heart medicine" that was promised to me.

John

[DonnieS]

One more thing. When we told the other interested schools of my kid's decision to go elsewhere, every single one wished her well, made no effort to change the decision and immediately ceased all efforts to recruit her. Maybe she just wasn't good enough to warrant a bidding war. That certainly could be the reason.

Or maybe they just couldn't compete with the lifetime supply of "heart medicine" that was promised to me.

John

Same thing happened to us - when this decision was made and she called and told the other schools, everyone wished her great success and they looked forward to seeing her play.
Besides their softball, integrity is a value that is high on the list of what A/Ds look for in coaches. Parents, another story.