Scholarships @ grade 9?

[MidCakePa]

My point for this thread is that if the player the OP is talking about really is a top lax player nationally then I wouldn't be surprised if he received a verbal offer from an academy in 9th grade.

And any kid — and parent — who banked that verbal offer should take a look at this cool bridge that I’m selling for dirt cheap!

 

[USMCGrunt]

Don't HS athletes have to register with the NCAA Clearing House before a coach can speak with them? Its been many years, but my oldest daughter went through the recruiting process for track & field and that was the process back then. There was also a published schedule of when coaches could officially meet with and offer scholarships. Perhaps it has all changed by now.

 

[billyb]

I don't want to argue and this will be my last statement on the topic. This is commonplace and happens year in and year out at the very top level of youth sports and the offers coming at 8th and 9th grade all come through. I am not talking winning a state HS championship level, I am talking worlds above that in the highest level of club sports in the country where the tournaments each year are invite only and cross country travel is common. Unless you are in that world, I can see you not believing it. We just come from different sports worlds I guess.

 

[NavyHoops]

They do. And coaches can only speak to them during designated periods. NCAA is pretty clear on calling, texting, letters, etc. Sports camps are different. They sort of have open access to them while they are on site for those camps. Also players can initiate contact. Rules are different in that case. Verbal offers hold about zero weight for both parties in legal terms, mostly goes to the reputation of the coach and player in following up what they commit to.

 

[billyb]

Don't HS athletes have to register with the NCAA Clearing House before a coach can speak with them? Its been many years, but my oldest daughter went through the recruiting process for track & field and that was the process back then. There was also a published schedule of when coaches could officially meet with and offer scholarships. Perhaps it has all changed by now.

It hasn't changed, but the rule is a bit different than you are stating. The coach can't call the recruit, however the recruit can call the coach. The college coach calls the club coach and tells them they will be by their phone at 2PM in case John or Suzie wants to call.

 

[MidCakePa]

I am talking worlds above that in the highest level of club sports in the country where the tournaments each year are invite only and cross country travel is common. Unless you are in that world, I can see you not believing it. We just come from different sports worlds I guess.

@billyb, careful about your (borderline haughty) assumption. My DD lived that world of invite-only tournaments and cross-country travel all through high school. Hauled her schoolwork to five-day showcases outside the US and maintained top grades while teammates played selfishly in pursuit of scholarship glory (egged on by parents basking in the residual glow).

My last statement on this thread also: I agree with you 100% that there are coaches making promises to top-shelf 9th graders. My point is that this offer — at this point in time — plus a quarter will get you a cup of coffee.

 

[Pima]

A verbal from a traditional college is different than from an SA. I know that colleges do start recruiting in the 9th grade. However, for the reason why I think they are playing loose with what may have been truly said to him, is there are too many IFS, starting with the nomination. The 2nd is the medical aspect which I am going to address now.
I have had kids play contact sports and if they are playing at that level, with every yr they take a chance of being injured.
~ SAs, require a physical that will go delve deep into their medical history all the way back until they were 13. We are not talking just about broken bones, but also things like if they have ADD and took meds, nut allergies, or some doc prescribed an inhaler and marked in their records "asthma". Nor do they care how many times they have smoked MJ, or drank underage, as long as their records (police) are clean and their medical records are clean, than okay. However, with an SA, they will take a DoDMERB exam, they can quickly be DQd because when they answered hospitalized, they answer yes, 3 times for concussions.
~ The joke wrap your kid in bubble wrap once they get an appointment is not a joke because there have been many that play spring sports and are injured which gets them put into the medical turnback pile.

I just can't see any SA offering at this young of an age. The SA's are not like a traditional college their goal is to train the future officers in our military that can serve 5 yrs AD. A cadet/mid that cannot serve because they are allergic to tree nuts, or needs Ritalin for ADD is not going to be on their go to list regardless if they are the number 1 player in the nation.

Personally, I think your friend heard what they wanted to hear...IF you stay with the sport at this level, and IF you are medically qualified, PLUS you get a nomination. I am pretty sure you will get an appointment.
~ Notice a lot of IFs with no real promise that they WILL get an appointed.

