WAG 8th Grader Verbally Committed Today. Class of 2023

[FlippinLilysMom]

Then there's no reason for you to even think about it.

Easier said than done.

 

[Gymmom0403]

I guess I don’t really understand these early commitments. The pressure to commit early seems overwhelming.
I applaud trinity Thomas for knowing she wasn’t ready to commit before her senior year. And Florida had a spot for her since she is that darn good

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

I guess I don’t really understand these early commitments. The pressure to commit early seems overwhelming.
I applaud trinity Thomas for knowing she wasn’t ready to commit before her senior year. And Florida had a spot for her since she is that darn good

I see your point but what if Florida wouldn’t have had that spot for her? Think she would have regretted not committing earlier then?

 

[raenndrops]

I think you would agree that you are an unusual case?

Absolutely.
And I don't know if this 8th grader has always wanted to go to Auburn or if it is the coach relationship that is the main influencing factor (or maybe both).
Either way, I don't like the idea of verbaling middle schoolers (or even 9th graders or young 10th graders). I think there is too much that happens between or can happen between 7th or 8th grade and high school graduation.
A gymnast who is a level 9 or Level 10 at a young age could easily burn out or have a career-ending injury before they finish high school.

 

[Gymmom0403]

I see your point but what if Florida wouldn’t have had that spot for her? Think she would have regretted not committing earlier then?

I have no idea. It’s hard to know her thought process.

 

[duyetanh]

I see your point but what if Florida wouldn’t have had that spot for her? Think she would have regretted not committing earlier then?

No. Because she was and is good enough that somewhere, someone, somehow would have figured out a way to make it happen. We obviously don’t know what she was thinking, but she seems like she made a great decision for her, and it all worked out.

 

[wandrewsjr]

A gymnast so strong she is choosing between World Championships and College is in a pretty unique position. Don’t think Trinity can be used as an example for most.

 

[duyetanh]

A gymnast so strong she is choosing between World Championships and College is in a pretty unique position. Don’t think Trinity can be used as an example for most.

True that

 

[profmom]

Many, many, many students all across America do not get to go to their first-choice college. And for almost all of them, it works out fine. I would advise against considering only NCAA scholarship opportunities even for students who are good enough athletes to have those opportunities. For young women, there are a lot of options ranging from club to DI, and even within DI, there are choices. I can't see how it makes sense to settle on one place before a student is even old enough to look seriously at a few of these options. Of course, I come from a perspective of watching several girls from our gym decide during senior year where they're going to continue their gymnastics career -- yes, sometimes on scholarship.

 

[bookworm]

An 8th grader that goes to a gym in our area just verbally committed to Auburn, class of 2023. My daughter is class of 2024...I'm so not ready for this, nor is she.

So much for the new regs....regulations with no consequences are useless

 

[gymbeam]

I definitely wish the recruiting didn’t start so young but also completely understand not turning down a great offer.

Most D1 schools are going to offer academic programs to satisfy the desires of most students. So, even if they haven’t decided their career path, they will more than likely find something at any school that works for them.

I’m not saying I support early recruitment- at all. I wish there was hard stop put in place for the madness. But, my stance against it comes from the perspective of athletes physical health by pushing them to extremes so young more than from the perspective of them not being able to choose a college so young.

Does that make any sense?

 

[NutterButter]

Most D1 schools are going to offer academic programs to satisfy the desires of most students. So, even if they haven’t decided their career path, they will more than likely find something at any school that works for them.

Assuming the D1 school allows the athlete to choose from all of the degree options offered at the university...

 

[gymbeam]

Assuming the D1 school allows the athlete to choose from all of the degree options offered at the university...

Right but I think the degrees that don’t work with gymnastics will be pretty similar at all schools too. Just a guess. I really have no idea.

 

[Freddy's Fred]

I definitely wish the recruiting didn’t start so young but also completely understand not turning down a great offer.

