Recruiting Tips for Parents Just Starting the Process

full90 said:
A coach can offer a scholarship "promise" at any point and a student-athlete can accept it. It's non binding on anyone's part, but it isn't illegal. Why do you keep saying it's illegal? It isn't. What IS illegal is coaches calling kids directly before their junior year, paying for them to come on visits, and the like. But offers and commitments are not illegal.

The new rule proposal is ehhhh to me. Sept 1 is a terrible time (for coaches) to unleash the floodgates of recruiting. That's week 1 into the season or close to it, right? I'd agree with above that sophomore year is fine. I'd change contact and visits allowable after Jan 1 of sophomore year would be fine for all involved. And I would change that if you are on campus on your own dime, you can talk to the coaches. We were staying with family in a random city last summer and walked through the campus and met the soccer coaches...and our kid is young! Super nice to chat with them and for our kid to put some foundations and specifics under a nebulous dream of "play college soccer."

We will see if it passes. These things only pass if it benefits the big 5 schools and jury is out for me if these changes help them.
Click to expand...

The NCAA was created to level the advantages the rich schools had. The news stories about violation of recruiting, scholarship, and eligibility rules rarely involve small schools.
 
espola said:
The NCAA was created to level the advantages the rich schools had. The news stories about violation of recruiting, scholarship, and eligibility rules rarely involve small schools.
Click to expand...

The rich schools (Poser 5 conferences) stuck it to the NCAA and demanded that they allow them to pay the true cost of attendance or they would pull out and form their own organization with their own rules. I think that they should. Now all the full ride athletes get an extra $1500-$2k a month for basic stuff like toiletries. Personally I think that the NCAA is completely self serving and full of $hit.
 
MakeAPlay said:
The rich schools (Poser 5 conferences) stuck it to the NCAA and demanded that they allow them to pay the true cost of attendance or they would pull out and form their own organization with their own rules. I think that they should. Now all the full ride athletes get an extra $1500-$2k a month for basic stuff like toiletries. Personally I think that the NCAA is completely self serving and full of $hit.
Click to expand...

It will be interesting to see how much comes out of the latest FBI investigation.
 
Today, I heard it directly from a head coach of a major D1 woman's soccer program that the new verbal commitment rule is a done deal and going to be in effect at the end of this month. They can still lock up younger recruits until the end of April. After this month, no commitments can be made until September 1st of the recruit's Junior year in high school.
 
davin said:
Today, I heard it directly from a head coach of a major D1 woman's soccer program that the new verbal commitment rule is a done deal and going to be in effect at the end of this month. They can still lock up younger recruits until the end of April. After this month, no commitments can be made until September 1st of the recruit's Junior year in high school.
Click to expand...
That's a major bummer for the kiddos. Is this just a rule for soccer or for all sports?

On the bright side, no real reason to start club soccer until 12 or 13 then. :cool:
 
Last edited:
davin said:
Today, I heard it directly from a head coach of a major D1 woman's soccer program that the new verbal commitment rule is a done deal and going to be in effect at the end of this month. They can still lock up younger recruits until the end of April. After this month, no commitments can be made until September 1st of the recruit's Junior year in high school.
Click to expand...

"commitments" -- that's funny.
 
Real Deal said:
That's a major bummer for the kiddos. Is this just a rule for soccer or for all sports?

On the bright side, no real reason to start club soccer until 12 or 13 then. :cool:
Click to expand...
The discussion was around the women’s soccer program, so he only specifically spoke about the new rule as it relates to women’s soccer. He didn’t mention if it affected other sports, but I doubt it. If so, it would’ve already been a prominent story on ESPN already, as it would have a major effect on the income generating sports.
 
so if a player is younger than junior year and having conversations with coaches they will need to get an agreement prior to April 30th or have to wait till Sept of Junior year to confirm anything? Seem like coaches can still work around this just like they worked around recruiting 8th and 9th graders now.
 
This is a great rule change and I really hope it's true. Yes, it will make the junior year more recruiting-hectic, but no child should be put in the position of "committing" to a college in 8th - 10th grades. Too young, too many physical changes not yet developed, too much athletic-maturity still to happen. Colleges will be able to make a much more informed offer, and players will be closer to the player they might be than they would 2-3 years earlier.
 
If I had to pick a time, I would say the beginning of summer before Junior year is the optimal time. That way, if there is any uncertainty or they don't get the offer they were expecting, the summer provides players with the opportunity to go to college camps and visit the college before the coaches get really busy with their season.
 
