That’s like calling yahoo email a third party communication because yahoo facilitates the communication. A communication is a communication regardless of how you make the communication to its intended party.
Recruiting Tips for Parents Just Starting the Process
- Thread starter MakeAPlay
- Start date
I don't understand why there needs to be a rule. Those who want to wait can wait already. These rules seem unclear with all kinds of wiggle room. Commits will happen either way but yeah now it seems it will be more dicey for the student-athlete since it will be under the table and not public knowledge. Welcome to the "prohibition era" of athletic recruiting.
Nothing new. Coaches don't get fired for violating recruiting and eligibility rules, they get fired for getting caught.
Because those who do commit early impact those that don't commit early. There are only so many spots. So everyone is pressured into committing early regardless of whether they are ready. There is no reason for coaches and players to be pressured into committing before junior year. Look how bad the transfer rate has become with all these early commits. If anything, early committing is a vanity thing for parents and kids.
I don't see a private commitment as meaning much of anything. With a public commitment, at least the program faced potential repetitional harm if the commitment was not honored and the player wouldn't be recruited by other schools after the player committed. Those don't apply with a private commitment (whatever that is). It's like that saying: If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
I don't think the rules have been unclear. Everyone knows all the loopholes. But it looks like the NCAA finally closed the last few loopholes between this year's possible rule changes and the changes last year. The NCAA has already done this in other sports.
The "no communication" rule is set to be approved later next month. You will see a bunch of early commits between now and then.
That should be make for some interesting conversations --
Coach to kid - "I want you to do something that will be illegal next month"
This whole thread is about "the process." So what is the process now under the new rules? Just spend a giant amount of money traveling all over the country to do camps for schools that may or may not be interested in you because that is the only way to get to know a coach and program? Hope they may have or develop interest in you in so doing? What if you are completely barking up the wrong trees?? I mean there are only so many visits you can do in the summer before junior year when you are actually receiving communications.
I am open, and certainly optimistic that the changes will be positive, but seems it would've been nice to keep communication and un-official visits and simply limit when verbal commits could happen. And I still think sophomore year is a more realistic time for that due to the incredible stresses of junior year, and also the fact that some schools require more specific curriculums which need to be addressed prior to junior year. I am very glad that at least communication was moved up a bit. And, as I said, I am completely open and supportive of any process that is a benefit to student-athletes. Completely.
I suppose this could be an entirely new thread, but I guess it's relevant to this thread so I will go ahead and ask. I'm curious as to what everyone's experience has been in the past/recent past with respect to how the dynamics on a team changes as girls commit. In my scenario, my DD is one of two girls committed on her team (03 age group). Now with the rule change, it's definitely going to increase the stress for the rest of the girls and their families. Can anyone speak to positives & negatives as a result of this scenario? Do teams generally perform the same, better, worse? I guess what I'm asking is how much is this going to "F" up the rest of her club experience?
MakeAPlay
DA
My player was the first to commit on her club team and it actually was good for the other players on the team because when the team manager handed out the recruiting profiles of the team to coaches on the sideline it showed who was committed and made it clear where a player was committed to. This made the coaches aware of who was available on the field so they didn't waste time trying to get in touch with players that were already committed. When the other highly regarded player on her team committed a month later her coach told us that it was a big weight off his shoulders that the two of them were committed so that he could stop fielding calls about them and could focus on the other girls.
I have heard stories both ways but that was my player's experience. For reference she is a '98 and was a 2016 grad (committed in 2014 as a sophomore during her high school soccer season).
That definitely makes sense. When I spoke to my kid's coach about her committment, she was happy of course, but then stated "now she's done...I only have 17 more to go". I guess it's daunting to everyone involved. I just hope things stay positive for my daughter and she doesn't have to take a backseat because they're trying to promote the other players. She needs to be getting ready for what's to come and I don't want that to be lost in all of this...
