WAG Verbal commitments for young level 10s

[justanothergymmom]

Talking to a mom at a meet recently, I learned that most of the younger level 10 highschool students at their gym have verbally commited to Div 1 programs...Freshmen and Sophomores. I was definitely taken by surprise at how young these girls were being recruited!

I have noticed an increasing number of younger level 9 and 10 girls in our region with their own websites, complete with photos, video links and lists of accomplishments, and thought maybe it was just for fun. Now I am realizing that these girls are getting a jumpstart on the process. Is this really necessary to start marketing them THIS young? 6th-8th grade?

 

[gymgal]

I always wondered about this because I thought the coaches couldn't even talk to the families until they were rising juniors. But I have also heard of verbal commitments of sophmores.

Hopefully someone can provide insight.

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[Quadqueen]

there was recently an article on this on gymnastike:

High School Freshmen Verbally Commit to Top NCAA Programs | News | Gymnastike

 

[Deleted member D3987]

and we all have Mia Hamm to thank for this.

 

[bookworm]

My daughter "verballed" in her Jr year and I can tell you the whole process was SO stressful...I can't imagine doing it 2 years prior because I don't think she would have ended up at the same school...

I personally think verbal committments are kind of ridiculous for freshmen...they just got out of middle school for God's sake...unless you have a legacy kid who wants to go to say Penn St "because my whole family went there and I couldn't imagine going anywhere else" I think the kids should be given more time to see what's out there..

 

[ginnymac]

I always wondered about this because I thought the coaches couldn't even talk to the families until they were rising juniors. But I have also heard of verbal commitments of sophmores.

Hopefully someone can provide insight.

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I think different sports have different times that they (coaches) can start to talk,to athletes.

 

[gymgal]

I think different sports have different times that they (coaches) can start to talk,to athletes.

After reading the linked article and comments, I guess there are ways around it - like the club coaches talking to the collegiate coaches and the families doing unofficial visits... Not sure how I feel about it. My dd has had her heart set on 1 college since she was 5yr old and it has nothing to do with gymnastics (though that would be nice!) But she is in middle school now and hasn't even thought about what she want to major in college. I'm sure she will change her mind 10x once she starts really looking at schools.

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[gymmomtoo]

After reading the linked article and comments, I guess there are ways around it - like the club coaches talking to the collegiate coaches and the families doing unofficial visits... Not sure how I feel about it. My dd has had her heart set on 1 college since she was 5yr old and it has nothing to do with gymnastics (though that would be nice!) But she is in middle school now and hasn't even thought about what she want to major in college. I'm sure she will change her mind 10x once she starts really looking at schools.

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Yes, the college coaches can talk to the club coach anytime--and that frequently happens. Likewise, the parent or athlete can initiate contact with the college coach by calling--and they can talk if the coach answers. The coach can't call them back when they're only freshman, sophomores, etc. (my daughter's only a freshman, so haven't looked up when exactly they can call). And if you go for an unofficial visit, they can talk to you all they want on campus.

 

[coachmolly]

I think it's ridiculous. It's one thing to hear about a junior giving a verbal, but freshman? They have no idea where their gymnastics/grades/minds/goals will be that far into the future. And if a kid were to verbal to a big name school as a freshman only to have a serious injury or major mental block come junior year and get that initial offer taken away (because nothing is binding at that point), other schools will not have even given them a second thought thinking they were "off the market." Leaving the kid, coaches, and parents with a lot of lost ground to make up in a very short time. The whole process has to be incredibly stressful and pressure filled.

 

[justanothergymmom]

I think it's ridiculous. It's one thing to hear about a junior giving a verbal, but freshman? They have no idea where their gymnastics/grades/minds/goals will be that far into the future. And if a kid were to verbal to a big name school as a freshman only to have a serious injury or major mental block come junior year and get that initial offer taken away (because nothing is binding at that point), other schools will not have even given them a second thought thinking they were "off the market." Leaving the kid, coaches, and parents with a lot of lost ground to make up in a very short time. The whole process has to be incredibly stressful and pressure filled.

I am stressed just THINKING about all this now...I seriously thought we had at least 3 more years until we would have to START to think about all this!!! So if you commit too soon you can lock your kid into something they may not want, but if you don't commit there may be nothing available for them by the time they decide?

 

[noosoopforu]

We are going thru this right now with our sophomore. It is a fun experience. There are website people that can set you up (gym-style) for a very reasonable price. It seems to me that you want to have your act together going into your sophomore year. The freshman committing seems like more of an exception than the rule. If your DD goes to nationals, the coaches will know about her. Different colleges have different approaches but the more you know the better you are. You can call them anytime. They can't call you back, so you have to be persistent. We have had to spend some time and $ on unofficial visits, but you would do that anyway when selecting a college, maybe not as a sophomore but at some point. Let me know if you have other questions that i can answer (learning on the fly).