So, if true, wouldn't this make it pointless for U14-U16 to travel out of state to DA or ECNL College Showcases, or to participate in Events like Surf and Silverlakes since scouting and recruiting would not be allowed anyway? That'd be interesting.
 
Real Deal said:
So, if true, wouldn't this make it pointless for U14-U16 to travel out of state to DA or ECNL College Showcases, or to participate in Events like Surf and Silverlakes since scouting and recruiting would not be allowed anyway? That'd be interesting.
Click to expand...

The coaches can still come to watch and build up their lists of prospects. There are also third-party operators like Top Drawer Soccer who would be busy.
 
Real Deal said:
So, if true, wouldn't this make it pointless for U14-U16 to travel out of state to DA or ECNL College Showcases, or to participate in Events like Surf and Silverlakes since scouting and recruiting would not be allowed anyway? That'd be interesting.
Click to expand...
Schools can and will still be scouting and evaluating younger players, even with the new rules. And to a limited extent, schools can still communicate with the younger recruits. Schools cannot have face to face contact with the younger players or initiate contact with them, but players are allowed to initiate contact with coaches via e-mail and even phone. Players can contact the coaches to notify them they are interested in their school/soccer program, let them know what showcase they will be playing in, which club team they play for, their showcase game schedule and if the school is interested they will come watch the player play.
 
davin said:
Schools can and will still be scouting and evaluating younger players, even with the new rules. And to a limited extent, schools can still communicate with the younger recruits. Schools cannot have face to face contact with the younger players or initiate contact with them, but players are allowed to initiate contact with coaches via e-mail and even phone. Players can contact the coaches to notify them they are interested in their school/soccer program, let them know what showcase they will be playing in, which club team they play for, their showcase game schedule and if the school is interested they will come watch the player play.
Click to expand...

But what exactly would be the point of scouting U14-15s under this scenario? Why would the coaches want to scout kids they can't get to commit or even have a recruiting conversation with, even at an ID camp, for like 4 years? They won't even have the time. I'd guess they will need to be scrambling around to watch and finally meet face to face with all the juniors they can finally talk to and commit.
And why would a U14-15 want to spend the time and incur the expense to travel across the country for a showcase, and ask a coach to come watch, when they can't have a face to face and discuss the crucial issue of $$$$ for several years?

I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing. Just rather pointless to attend showcases for those age groups (U14-15) under the new rules. In fact the idea of these showcases beginning later is growing on me as I write this...
 
Last edited:
Real Deal said:
But what exactly would be the point of scouting U14-15s under this scenario? Why would the coaches want to scout kids they can't get to commit or even have a recruiting conversation with, even at an ID camp, for like 4 years? They won't even have the time. I'd guess they will need to be scrambling around to watch and finally meet face to face with all the juniors they can finally talk to and commit.
And why would a U14-15 want to spend the time and incur the expense to travel across the country for a showcase, and ask a coach to come watch, when they can't have a face to face and discuss the crucial issue of $$$$ for several years?

I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing. Just rather pointless to attend showcases for those age groups (U14-15) under the new rules. In fact the idea of these showcases beginning later is growing on me as I write this...
Click to expand...

From my experience, especially on the higher end of the talent pool, this will not slow down the schools from scouting players at ODP events, league games and showcases. My player currently attends the school that was number one on her list when she was 8 years old. Some kids have a pretty good idea of what they want and/or have family connections that will override any "rules" that the NCAA comes up with. As of right now a player can't officially accept a scholarship offer until they sign their name on their LOI (and the school can't talk about the recruit or confirm anything until then FYI).

I just don't see what these changes are going to accomplish other than to make things more hectic for the middle to lower end of the D1 talent pool. The top talent is still going to have their decisions locked in well before their junior year and even though it won't be "official" (sort of like now) it will be widely known. The middle of the pack players that might have gotten locked in now are going to have to scramble even more and the lower end players (of the high end players by the way) aren't going to have any idea what is available until winter of their junior year! I just am not sure how well thought out this was. Personally I think that a coaches committee could come up with a better plan than any plan crafted by administrators.
 
So what should the Freshman kid do that is considering options right now? Should they commit by the end of the month to ensure they get maximum $$ or does this give them time to hold out? That part is really unclear... Will there be money left for them their Junior year?
 
Dubs said:
So what should the Freshman kid do that is considering options right now? Should they commit by the end of the month to ensure they get maximum $$ or does this give them time to hold out? That part is really unclear... Will there be money left for them their Junior year?
Click to expand...

Not sure other than have a very direct conversation with the coaches for the schools that she is interested in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top