New York Times article on recruiting younger and younger kids.

Athletic Recruits
1

<p>Very interesting.
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/sports/committing-to-play-for-a-college-then-starting-9th-grade.html?emc=eta1&_r=0"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/sports/committing-to-play-for-a-college-then-starting-9th-grade.html?emc=eta1&_r=0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

2

<p>Thanks for posting that, was an interesting read. It’s too bad that is the going trend but I don’t see it changing any time soon. </p>

3

<p>I don’t see this in real life, it is much more of an exception than the rule. The girl in question is on the U15 GNT. I know many girls on a U17G team that was ranked in the top three in the country, and only three were committed as of junior year, and the rest who wanted to play in college were recruited as seniors.</p>

<p>It takes an awful lot of marketing to get your 7th grader recruited.</p>

<p>I found this more useful: <a href=“http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/top-100-recruits-offer-commitment-advice_aid19741”>http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/top-100-recruits-offer-commitment-advice_aid19741&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>I think Damon Bailey was a 14 y/o commit to Indiana University in 1986, I know Brad Waller a 1980-81 UC Bearcat was offerend a scholarship three years before, but he was discovered as a nine year old…I wanna say John Graves was also in that same class at UC and came along with the same story.</p>

5

<p>Another article noting how many juniors are committing:
<a href=“http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/girls-commitments:-2015-decisions-roll-in_aid32481?utm_source=All&utm_campaign=2_3_14&utm_medium=email”>http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/girls-commitments:-2015-decisions-roll-in_aid32481?utm_source=All&utm_campaign=2_3_14&utm_medium=email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>even on the girls side.</p>

<p>I just see anecdotes about a very very few players getting recruited quite young. I see many more stats on how many players get recruited as juniors and seniors, let alone are wishy washy about their verbal commitments.</p>

<p>Considering a lot of marriages aren’t even lasting five years, if you are in 7th grade and make a verbal commitment, what is the chance that would not change?</p>

<p>It’s more kudos for the best of the best, or the best of the best <em>at a young age</em>. Which is not the same as the best of the best in the class of 2014.</p>