 

[gardenia01]

One of our Level 10s is a freshman and our coaches have been approached by college coaches at a few of the meets we've been to, have asked for video of her, and in general have expressed interest. She has a website and a youtube site. I think it's probably good to be on the ball by freshman year with a website and videos available. I know colleges are also at High Performance Clinic and the girls fill out forms for them and provide resumes. I'm not sure about actually committing anywhere freshman year, but girls definitely need to be thinking about college recruitment and getting their information out there as much as possible. Your coaches should be a good source for hearing which colleges are interested.

 

[3rd_time_around]

The whole verbal commitment before junior year has me so mad! My DD was injured just before her first tear of 10 as a freshman. She was so ready with great skills and looked amazing! Then injury and slowly getting back, and before she was completely recovered, another major injury. She has worked so hard and is orobably about where she was before the first injury, but I know how good she is and her work ethic, and barring another injury she will be a very good gymnast in college.

BUT... I have been told that pretty much every scholarship at all the top 15 schools, and many if the lower ranked school, have already promised ALL of the scholarships for my dd's year, and she's only a sophomore! So where does that leave her? Why should we even bother continuing in this sport if there is no reason to? She could find something else to do with her time and my money. People who don't get it (like the responders on Gymnastike) say, "Let them committ, they've earned it." or "you just sound like sour grapes," etc. They just do not understand. And when your gymnast feels like no one believes in her any more, and every college has no room left, and parents are completely left on their own to do this and stressed about the whole process, it really makes you ask "why? What's the point?"

Injuries are a part of this sport, but they can be overcome and gis shouldn't be written off because of it. And I wish the NCAA would step in and do what they do best and regulate this verbal commitment fiasco.

 

[Faith]

BUT... I have been told that pretty much every scholarship at all the top 15 schools, and many if the lower ranked school, have already promised ALL of the scholarships for my dd's year, and she's only a sophomore! So where does that leave her? Why should we even bother continuing in this sport if there is no reason to?

Is it possible to defer college for a year and get in first for a scholarship the year after? It's fairly common over here for kids to go travelling/get a job/join the circus/do charity work for a year between school and college. She could use the year to get some coaching experience, build on her skills, maybe take some home classes so the academic workload will be easier when she starts college?

 

[momof5]

Don't give up hope. One of our girls was injured her whole sophmore season and didn't start the process till her junior year and she ended up with a schlorship to a top program.

 

[gymmomtoo]

She may have to look a little lower than the top 15 or consider a walk-on position her first year, but I'm sure if she stays healthy, she can get a scholarship. Last year both our seniors got scholarships--one verballed fall of Junior year and the other not until August of her Senior year!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Is it possible to defer college for a year and get in first for a scholarship the year after? It's fairly common over here for kids to go travelling/get a job/join the circus/do charity work for a year between school and college. She could use the year to get some coaching experience, build on her skills, maybe take some home classes so the academic workload will be easier when she starts college?

yes, we have defer. but the shelf life of a female gymnast is such that they won't unless it is an Olympian.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

The whole verbal commitment before junior year has me so mad! My DD was injured just before her first tear of 10 as a freshman. She was so ready with great skills and looked amazing! Then injury and slowly getting back, and before she was completely recovered, another major injury. She has worked so hard and is orobably about where she was before the first injury, but I know how good she is and her work ethic, and barring another injury she will be a very good gymnast in college.



BUT... I have been told that pretty much every scholarship at all the top 15 schools, and many if the lower ranked school, have already promised ALL of the scholarships for my dd's year, and she's only a sophomore! So where does that leave her? Why should we even bother continuing in this sport if there is no reason to? She could find something else to do with her time and my money. People who don't get it (like the responders on Gymnastike) say, "Let them committ, they've earned it." or "you just sound like sour grapes," etc. They just do not understand. And when your gymnast feels like no one believes in her any more, and every college has no room left, and parents are completely left on their own to do this and stressed about the whole process, it really makes you ask "why? What's the point?"

Injuries are a part of this sport, but they can be overcome and gis shouldn't be written off because of it. And I wish the NCAA would step in and do what they do best and regulate this verbal commitment fiasco.

just ignore that crap and stay the course. the top 15 only go after the elites and the top 10 at Nationals anyway. there's another 70 schools. stay the course and keep contacting them. please...ignore all that other crap.

 

[iwannacoach]

Not wanting to wish this on anybody, but it's out there.........Some of these kids who've already been "anointed" will have the misfortune of injuries, loss of spark, or be distracted by (cue the thunder and lightning)........BOYS........oh my!!!!

Try to hang in there for the next year or two, cuz you never know what'll happen next.

 

[gymgal]

Don't programs also offer academic scholarships for gymnasts they want on their teams but don't have any more athletic scholarships left?

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