Division 3 Sports, Unrecruited Athlete

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

This is true. Many told my kid that they no longer do 'walk ons'. The rosters are set.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn't be different had they played for the HS, btw.

+1. I don't understand the question. In most NCAA sports, the club teams rule and playing for HS is irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn't be different had they played for the HS, btw.

+1. I don't understand the question. In most NCAA sports, the club teams rule and playing for HS is irrelevant.

Often true, but some sports it would look very odd to not play in HS, especially if your HS is competitive in that sport.

Football is the one sport where HS really matters, as there really is not a travel circuit. Basketball it technically does not matter, but it would look odd to attend Sidwell and play on an AAU team but not for the HS. That would usually be a tell that you were not good enough to play for Sidwell (which is very strong in basketball).

Same, if you attend SJC and don't play on the baseball team but play travel baseball...the only exception would be if you are so good that you are playing on one of the crazy national travel teams where literally 1/2 the team sends kids to the MLB. However, even those teams don't usually play during the main HS baseball season. Also, if you are on one of those teams everyone knows who you are and you aren't playing D3 baseball.

Soccer is definitely different. Kids play for academy teams that often won't allow you to play for the HS team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

This is true. Many told my kid that they no longer do 'walk ons'. The rosters are set.

You're telling me it's impossible to walk on for baseball at Gettysburg?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

This is true. Many told my kid that they no longer do 'walk ons'. The rosters are set.

You're telling me it's impossible to walk on for baseball at Gettysburg?

I mean, any kid that is capable of playing D1, but chose to attend Gettysburg for non-sports reasons can likely walk-on to most of their teams. Is that the scenario you are asking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

This is true. Many told my kid that they no longer do 'walk ons'. The rosters are set.

You're telling me it's impossible to walk on for baseball at Gettysburg?

I mean, any kid that is capable of playing D1, but chose to attend Gettysburg for non-sports reasons can likely walk-on to most of their teams. Is that the scenario you are asking?

Well, that kind of proves my point that the roster isn't set in stone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

This is true. Many told my kid that they no longer do 'walk ons'. The rosters are set.

My son was a preferred walking and got a 1/2 scholarship after 1 year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

Boys may be different in terms of timing but my female rising college freshman was offered her spot (D3) late in her HS junior year and committed in July, then was accepted (high academic school) ED. It’s pretty late to be having a first conversation with the coach. Agree that Coach Renee is great and her steps worked for us but my kid started the process as a sophomore. And had lots and lots of video to share with the coach— do you have film?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

Not true.

Mine walked on Div 1.

Stopped playing for his HS junior year as parents were so obnoxious. He hated how they behaved.

He wasn't going to play in college as we totally discorraged all our kids from that. Summer before college at orientation he was playing in a pick up game. A trainer saw him. Asked him to come for a tryout to meet the coaching staff. He did they offered him money and spot that day. Starter all four years. Yes, true story.

LAX

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

This is true. Many told my kid that they no longer do 'walk ons'. The rosters are set.

You're telling me it's impossible to walk on for baseball at Gettysburg?

It truly depends. Based on some friends' experiences, I think it is entirely possible that Gettysburg has its baseball roster locked up. It depends on the size of the team, the rigor of the conference, the coach's preference. The only way to know is to start the conversation with the coach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

Boys may be different in terms of timing but my female rising college freshman was offered her spot (D3) late in her HS junior year and committed in July, then was accepted (high academic school) ED. It’s pretty late to be having a first conversation with the coach. Agree that Coach Renee is great and her steps worked for us but my kid started the process as a sophomore. And had lots and lots of video to share with the coach— do you have film?

How could it be late to having a discussion? Plenty of schools haven't even issued admission decisions yet. Why would an athlete be having discussions with a coach of a school he isn't in yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

This is true. Many told my kid that they no longer do 'walk ons'. The rosters are set.

My son was a preferred walking and got a 1/2 scholarship after 1 year

In a D3 school? D3s aren't supposed to do athletic scholarships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn't be different had they played for the HS, btw.

+1. I don't understand the question. In most NCAA sports, the club teams rule and playing for HS is irrelevant.

Often true, but some sports it would look very odd to not play in HS, especially if your HS is competitive in that sport.

Football is the one sport where HS really matters, as there really is not a travel circuit. Basketball it technically does not matter, but it would look odd to attend Sidwell and play on an AAU team but not for the HS. That would usually be a tell that you were not good enough to play for Sidwell (which is very strong in basketball).

Same, if you attend SJC and don't play on the baseball team but play travel baseball...the only exception would be if you are so good that you are playing on one of the crazy national travel teams where literally 1/2 the team sends kids to the MLB. However, even those teams don't usually play during the main HS baseball season. Also, if you are on one of those teams everyone knows who you are and you aren't playing D3 baseball.

Soccer is definitely different. Kids play for academy teams that often won't allow you to play for the HS team.

That’s non sensical. My son plays baseball for a school that would be creamed by SJC and he might not make the team at SJC. But he is being recruited now by D2 and D3 teams. Not being the best of the best doesn’t mean you can’t get a roster spot at a school that plays at your level.

Many D3s will happily take you onto the team at this point (assuming kid is a senior) whether still applying or already in. At my kids school his baseball teammates have decided to play baseball at their selected school after they made their selection much more often than going through a “recruitment process” because baseball just isn’t that important to most of them. They’ll play if it works out, but they aren’t going to shape their college choice around it.

My kid is an outlier - he desperately wants to play, so we’ll make sure he does the recruitment thing and the coach truly wants him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, don't go in with high expectations. DS approached the college coach after admissions and was basically stiff armed. They do tend to bring in all they need through the recruitment process, even if none of them are getting $$ or a thumb on the scale.

This is true. Many told my kid that they no longer do 'walk ons'. The rosters are set.

You're telling me it's impossible to walk on for baseball at Gettysburg?

It truly depends. Based on some friends' experiences, I think it is entirely possible that Gettysburg has its baseball roster locked up. It depends on the size of the team, the rigor of the conference, the coach's preference. The only way to know is to start the conversation with the coach.

Agree. A friend's kid went to another school in the Centennial Conference. He was a good baseball player and walked on the baseball team in year 1 but never played and was cut the following year. If OPs kid is D1 level at a D3 school that is of course a different story, but many of these D3 schools are doing serious recruiting. We are friends with a coach at a D3 who is encouraged by the admissions office to recruit boys/encourage them to apply ED since most of the SLACs are short on boys.

[Anonymous]

TCU just had try-outs mid season for their women's basketball team: https://gofrogs.com/news/2024/1/22/womens-basketball-horned-frogs-add-trio-of-walk-ons-ahead-of-return-to-court.aspx

Just reach out and see if it is something that might work out. You never know unless you ask.