Most D1 schools are going to offer academic programs to satisfy the desires of most students. So, even if they haven’t decided their career path, they will more than likely find something at any school that works for them.

I’m not saying I support early recruitment- at all. I wish there was hard stop put in place for the madness. But, my stance against it comes from the perspective of athletes physical health by pushing them to extremes so young more than from the perspective of them not being able to choose a college so young.

Does that make any sense?

It's disheartening to hear that people think that someone will have the exact same academic experience at one school vs another one. The mission of universities is to provide an education and to further knowledge, not to support athletics. It's truly horrifying that anyone thinks a 12 or 13 year old can make an informed decision about what university will best support her future mental/academic development and potential career choices.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Many, many, many students all across America do not get to go to their first-choice college. And for almost all of them, it works out fine. I would advise against considering only NCAA scholarship opportunities even for students who are good enough athletes to have those opportunities. For young women, there are a lot of options ranging from club to DI, and even within DI, there are choices. I can't see how it makes sense to settle on one place before a student is even old enough to look seriously at a few of these options. Of course, I come from a perspective of watching several girls from our gym decide during senior year where they're going to continue their gymnastics career -- yes, sometimes on scholarship.

This is my perspective. The college that my daughter aspires to doesn’t have an ncaa team, but it is completely the perfect college for her. On her entire (exhaustively researched) college list, only four of thirteen schools have ncaa teams. It is sad to me to think that girls choose their schools solely on the basis of a gymnastics scholarship, even if they are at that level. There is so much more to consider, and I doubt my daughter was ready to maturely consider it all in middle school.

 

[gymbeam]

It's disheartening to hear that people think that someone will have the exact same academic experience at one school vs another one. The mission of universities is to provide an education and to further knowledge, not to support athletics. It's truly horrifying that anyone thinks a 12 or 13 year old can make an informed decision about what university will best support her future mental/academic development and potential career choices.

Never said experience will be the same. just the degree offerings. I bounced around to several universities and never once got to choose based on my dream location of climate, culture, Region etc. Finances dictated my choices yet I survived and got my degree and enjoyed myself. Furthermore, those 4 years do not have to be the end of academic opportunity and experience. Heck, if it sucks they can leave the team and transfer at any time.

Confession: I’m arguing now just for the sake of argument. I think early recruitment is ridiculous too and that kids that age have no clue what they want. I just also tend to think in most cases it will work out just fine.

 

[ann1245]

Yes, it's just a verbal and she is not technically "locked" into this, but considering the head coach of Auburn is the twin brother of her club coach I don't expect her to not see this through.

Unless for some reason there was a gym switch.

It's disheartening to hear that people think that someone will have the exact same academic experience at one school vs another one. The mission of universities is to provide an education and to further knowledge, not to support athletics. It's truly horrifying that anyone thinks a 12 or 13 year old can make an informed decision about what university will best support her future mental/academic development and potential career choices.

It's disheartening to hear that people think that someone will have the exact same academic experience at one school vs another one. The mission of universities is to provide an education and to further knowledge, not to support athletics. It's truly horrifying that anyone thinks a 12 or 13 year old can make an informed decision about what university will best support her future mental/academic development and potential career choices.

For most gymnast when college is over , you are done with gymnastics. Young gymnast don’t think about that until they are in high school. In the end you are left with a degree and a career. That should be what’s most important and not the college gym ranking.

 

[gymyogimom]

So much for the new regs....regulations with no consequences are useless

Exactly. Verbal commitments which go public should impact their NCAA ability. They aren't supposed to even be making official visits as sophomores!!

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

Exactly. Verbal commitments which go public should impact their NCAA ability. They aren't supposed to even be making official visits as sophomores!!

It wasn't an official visit. She was their for a camp auburn was hosting.

 

[Gymmom0403]

There are rules around camps though aren’t there? I didn’t think coaches could do more than coach. They aren’t supposed to talk recruiting at all — or did I make that up? (Which is entirely possible )