What do we tell the coach(es)? - Page 3

beawinner · 10-23-2009, 03:31 PM

Charger Fans, I thought D would be safe from an overnight stay in the dorms on an unofficial. So far, coach hasn't said anything about an overnight stay with a teammate and our unofficial is quickly approaching. They've mentioned lunch with the team, watching practice, attending a class, talking with a team trainer and academic advisor, perhaps having dinner with the coaches. I'm good with all they've mentioned, but I would be hesitant to have D spend the night in a dorm room only because D is a junior and not 19 or 20 years of age and does not drink. And I would really hate for her to start that habit on an unofficial.

zpop · 10-23-2009, 03:37 PM

My kid made three visits, 2 to D3 and one to D1, all very selective academically. She would have a more immediate impact at the D3 schools, but was still being "recruited" by D1. She is very strong academically and would stand a better than average chance of getting in without the athletics, but she wants to participate.
The D3 coaches made it clear to me they would support her ED application, and after visit to D1, I did not have direct communication with the coach. According to my daughter, the D1 coach implied that things were great and all things were proceeding well. That was a little ambiguous to me, so I called the coach. As it turns out, the coach told me a decision would be made within the week (probably meaning that they are waiting for other kids to accept or decline before supporting my kids application). ED applications are due within a week and we still don't know what to do. Thankfully, my daughter likes all of the opportunities, and may still wait for RD or go ED to one of the other schools. I understand coaches have a job to do, but the kids may not fully understand this. In fact, I found all the coaches to be really very nice.

Bottom line: I wanted my kid to feel empowered, but I now I know its unfair and unreasonable to expect a 17 year to understand the subtleties of this process.

pacheight · 10-23-2009, 08:52 PM

charger, winner:

charger is right, they want to see how the team gets along with your athlete. you'd have to screw up pretty badly to be voted off the island.

winner: 99% of the time it'll be fine. they won't get your athlete drunk. no more risky than going out on a Saturday night in high school.

my d was 16 on her officials, at big city schools, no problems at all. she had a great time at all of them.

Coaches are good people, they won't let anything happen to your kid.

OldbatesieDoc · 10-24-2009, 03:43 PM

My son observed some students using on his overnights, but no one encouraged or expected him to take part. I think you'd have to be an idiot to do that anyway, they really are observing your behavior, and you can bet it will get back to the coach.We had to sign a release at 2 schools(he is 17) and he had to agree to follow the "Code of Conduct". At the Midwestern schools, we just dropped him off and waved good-bye.

soccer92boy · 10-25-2009, 12:05 AM

MJP2558, my son is planing to play soccer and did get some coaches interested in him but never have the case like you posted. So I am wondering we are not doing right or we just overreact about coach contacting him. I have several questions:

1. I thought at D3 soccer, you can't practice with the team if coach is present that was told by a coach we had a campus visit not by invitation?

2. D3 offers a offical visit also like D1 or D2? When will be?

3. Do you really have to make early decision and can't wait until April 1 or later?

soccer92boy · 10-25-2009, 12:24 AM

Vballmon, my son got some response by filling out online forms. Also try to register your son info at web site berecruited.com. He got some responses from this web site and actually he is applying the school now after coach contacted him.

Good luck

ihs76 · 10-25-2009, 12:46 AM

soccer92boy: Yes, it is true, a student cannot practice with the team if the coach is present in DIII. You can watch the practice though. We did, and it was helpful to see how they do it.

I think the official visit thing depends on the school and the sport.

All the coaches that have expressed interest in DS have asked him to apply early action/early decision. Obviously with early decision, you are committing to the school. With early action, we were asked to provide verbal commitment to attend if accepted in early action. The coaches don't want to work hard to get the student accepted unless they know the kid will come.

soccer92boy · 10-25-2009, 01:16 AM

IHS76, Thanks for your info.

About ED or EA for admission, as I like is to show interest on team(s) but make decision until the FA package available. So is it possible?

Are you suggestion all positions has been filled at ED or EA even some players decide to apply RD without coach pull/tip for admission? How about walk on for RD? Is possible?

vballmom · 10-25-2009, 02:47 AM

I've heard of berecruited.com but my son hasn't created a profile there because it seems so late in the game. It probably wouldn't take too long to do.

EA isn't a committment, so if your son's stats are strong then there's little risk in applying EA.

ED, for Common App schools at least, allows an out if the cost of attendance isn't affordable to the student's family. If the financial aid package isn't enough so that the family can afford to send the student, the student can get out of the ED commitment.

soccer92boy · 10-25-2009, 03:15 AM

VballMon, There is only one school is EA and rest of schools he is applying are ED. I don't feel comfortable to apply ED then tell them "not affordable". So RD is the best way to handle the admission and position for the team then I will put a question mark on it. I have clueless about how to handle D3 sport with RD.

MJP2558 · 10-25-2009, 08:30 AM

All college coaches at the D3 level require their top recruits to apply ED or EA, they want to insure that their most desireable recruits commit early in the process to confirm that they will want to attend the school and play for their program. How else can a coach secure the best recruits. They will not wait around for your son or daughter if they confirm they will apply RD. If a coach is serious about a recruit they also have the ability to work with admissions to prepare and confirm preliminary financial aid reports.

soccer92boy · 10-25-2009, 09:57 AM

MJP2558, I understand ED how to work with FA for D3. So my son will walk on D3 team since time is running out for ED dead line and he haven't reached the critical point as you stated. Is that true?

If my son is going to walk on D3 team is he still going through all process as you stated?

Thank for your info and it is very valuable so I don't have to waste a lot of time to prepare all video click/DVD ath this moment he is very busy for other admission process for ton of schools.

EMM1 · 10-25-2009, 10:37 AM

"All college coaches at the D3 level require their top recruits to apply ED or EA."

Not true in my experience. Certainly they prefer that recruits apply ED or EA, and you have your best chance of getting support in the admissions process if you are willing to make an unbreakable ED commitment. But a number of a coaches stated that they would support my son in the regular decision process.

ihs76 · 10-25-2009, 11:45 AM

I agree with EMMI that if the kid is good enough, the coach will support him even in RD. That's obviously dependent on how many prospects the coach has lined up. In some sports, I think the pool is shallow enough that a coach will take what he can when he can.

Soccer92: If your son can get admitted without the coaches support, there is no reason to go through all this. He can get admitted, walk on and be part of the team. If he wants or needs the coaches support for the admission, either as ED or RD, then yes he does need to contact the coach etc. Whether he needs a video or not depends on whether the coach will be able to tell how good he is without it.

In other words, getting on the team is not the point. The point is that if wants the coaches support for admission, then he needs to contact ASAP. Even if he does not need the coaches support for admission, it would be good to let the coach know that he's in the applicant pool and interested in playing on the team if he is admitted. I understand admissions sometimes contacts the coach to get a sense of how good the kid is at the sport, no different than they would ask a music prof how good a violinist is as part of the 'normal' admission process.

Karen Colleges · 10-25-2009, 01:04 PM

Does anyone know if the Claremont Colleges or other D3 schools really have room for walk ons? D's sport is volleyball, like a zillion other high school girls, and I suspect that they fill the team before May.

Oh, here's another thought-- does anyone carry a JV team anymore?

She does a couple other sports, and would be happy to run track, someone earlier posted that those teams can carry a lot more kids.