Simisoccerfan
PREMIER
All seniors on our team are committed and most Juniors are now committed. Things stayed positive throughout the process and I did not see any girls take a backseat at anytime based upon whether they were committed. I think it helps the team to have girls start to be committed. It shows coaches that that the team has the type of players that can play at the next level.
My daughters experience was similar with her committing in April of her freshman year. Our manager did the same with the brochures/profiles of the team. I do think it can be a bad thing for the rest of the players that aren't committed do to the fact that not nearly the number of coaches came to watch our games once those top players committed. When our top players weren't committed we had huge numbers of coaches watching, once they committed early our coach numbers dropped. Obviously they were there to watch those top players but others could benefit if they did the things needed to stand out. The club coaches really weren't involved except for passing on the initial interest, the players took over after that.
MakeAPlay
DA
Interesting. I think that my daughters team got a commitment in April from a freshman from your daughter’s team . I believe that it was the earliest that they have ever committed a player. They are done recruiting for that year (other than potential international players).
As a parent of a freshman whose recruiting was just warming up, this rule change is a bit of bummer. Since the fall, DD had quite a few D1 schools communicating to her through her coach, coming to watch games, and inviting her to their camps. Some of those schools have followed up after watching her play or seeing her at a camp to reiterate their interest, providing positive feedback on her play, and indicating they'd be out to more games this spring to get another look. Not that my DD was going to commit early, but she was feeling like she had great momentum going in her recruiting journey, so she's disappointed that the momentum she had built for herself is coming to a screeching halt and that she may not hear back from any of these coaches for another 2 years.
eastbaysoccer
GOLD
IMO the brochures should not list who is committed. It keeps the coaches coming. It’s a benefit to the club and the teams. Verbals are non-binding.
Paddingtonsoccer
BRONZE
With this pending change on communication--and in general--what are the general thoughts on the use of third-party recruiting services? are they helpful? things like NCSA or NSR or probably others. And, what will the role of third parties be in light of changes for younger recruits?
How much money do you have?
Paddingtonsoccer
BRONZE
well, after countless soccer seasons, cost sensitivities have long since left the building. LOL
outside!
DA
Have your player email and call the coaches of colleges they are interested in. It is not complicated, it just takes some time. This is work they will need to do with or without the third-party recruiting services, so in my opinion, no need to spend the money.
This has also been mentioned previously in this thread, but I'll mention it again. When your DD attends showcase events (assuming ECNL, DA, NPL), the events themselves are ususally linked with some of these services. My DD has both Total Global Sports, Scouting Zone and one other where you can create a profile and put your DD's relevant info/grades/accolades, as part of the particular event. The college coaches leverage these sites during the event and so as long as you create the profile, they will have access to it and it's free (basic profile). I agree you don't need to spend any money on things like this specifically for this reason. However, some folks do spend the cash have good feelings about a number of platforms so it's really up to you, but just know that your DD can do the same thing just by actively sending out communication to the coaches where she has interest. Main thing is to make sure you're on a team that gets looks and goes to some marquee events where coaches flock. Much easier to make the connections.
Dos Equis
GOLD
Most clubs and many leagues offer the basic version of TGS, College Fitfinder or other recruiting software/registration services for free. If you do not have a club coach nor a club that provides some level of guidance and assistance in the recruiting process, you want to play in college, and you are older than 13, time to change teams/clubs. There is no legitimate need to use third parties outside of your player, your coach, your club, and you as a parent. Remember it is up to the player to talk to their own coach and contact college coaches. If they are not ready to do that, they are not ready to commit.
As for verbal commits on brochures, I would include those for transparency reasons. I have not seen it impact coach attendance, as they rarely go to random games to see who is available, but instead go to watch specific players who contacted them. I see as much upside as downside.
As for verbal commits on brochures, I would include those for transparency reasons. I have not seen it impact coach attendance, as they rarely go to random games to see who is available, but instead go to watch specific players who contacted them. I see as much upside as downside.