OBTW, just my opinion and $2.07 will get you a small coffee at Starbucks. There are kids with the hearts set on attending an SA or a specific college at this age. However, in a few years that changes. My DS1 was DUKE only in 9th grade. Staring in 10th is was Notre Dame. March in his 11th it was USAFA (he is an AF brat). Jan. of his senior yr with 5 noms in hand, it was UMDCP (AFROTC scholarship)
~ Not saying their goal to attend an SA will change, but many do and at this age the coach for LAX knows that. In their world it is no harm, no foul to say IF, IF, and IF all work out, than I will place you at the top of my list.

 

[Pima]

I don't want to argue and this will be my last statement on the topic. This is commonplace and happens year in and year out at the very top level of youth sports and the offers coming at 8th and 9th grade all come through. I am not talking winning a state HS championship level, I am talking worlds above that in the highest level of club sports in the country where the tournaments each year are invite only and cross country travel is common. Unless you are in that world, I can see you not believing it. We just come from different sports worlds I guess.

OBTW, my DS1 was also in this world. He competed nationally and internationally for his sport. He was 2 time state champion, and a bronze medalist for Junior Olympics.
~He also was a very strong swimmer, although never on a team (lifeguard with 23 saves) the swim coach contacted him in the fall to ask if he would submit times, he declined because he didn't want to be on the swim team. It does happen.
~Fencer's twins were also high up there for fencing (obviously). 1 was actually recruited by USAFA, but I am pretty sure it was not until he was late into his junior year, maybe early senior.

 

[Devil Doc]

I wouldn't jump to lying necessarily. My kids are soccer players and both got D1 soccer scholarships. On their teams, there are definitely kids even in 8th grade that had verbal offers for full rides.

Full athletic grant in aid for soccer? I thought that only happened in football and basketball.

OK, I'll rephrase. A non-football or basketball player in D-1 who gets a "full ride" is truly exceptional. Men's soccer has nine scholarships, women have 14, and baseball has 13.5. The coach can and usually slices those among players and can be combined with academic money. Football has 85 full scholarships and the remaining on the roster get no athletic money.

I don't live in the glamorous world of elite travel, club, or select sports, anymore. Both my kids were recruited athletes and I am a football and baseball coach in very competitive Northern Virginia. And, I drove past a Holiday Inn Express this morning on the way to work.

 

[Pima]

I wanted to add one last thing. USAFA vs. other SAs.

Most old posters like me (10 yrs here) will also tell you that USAFA is stingy when it comes to an LOA ---that is what you are talking about in this situation. They give out the least amount compared to USNA/USMA.

Let's assume they gave him a verbal. If they were my friends I would strongly suggest they follow the rules everyone always post.
1. Get their medical records in order since he is what...14/15?
~ Allergies, get to a specialist. Prescribed an inhaler because the doc was being pro-active due to a bad cold, get the doc to change it from maybe asthma to a 1 time only inhaler bc of a bad cold. Bad acne, live with it instead of getting a script. Eyesight, if you have not had them checked by an optometrist take them...the DoDMERB threads are filled with "I didn't know they were color deficient" So on and so forth.
2. Grades and SAT/ACTs matter.
~ They may be great at the sport, but they still need to meet the bar academically. IMPO, more so because they will be doing the sport and being a cadet/mid at the exact same time. Less time for studying may equate to lower grades, lower grades may equate to academic probation. Unlike traditional colleges, USAFA will require specific courses.
~~ USAFA is not called the Little Engineering School in the Rockies for no reason.
3. Again, they will serve 5 yrs AD at least, before they can bolt.
~ As a college applicant you pick and choose where you attend(live) and major in for the next 4 yrs. As a military member THEY choose where you live and what your career field will be for the next 5 yrs.
~~ Want to be a fighter pilot? Great, but what if you wash out at UPT? Reality is @25% will wash out and be sent to a desk assignment. Will they be happy at Laughlin (Del Rio =He!! Rio) as an Intel officer? Trust me, as a spouse that followed an ADAF to Alamogordo (Oh My God NO) to Mt Home (hub of Elmore county 8K people) to Fayetteville (FayetteNam) to etc, etc over 20 yrs getting that assignment to places like Eglin, Hickam. Ramstein,or Elmendorf are not the norm.

