I really get a kick out of some of the things that are posted. Some good some bad. But overall fun ro read. I would like to ask this question to all and please answer honestly.
If you were a college coach and some kid that you are interested in gives you a verbal commitment, how much thought do you put into that kid being that he is a 9th grader? Would you just entertain his parents?
The reason why I ask this question is because it's just a verbal not a signing. Parents get all proud and walk around like it is something special to give a verbal. Maybe some of us can get a little smarter about this whole process.
Players don't simply give a verbal commitment. In order for a player to commit to a school a Coach must first make an offer. College coaches do as much due diligence as they can prior to offering a recruit a spot in their recruiting class. Coaches will try and watch a player as much as possible, they meet with the player and the parents, they talk to the HS and club coaches about the player and the family. If they believe the player will be a good fit for their program they may offer a spot. Only in the case where an "Athletic Scholarship" is offered is there anything to sign. When a player is offered an Athletic Scholarship they sign what is known a National Letter of Intent in their senior year. Not all D-1 or D-2 players are on scholarship. The Ivy's do not offer athletic scholarships and D-3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships. So for the majority of kids playing college lacrosse a verbal is the only agreement they will ever have.
The large majority of Verbal Commitments are honored by both the Player and the Coach.
There will be very few Verbal commitments made by 9th graders and I would say the College coaches put a fair amount of thought into it. They do not offer many spots to 9th graders. The Top kids are being recruited in 9th grade that's it.
If my kid was offered a spot and agreed to verbally commit to one of the top academic institutions in the country (Duke, Harvard, Hopkins, Penn, Virginia, Princeton, Navy, Note Dame etc..) I would be extremely proud.
Remember, no matter what anyone says, it is the college coaches who are driving the recruiting process.
What parent would not be proud of their child if they had worked hard in the classroom and on the athletic field and as a result were offered a spot in a recruiting class at one of the many great schools out there?
Unfortunately a few ivy committed kids could not make the grades they promised to in 9th gRade so they were picked up elsewhere. On the hand, my son who is considered an elite player was offered a spot on a roster at couple of those schools you mentioned with a 3.4. The same he's had since 9th. He decided on a great (top50) school offering the big$$. And his coach confirmed in writing that his scholarship money can only go up. Be careful because not all schools will do that. Point is all those schools you mentioned absolutely do not have the same academic standards when it comes to atheltes.
