Anyone's athlete not pursue being recruited

[Anonymous]

Most people don’t.

I have 2 that did and one that was like that looks miserable.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I helped with college applications for one. His main sport in high school is one that is grueling/hard on the body but not one where there is anywhere to go beyond college (unless you're olympic level and he wasn't) and he had strong academics. Crazy enough, he ended up walking on to a team for a different sport as a junior. Didn't see much action but really enjoyed, more than he would have enjoyed being a scholarship athlete in his main sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid with top athletics and top academics. He's not a senior, so still in the process, and we anticipate that the decision will be difficult to make.

Recruitment might not get him his first choice school. Also, at some schools the time commitment of sports can make the major he wants, and things like extracurriculars and internships really hard or impossible.

So, he's not at all sure he'll end up taking an offer.

I tried to get mine to give it up so they could do different things in college than they've done for a dozen years. I was unsuccessful and it worked out okay but I don't know that making the commitment to play sports in college makes much sense at all. When they started in with club sports at a young age, I really didn't quite understand where it was leading unfortunately.

It can be useful to get access to a top institution or to get money and for some students it's the right choice. For others, I think it interferes with moving on to better things.

[Anonymous]

My kid decided not to pursue D1 sports early on in the process because the schools strongest in her sport weren’t a great fit for her, and she wants to focus on academics over athletics. Over the years, she’s competed with several girls who went on to D1. Their college experiences have been very different- missing Wednesday thru Friday classes for 5 weeks in a row due to their meet schedule, tutors instead of attending lectures, practices/strength training twice an day, etc. So yes, absolutely some kids decide that isn’t what they want their college experience to look like. But she’s planning on doing her sport at the club level in college, that’s a good middle ground for her.

[Anonymous]

I think there is definitely kids who could play at a D3 or lower tier D1 who choose to go to a "better" school (could be better fit, better academics, better major, whatever) and not do the sport.

In my DD's friend group- there is only one athlete who has an opportunity to go to a top school for athletics and academics. The rest is kind of a mix of being able to play club at Virginia Tech vs playing at College of Wooster (nothing against Wooster but the kid would prefer VT)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there is definitely kids who could play at a D3 or lower tier D1 who choose to go to a "better" school (could be better fit, better academics, better major, whatever) and not do the sport.

In my DD's friend group- there is only one athlete who has an opportunity to go to a top school for athletics and academics. The rest is kind of a mix of being able to play club at Virginia Tech vs playing at College of Wooster (nothing against Wooster but the kid would prefer VT)

That was my son who is at an Ivy on academics alone. My current senior is also very smart/high scores/perfect gpa and also picked schools by academics and fit first.

That said, my firstborn is still playing on a semi-pro team (23-26 year olds many former
D-1 players) and any chance he gets. He also plays school club for fun. He still trains hard, still in the game. Loves it too much to stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid and many of her friends at UVA made the same decision. Is the grind really worth it, if they end up a lower academic universities just to play their sport?

Same. My kid focusing on other ECs to strengthen app.

[Anonymous]

My DD wanted to pursue other interests in college. She gets emails from coaches but is not willing to attend a lower tier academic school just to play a sport. She can try out for club—I know she will miss her sport/fitness/team bonding aspects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Learning a lot about recruiting and college process. Did anyone's child decide not to play based on where they were recruited? My kid is extremely bright and not sure the stars will align, especially having to commit before all acceptances come through.

I know several. Usually athletes with strong academics that get into a top college but did not get recruited to play at that institution. It is fine. It is a little tricky when they see all the teammates committing to play in college but once they get past that, all is well and they play club or move on to other things in college.

Same. Eager to play club and intramurals, too, depending on the club schedule and friend groups. Excited about the flexibility and new opportunities. No regrets, even knowing many HS and club friends are going to play D1 and D3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My daughter was recruitable at several top LACs but decided to ED to another school based on her broader interests. She was top 10 percent in her graduating class, high rigor, 1590 SAT, NMSF, strong ECs (besides sport). No regrets: got accepted and will play club.

Same. Academics allowed for an ivy, but sport ability was not at an ivy level for recruiting. Chose the former via ED and heading to an ivy.

Same exact here. DD went to Ivy, captained the club team which included qualifying for 3 national championship tournaments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most top athletes do not end up selecting lower tiered schools. Either they play at Ivys, or Hopkins, Chicago, military academies, or they play at Duke, Wake, W&M, UVA, Michigan etc.
Most top athletes are committing to top tier schools.

If the athlete is a nonstarter at club.. that's when this decision level comes in.

This person is talking out of their ass.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most top athletes do not end up selecting lower tiered schools. Either they play at Ivys, or Hopkins, Chicago, military academies, or they play at Duke, Wake, W&M, UVA, Michigan etc.
Most top athletes are committing to top tier schools.

If the athlete is a nonstarter at club.. that's when this decision level comes in.

This person is talking out of their ass.

+1

Seriously. Most people can’t afford a talk to your school with no scholarship and many of these sports. Don’t even give scholarships.

They’re actually more likely to go out a little lower to your school for money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My daughter was recruitable at several top LACs but decided to ED to another school based on her broader interests. She was top 10 percent in her graduating class, high rigor, 1590 SAT, NMSF, strong ECs (besides sport). No regrets: got accepted and will play club.

Same. Academics allowed for an ivy, but sport ability was not at an ivy level for recruiting. Chose the former via ED and heading to an ivy.

Same exact here. DD went to Ivy, captained the club team which included qualifying for 3 national championship tournaments.

I should add that it is very hard to make the club team at many schools. At DD's Ivy less than 10% of kids at tryouts made the team.

[Anonymous]

Yes. DD was a 4-year Varsity athlete. She was even a section-leader her senior year, which is important to demonstrate leadership.

She earned admission to a public Ivy, but won’t be pursuing her sport in college.

Academics come first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My daughter was recruitable at several top LACs but decided to ED to another school based on her broader interests. She was top 10 percent in her graduating class, high rigor, 1590 SAT, NMSF, strong ECs (besides sport). No regrets: got accepted and will play club.

Same. Academics allowed for an ivy, but sport ability was not at an ivy level for recruiting. Chose the former via ED and heading to an ivy.

Same exact here. DD went to Ivy, captained the club team which included qualifying for 3 national championship tournaments.

Similar situation for my kid as well. D3 coaches for 2 really good academic schools were interested for one of his sports but he chose to ED to an ivy instead. Playing that sport and one other at club level now and very happy with academics and playing opportunities/level of competition. It was the right decision for him. Spent time with HS teammates over break who chose D1 schools that weren’t really top tier academically and both said they were regretting it (one is actively applying to transfer somewhere else and play club instead of varsity - because not happy with academics or social situation at D1 school)