 

[CrewDad]

USMA operates Summer STEM to rising 9th graders only. USNA and USAFA operate Summer STEM to high schools only. All other programs such as sports are open application - first come first serve - to Summer Athletic Programs open to Middle School and High Schools. Coaches may take interest in your if you’re good. My DS has attended these Sports programs as well as SLE at West Point. Athletic is an open enrollment, SLE by competition.

But no way they can bypass the admissions process. It’s illegal to do so because SAs are tax payers programs and also contributed by your local congressional districts. That’s why Congressional Noms play such important roles let alone to represent all 50 states and some U.S. territories. Guam and Saipan are administratively governed by the state of California. Marshall Islands by the U.S. Navy.

 

[CitadelN88]

At risk of being throwed off why do service academies bother to recruit athletes at all, don't they have bigger fish to fry?

 

[NavyHoops]

At risk of being throwed off why do service academies bother to recruit athletes at all, don't they have bigger fish to fry?

That is a whole different thread that could go on for pages as there are generally Lt if strong opinions about it. The SAs compete in NCAA sports to include USCGA and USMMA (at the D3 level). The others compete at the D1 level and to maintain that, they need to recruit. Like I said, there are plenty of arguments about SAs competing at the D1 level and recruiting, but that isn’t the point of the OPs question.

 

[Humey]

I wouldn't jump to lying necessarily. My kids are soccer players and both got D1 soccer scholarships. On their teams, there are definitely kids even in 8th grade that had verbal offers for full rides.

Full athletic grant in aid for soccer? I thought that only happened in football and basketball.

OK, I'll rephrase. A non-football or basketball player in D-1 who gets a "full ride" is truly exceptional. Men's soccer has nine scholarships, women have 14, and baseball has 13.5. The coach can and usually slices those among players and can be combined with academic money. Football has 85 full scholarships and the remaining on the roster get no athletic money.

I don't live in the glamorous world of elite travel, club, or select sports, anymore. Both my kids were recruited athletes and I am a football and baseball coach in very competitive Northern Virginia. And, I drove past a Holiday Inn Express this morning on the way to work.

I believed everything you said until you said your drove past a Holiday Inn Express this morning. Now I am not so sure

 

[USMA 1994]

Lots of information here and most if it will help the OP and future readers. Specifically to USMA and most likely the other SA, coaches in each sport can offer a spot outside the normal nomination process. The applicant needs to complete the medical portion and meet the minimum requirements to be appointed, but they are not competing against others and the true minimums are kind of low. These are not necessarily LOA holders, will get a Superintendent nomination and will get slotted against the Additional Appointees at the end of the process. Many post about recruits as well, but these are true "Blue Chip" athletes. Football has more than Golf, but no one knows for sure how many of these exists. To a 9th grad student, here is what you should take away from this:

#1. Do your best to make you application as strong as possible
#2. There are far more academic "scholarships" than DIV 1 athletic scholarships, having a strong academic records will open many more doors. "Hey Coach, I do not need a full scholarship because I already have 3/4 paid through academics"
#3. Do not put all your eggs in one basket, recruiting is a difficult process and things are subject to change any day. All coaches want 5 star recruits in September, what they can actually get in February is a different story.
#4. Make sure that you understand what the required service requirements are after your time at the academy

 

[fencersmother]

A ninth grader, 14?, may think that a coach saying, "Hi! You seem great at lacrosse and we'd love to see you at USMA - all free!" would mean a scholarship. Young teens aren't generally up on DivI athletics. And Mom and Dad may be said, "OH MY GOSH! A scholarship!" to nail it down for Junior.

So, maybe not lying, maybe just 14.

 

[fencersmother]

1 was actually recruited by USAFA, but I am pretty sure it was not until he was late into his junior year, maybe early senior.

