<p>In our experience the Ivy schools have not functioned in the way mentioned in Mayhew’s response. Three Ivy coaches asked for official transcripts and score reports for admission reads before talking further with my son. In other words, the coaches made sure he was admissible first. Now he is waiting, and I hope he is not sweating this out for so long due to prospects that may commit to one school while still courting others. Some schools have lost interest in him as he has waited for his top three choices to
decide about him. </p>
<p>I’m sorry if you have experienced dishonest coaches.</p>
<p>^^Tspwt5: I am so sorry if I gave the impression that we have experienced dishonest coaches! That has not been our experience at all!! We feel that we have consistently had constructive communication, professional behavior, etc. </p>
<p>Yes, our experience is like yours in that all the schools my daughter may visit has official transcripts, score reports, etc. It only makes sense that they would not offer an OV to someone they don’t think they can get through admissions. Indeed, one of these ivies asked my daughter to take her first SAT in the autumn of her Junior year just to make sure that she was someone they could actively recruit in terms of her SAT scores at least. That proved to be very helpful with every school, as her recruiting process started being active last October. </p>
<p>We are just in a cautious mode, and feel it is best for us not to assume anything or to imagine that everything will go just as I and my daughter might hope…All of the attention is very flattering, etc. but it is not real to us until she has a LL/NLI. The ivy coach may say “yes, we want you, and admissions has seen your transcript and feels OK with it”, and that is awesome, but it is not a “done deal” until you actually receive that LL. With non-ivy schools, we feel a bit more relaxed about that. At this time though, all of the coaches are happy, breezy, confident, not sending any vibe of uneasiness with this process with my daughter, but they are not the ones who have their immediate future on the line. My daughter has been really fortunate to have been considered a top recruit in her sport, yet at the same time, we know that everyone is replaceable, and this can be a fickle process. Not a fun thought, but true!</p>
<p>Again, I cannot empathize enough that we have not had any negative coach experiences/any dishonesty shown towards us! I am really sorry if you had that impression from my post!</p>
<p>Tspwt5, an OV invitation does NOT mean an athlete is a shoe-in for admission. A friend of my son’s was invited on multiple OVs at Ivies and, in the end, did not get into a single one.</p>
<p>A friend of DD’s received an OV invitation from the D1 top tier school she wanted to go to most (had been accepted by school, coach had assured her she was his top choice and would be receiving NLI, she “committed” to signing with the team during signing period).</p>
<p>THE DAY BEFORE she was to board the plane, the coach called and cancelled the visit (and the tickets) because an athlete he had wanted more agreed to come for an OV. </p>
<p>Poor girl was heartbroken and had to scramble to re-open negotiations with her #2, #3, #4 and #5 choice schools (had told coaches she preferred and would commit to school #1). Coaches were understanding, but #2, #3 and #4 didn’t sign her either. She ended up at her #5 choice, thankfully as a signed athlete.</p>
<p>You have to treat this process like a business deal - it is not final till the contracts are signed. Each side is acting in it’s own self-interest, and an athlete can just as easily rescind a verbal commitment if their dream school’s coach calls out of the blue, as the coach can rescind his offer to you if their dream athlete unexpectedly expresses interest.</p>
<p>MereMom, that is a terrible story! I hope the girl is happy where she is. Things do happen for a reason, we have to believe!</p>
<p>One of the coaches basically told my daughter she was a top pick. But he also flat out told her, if someone else comes along who is faster, guess who becomes his top recruit? I actually really liked that guy!</p>
<p>mere mom typed:
"You have to treat this process like a business deal - it is not final till the contracts are signed. Each side is acting in it’s own self-interest, and an athlete can just as easily rescind a verbal commitment if their dream school’s coach calls out of the blue, as the coach can rescind his offer to you if their dream athlete unexpectedly expresses interest. "</p>
<p>Coaches let down their families when they lose their jobs. Recruiting is their life line to wins = they get to keep their job with winning programs.</p>
<p>What do you think their choice is going to be?</p>
<p>They are putting their families lives and all the families of their assistant coaches and staff on their recruit choices.</p>
<p>You have to sell: I’m the top dog recruit!!! </p>
<p>IF you want the scholly or a coach to work their magic, for you to be on their team, the sale, as meremom said, is never closed, until on paper.</p>
<p>While most coaches do every thing in their power, to not burn bridges on a OV or a verbal committment… (why would they hurt their program or relationships with high school/AAu coaches or public relations).
There are ALWAYS players on their board or in the wings.</p>
<p>Players sometimes are misinformed and believe they have “committed”, when there really wasn’t a “committable offer” by the coaching staff.
We can often get coaches nodding in agreement when we say we are wanting to commit to their program however nods do not make an offer = “committment”.</p>
<p>wilberry:
our recruits can be labeled top gun, however our recruits, still have to show up. make the team… win a starting position… keep grades up to be compliant …all the time knowing/seeing the whole new crop of next year’s top guns after their positions.</p>
<p>“our recruits can be labeled top gun, however our recruits, still have to show up. make the team… win a starting position… keep grades up to be compliant …all the time knowing/seeing the whole new crop of next year’s top guns after their positions.”</p>
<p>This is alarming. Of course, in a sport based on times, this is slightly different, but when an athlete has only ever been with one team since the age of 8, who knows how a different practice schedule/regimen will affect performance? For better or for worse?</p>
<p>Brings to mind the saying, always someone faster, richer, and better-looking !!</p>
<p>Buckling in for the ride, and wishing I could slow down time!!</p>