Amen! Exactly one of the points I've been trying to make. Special does not = TEAM. It's absurd that people want to celebrate a 2020 verbal like its some great honor or prize. oh I forgot, it's very very special. Let the kids enjoy some high school experience first before rushing to college. It all goes by way too quick without the parents worrying how princess looks on the field so she can get her rightful offer(s).
I don't think you understand how the recruiting process works. Below is an overview of how it went with my youngest daughter.
After her rising 9th grade summer she was contacted by 2 schools. One school was great academically the other was good (both top 10 lacrosse). After the fall of 9th grade additional schools made contact. Most of the schools that were top 20 programs. Just about all were strong academically.Two were Top 5 academic schools, one was a Top 10 academic, one was Top 15 academic and one was Top 20 academic. Six of the schools ended the 2015 season ranked in the Top 10 in lacrosse.
We did not expect the recruiting to begin so early. After considering all of the schools that reached out, we narrowed it down to nine schools and began a dialog with the coaches. After visiting the schools we narrowed it down to six and visited five of the schools again. The schools were diverse in many ways and all had much to offer. Five were Top 10 lacrosse programs and all were very strong academically. All of the Schools extended an offer to commit.
After carful consideration and with parental guidance my daughter made a decision. We never made any public announcement on any lacrosse web site, lacrosse blog or in the local paper.
The college coaches are the ones who drove this process. They watched (scouted) the games, they made the contact and they extended the offers. The coaches represented excellent schools with great lacrosse programs. These coaches are competing to get the best players before the other coaches can recruit them. After the top 20 - 30 players are off the board the recruiting process changes but by then the kids are no longer in the ninth grade.
I do not think that you have to worry about too many 8th graders committing. I think 25 - 35 9th graders will commit early this year I don't think many more than that.
