There are like three different arguments going on at the same time.
1--early guys are getting better $ which is why they commit early.
2--four year scholarships
3--nescac
For number 1, it is clear that the earlier you commit, the more 1st year $ you will get. If you look at the top 15 or 20 programs, most have taken their full roster of 2017 and are moving on to 2018. For the parents that say I won't let my kid commit this early, start looking for lower tier d-1 schools like Patriot. They don't give lax money anyway (for the most part) so you don't lose any scholarship opportunity.
I am sure the top programs will have a spot or two later, but unless your kid is a Greek god, it is an awful long shot.
Also, for number 1, I have not heard of a single instance other than failing to meet the grade requirements in which a coach reneged on his verbal early commit $. If someone has seen a coach who committed verbally to a 9th grade kid subsequently reneg on that offer, please share. Again if the kid couldn't make the SAT or GPA requirements, that is not a reneg as it was a condition to the initial package.
So, for number 1, early commits are generally a good thing with higher $ for a one year scholarship that can be renewed or changed by coach after 1st year is complete.
For number 2, we all agree (except for the guy with superman for a son) each year the coach has an opportunity to change the $ allocated up or down. He can cut you if he wants or find a kid that is better...
If your kid got say 25% lax $ and then he got another 25% in merit/gpa $ (total 50%), both can change in year two. For the lax $, the coach can pull them, for merit $, if your kid doesn't keep his GPA over a 3.0 (generally, each school has a little different threshold) he will lose that as well.
I hope a coach never pulls your kids $ but we know it can and has happened.
For number 3, nescac recruit later because they are generally top tier schools but give no lax $ and no merit $. Williams for example is rated number 1 Forbes, called the mini Ivies. Since they are d-3 and since there are no lax $ and no merit $, most of the schools wait while most of the families look to d-1 $ first. Why would a nescac coach waste his time chasing a kid that will likely go to a d-1.
One more point that most of you already know. Lax is a bad sport for scholarship $. at 12.9 for a fully funded program divided by 40-50 players means very little available for each kid.
Worse, many of the programs are no where near fully funded. most Patriots have very little if any lax $ and no merit. They look more like nescac schools...
If your kid has his hear set on going to a great school and playing d-1, open your checkbook a little further because you are looking at $50k plus for tuition and board.
