College Volleyball Commitment - Now What?

Before we get to a very good question about what happens after Committing to a college, I wanted to update all my VolleyFolk that I will be conducting a College Transfer Webinar on Wednesday at 9 central (please make sure your web browser is running the most current version of Adobe Flash!!!).  With the end of the collegiate season and the start of the recruiting season, I get many emails from families which are now facing the Collegiate Transfer process.    On Wednesday morning, I will provide the link and log in information for the College Transfer Live Webinar - Many thanks to NCSA for their support of this great information exchange.


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Coach,

First, thanks for helping Volleyfamlies with your advice and insight. It has been an aid in our journey.  

GLAD TO HELP AND I APPRECIATE THE 'THANKS'.

My DD is a high school junior and has verbally committed to her dream school, a D1 in a major conference.  

FANTASTIC AND COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Now what? 

RELAX AND ENJOY THE NEXT TWO YEAR'S OF CLUB VOLLEYBALL.

We think our DD is doing all the right things,

* registered at Eledgibility Center 

GOOD, MAKE SURE SHE ALSO COMPLETES THE AMATEURISM QUESTIONNAIRE, ALONG WITH CHECKING IT OFTEN, BECAUSE THE NCAA EC LIKES TO DROP LAST MINUTE 'TO DO'S' IN THERE..

* taking ACTs/SATs - GOOD.

* taking 17s season seriously - 

MORE THAN SERIOUSLY, USE IT TO IMPROVE SKILL SETS.

* emailing coaches bi-weekly - MORE THAN ENOUGH.

But what else should she be doing?

ENJOY BEING A JUNIOR IS HIGH SCHOO AND 17 YEARS OLD.  COLLEGE WILL COME SOON ENOUGH; THE BEST THING SHE CAN DO FOR COLLEGE IS KEEP HER GRADES UP AND KEEP IMPROVING HER VOLLEYBALL SKILLS.

Also, what should we expect from the school now that she has verbally committed? 

DEPENDS ON THE SCHOOL. THE COACHES SHOULD KNOW WHEN APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SENT IN (ADMISSION AND HOUSING) AND THEY SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON HER NCAA EC PROGRESS.

* Will the coaches watch club matches more or less frequently?  More or less intently? 

LESS BECAUSE SHE HAS ALREADY COMMITTED AND LESS INTENTLY.  WHAT THEY WILL DO IS A 'DRIVE BY' TO MAKE SURE SHE SEES THEM WATCHING HER, AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE SHE IS PROGRESSING AND STAYING IN SHAPE.  BASICALLY, THEY DROP IN TO 'PSA SIT'.

* Will college coach tell club coach what to work on? 

DEPENDS ON HER POSITION; USUALLY NOTHING DRASTIC BUT MAYBE A SPECIFIC SKILL WHICH CAN BE TIGHTENED UP, IN ADDITION TO JUST GETTING GENERALLY BETTER.

* What will the college coaches be looking for? 

TO MAKE SURE SHE STAYS IN SHAPE (PSA'S GAINING WEIGHT, AND LOSING FITNESS IS A NIGHTMARE FOR COLLEGE COACHES BECAUSE THIS RESULTS IN FATIGUE INJURIES BEFORE THE PSA EVER ARRIVES TO CAMPUS. 

* Should DD attend the Big State U summer camp? SHE WILL BE EXPECTED TO.

All of this then leads me to ask when/why a college program would pull out their side of the verbal?  

MOST COMMON REASONS SEEM TO BE CHANGE IN HEAD COACHES (#1), PLAYER SERIOUSLY GETS OUT OF SHAPE (FAT), DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER (USUALLY THIS IS A RESULT OF A WAY EARLY SOPHOMORE COMMITMENT, AND PSA FLATTENS OUT), ACADEMICS (AGAIN, EARLY COMMITS STILL HAVE MANY CLASSES TO TAKE, ALONG WITH TESTS.

* What happens if DD get seriously hurt, like an ACL? 

DEPENDS ON COACH AND ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT; ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS ARE NOW ASKING FOR HEALTH HISTORIES ON PSA'S BEFORE SENDING NLI'S BECAUSE ONCE THE PLAYER SIGNS, THE SCHOOL IS CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO THEM.  COACHES - IF A PLAYER BLOWS HER KNEE THEN THE COACH HAS A DECISION; IN THE PAST, COACHES JUST REDSHIRTED THE PSA AUTOMATICALLY THE FRESHMAN YEAR TO EXTEND REHAB TIME.  BUT NOW, MORE COACHES ARE PULLING VERBAL OFFERS AND MOVING ON TO OTHER ATHLETES.

* What happens if DD does not progress sufficiently? 

AGAIN, IN THE PAST, THE COACH JUST PLANNED ON THAT PLAYER CONTRIBUTING LATER IN HER COLLEGIATE CAREER OR JUST BEING A PRACTICE PLAYER.  BUT NOW, MORE AND MORE COACHES DON'T WANT TO PUT IN THE EFFORT TO DEVELOP A SLOW PROGRESSING PLAYER, BUT WOULD RATHER JUST GO RECRUIT ANOTHER PLAYER WHO IS BETTER.  

Maybe you can prepare a guide for the verbally committed PSA just like your wonder recruiting guides. 

GOOD IDEA.  I WOULD HOPE THAT THE COLLEGE PROGRAMS WOULD BE EDUCATING THE PLAYERS, BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

Thanks in advance for the advice.  NO PROBLEM!

Curious VolleyDad