It was at the National Championships as a rising senior (July) that my son was tied with the USAFA captain in an epee bout. My son's coach had to leave the day before so Dad was coaching DS, and when they were tied 11-11, the USAFA coach at break whispered into the ear of his fencer, and my DS then lost the bout, 15-11. But Coach was impressed (son was wearing a Navy hat under his fencing mask), and he got an LOA on his birthday that October, and was invited & attended a recruiting trip in November. Now, Coach didn't realize he was a twin (with identical stats, in all areas). But when he found out, Twin 2, after discussion and submission of his official stats, was also "blue chipped."

So, yes, they were great athletes - one twin has his name on the FieldHouse wall as he got a perfect score on the PFT, still are. But they were also great students, with top marks at local universities as high school juniors and seniors, and each held down a 20 hr/week job, and blah blah blah....

But NO ONE spoke with them when they were 14, though recruited by seven major colleges. Not one coach spoke to them. I'm grateful for that.

 

[billyb]

Every sport must be very different. What I can tell you with 100% accuracy is that at 14 years old at the highest level of soccer tournaments there are 40 D1 coaches watching every game. At every tournament I went to the Navy and Army coaches were right there in the mix. In women's soccer it starts at that age and the very top athletes have offers and verbally commit in 8th and 9th grades. It is written right across your name in the brochure that you are off the market and committed and it lists the school you are committed to, so the coaches looking know you are off the market. Most of the girls have commited by 10th grade and pretty much 100% by early 11th grade. YMMV.

 

[t-bo]

...and he got an LOA on his birthday that October...

My son received his LOA on his birthday in December. I was thinking it was a coincidence at the time, but I wonder if they plan this to make the letter more memorable.

 

[Pima]

Every sport must be very different. What I can tell you with 100% accuracy is that at 14 years old at the highest level of soccer tournaments there are 40 D1 coaches watching every game. At every tournament I went to the Navy and Army coaches were right there in the mix. In women's soccer it starts at that age and the very top athletes have offers and verbally commit in 8th and 9th grades. It is written right across your name in the brochure that you are off the market and committed and it lists the school you are committed to, so the coaches looking know you are off the market. Most of the girls have commited by 10th grade and pretty much 100% by early 11th grade. YMMV.

This may occur, and I get it.
However, as a parent and a spouse of a retired ADAF member, those coaches being in the mix is different than offering anything. UMDCP is nationally recognized for LAX and BBall, plus soccer. However, they could not give a flying leap if the kids are allergic to tree nuts, have eczema or have color vision deficiency, let alone their ACT/SAT scores. USAFA cares. One bad bone break as a sophomore where they can become DQ from DoDMERB throws all of their plans in the wind. WHY?
Because in the end of their day, USAFA's job is to train OPERATIONAL officers, not college grads that play sports for them.
~ Can't go into 5 Guys Burgers because they have peanuts everywhere and send you into an allergic reaction is a no go for them. Yet, for a college student on athletic scholarship, just avoid 5 Guys and all is well.
~ You can't get a higher score than 22 on English ACT, or 450 Verbal SAT...there is a problem. Have you never seen the expose on 60 minutes regarding college sports and the classes they take?

Again, being there, watching and looking is different than saying...here you go, I promise a spot at an SA for the class of 2026. Take a minute and realize that number. So much can happen in these yrs.

Maybe the coach said, HEY stay on this course including academically, stay healthy, and I THINK we MAY have a spot for you, it is not the same as signing them. I have never heard of any SA cadet/mid committed for a sport by a coach when they were in 9th, 10th or 11th.
~ Notice I THINK and MAY...it is not WE WILL and YOU HAVE

OBTW, nobody is arguing that it doesn't occur, yet, I think everybody is trying to drill in the fact that an SA has a lot more hurdles to clear and we have never seen/heard of this occurring before. Reason why? See above regarding that they must be 3Q plus a nom...academically, medically, and physically. Coaches know they must have a NOM to get an appointment, regardless of what the coach might say.

Now if you know for sure (in writing) that an SA coach has offered an appointment for the class of 2026 than please share, otherwise we are spinning circles, probably around the proud parents that said their child was promised an appointment.