Emily Schild
Mrs. Kim Roberts
English 4
24 October 2016
Early College Recruiting and Verbal Commitments In recent years, college coaches have been recruiting and extending verbal commitments to elite middle school and early high school student-athletes. According to the official NCAA website, the definition of a verbal commitment is “stating publicly one’s intentions to attend a certain institution, is a non-binding, oral agreement between you and the institution. The only binding nature of the commitment is your word and the institution’s promise” (Recruiting FAQs 1). If this unofficial offer doesn’t need to be honored, why start the recruiting process early? Danna Durante, head gymnastics coach of the University of Georgia, states, “Most Division I colleges honor their verbal commitments. We always find one or two schools that jump out early to recruit elite gymnasts. They gain an advantage. Eventually, there is a domino effect” (Personal Interview). Given the competitive nature of college sports, coaches want to identify and recruit the most talented high school …show more content…
A college coach will not recruit a student-athlete who cannot compete in the classroom no matter what age they are. Academic performance tells a coach a lot about an athlete’s ability to prioritize, set goals, and manage time. According to the New York Times, Ivy League schools send a letter to a student when they commit early. The letters explain why “the colleges will make their official admission decisions only when a student is a senior in high school” (Popper 1). A high school student-athlete must meet college academic requirements to become a college athlete. No matter how exciting recruiting can be, it is distracting to a student. Committing early allows athletes to enjoy their junior and senior years and focus on finishing strong
Mrs. Kim Roberts
English 4
24 October 2016
Early College Recruiting and Verbal Commitments In recent years, college coaches have been recruiting and extending verbal commitments to elite middle school and early high school student-athletes. According to the official NCAA website, the definition of a verbal commitment is “stating publicly one’s intentions to attend a certain institution, is a non-binding, oral agreement between you and the institution. The only binding nature of the commitment is your word and the institution’s promise” (Recruiting FAQs 1). If this unofficial offer doesn’t need to be honored, why start the recruiting process early? Danna Durante, head gymnastics coach of the University of Georgia, states, “Most Division I colleges honor their verbal commitments. We always find one or two schools that jump out early to recruit elite gymnasts. They gain an advantage. Eventually, there is a domino effect” (Personal Interview). Given the competitive nature of college sports, coaches want to identify and recruit the most talented high school …show more content…
A college coach will not recruit a student-athlete who cannot compete in the classroom no matter what age they are. Academic performance tells a coach a lot about an athlete’s ability to prioritize, set goals, and manage time. According to the New York Times, Ivy League schools send a letter to a student when they commit early. The letters explain why “the colleges will make their official admission decisions only when a student is a senior in high school” (Popper 1). A high school student-athlete must meet college academic requirements to become a college athlete. No matter how exciting recruiting can be, it is distracting to a student. Committing early allows athletes to enjoy their junior and senior years and focus on finishing strong