WAG New Recruiting Rules?

[3rd_time_around]

Tried to add but it was too late: It really rubs me the wrong way to see her glee over this turn of events, because it means more money for her. I’m sorry, but that irritates me to no end!

 

[tomtnt]

I STRONGLY believe she is misinterpreting the rules. The new rules essentially mimic current rules in place in softball and lacrosse (same wording except their first date of contact is September, junior year). In those two sports, it is stated:

... college coaches are not allowed to have recruiting conversations or send recruiting messages through an athlete's club/high school coach or other third party.

NCAA Softball Recruiting Rules and Calendar

Use the NCAA softball recruiting rules and NCAA softball recruiting calendar 2017-18 to make sure that you’re on track in your recruiting. View the NCAA softball recruiting rules and NCAA softball recruiting calendar, plus with explanations from recruiting experts.

www.ncsasports.org

 

[wandrewsjr]

I STRONGLY believe she is misinterpreting the rules. The new rules essentially mimic current rules in place in softball and lacrosse (same wording except their first date of contact is September, junior year). In those two sports, it is stated:

... college coaches are not allowed to have recruiting conversations or send recruiting messages through an athlete's club/high school coach or other third party.

NCAA Softball Recruiting Rules and Calendar

Use the NCAA softball recruiting rules and NCAA softball recruiting calendar 2017-18 to make sure that you’re on track in your recruiting. View the NCAA softball recruiting rules and NCAA softball recruiting calendar, plus with explanations from recruiting experts.

www.ncsasports.org

But the recruiters can send messages to coaches, correct? I would imagine that part is a free speech issue. The NCAA can only control those who work for or are athletes(or potential athletes) within their organization.

 

[tomtnt]

That's very true -- but the same can be said for club coaches, parents, and even gymnasts -- they can call/email/text/approach in person -- but it's incumbent upon the coach to not respond and engage in a recruiting conversation.

I think the intent is clear - if the coach can't/doesn't respond, it would be very hard to have any sort of verbal offers...

To be fair, Jill is very generous with the free advice that she does give parents who don't use her service just based on her weekly facebook live talks... She is also very upfront in telling parents that her main role is to set expectations, help choose right colleges, camps, etc...

But the recruiters can send messages to coaches, correct? I would imagine that part is a free speech issue. The NCAA can only control those who work for or are athletes(or potential athletes) within their organization.

But the recruiters can send messages to coaches, correct? I would imagine that part is a free speech issue. The NCAA can only control those who work for or are athletes(or potential athletes) within their organization.

 

[cftmoonlight]

I am definitely for the rule to keep verbal from happening so early. The part I don't like is that us club coaches can't even have regular conversations about our athletes unless they are juniors? We have a coach coming in next week, and we won't even be able to discuss the two kids she will be watching, that's gonna be interesting. Also when we go to Nationals, we can't talk about any of our 10s since none are juniors yet. I wish general conversation about kids was allowed, as long as no commitments/intent to commit was happening. Not that you can police that.

 

[duyetanh]

I hope people are smart and don’t use recruiting services. What a joke that they can talk to the coaches but the actual people involved can’t? It’s like hiring an agent for our child. Do we really want to go that route? Hiring agents?

Oh people do. Tons of them. We haven’t...but they do. We know someone who has done it, and their child is, to say it kindly, not college material even at the division three level. But the agency will take the money.....maybe they know a way to get a child in somewhere...they definitely seem to be in the know.

 

[ernestine]

Did anyone else who watched the webinar find it ridiculous that paid recruiting services can talk to college coaches on behalf of your younger child but parents, coaches and the child themselves can not? She pointed this out repeatedly as well as pointing out that she expects to see a boom in her business which is great for her but terrible for families. Hopefully, that changes so that parents don't feel it's required to hire a recruiting service adding yet another expense to an already expense heavy sport.

I didn't watch the video, but ye I find that completely ridiculous. It's really putting the elite in elite gymnastics.

 

[duyetanh]

I STRONGLY believe she is misinterpreting the rules. The new rules essentially mimic current rules in place in softball and lacrosse (same wording except their first date of contact is September, junior year). In those two sports, it is stated:

... college coaches are not allowed to have recruiting conversations or send recruiting messages through an athlete's club/high school coach or other third party.

NCAA Softball Recruiting Rules and Calendar

Use the NCAA softball recruiting rules and NCAA softball recruiting calendar 2017-18 to make sure that you’re on track in your recruiting. View the NCAA softball recruiting rules and NCAA softball recruiting calendar, plus with explanations from recruiting experts.

www.ncsasports.org

Wow. I don’t see how she could be considered to be above the rules. I don’t get it. I am sure she does great work, but I don’t get how a recruiting service would be able to contact college coaches and not the club coaches themselves. I am sure she means well, as I know many are happy with her services. But jeez

 

[ernestine]

Tried to add but it was too late: It really rubs me the wrong way to see her glee over this turn of events, because it means more money for her. I’m sorry, but that irritates me to no end!

I would imagine others feel the same way. I'm sure she's losing clients not gaining them.

 

[cftmoonlight]

I have nothing against the recruiting services but I also don't like that I, as a club coach, cannot have conversations about my athletes with an NCAA coach, but that these agencies can.

 

[tomtnt]

I too agree with the intent of the rule which is to curb early verbals but yea, as a parent of a freshman gymnast in the midst of the process -- it's really unfortunate to have the rules change midprocess. On the bright side, she really can put the recruiting aspect on the back burner for a bit and just concentrate on school and gymnastics...

I am definitely for the rule to keep verbal from happening so early. The part I don't like is that us club coaches can't even have regular conversations about our athletes unless they are juniors? We have a coach coming in next week, and we won't even be able to discuss the two kids she will be watching, that's gonna be interesting. Also when we go to Nationals, we can't talk about any of our 10s since none are juniors yet. I wish general conversation about kids was allowed, as long as no commitments/intent to commit was happening. Not that you can police that.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

I have nothing against the recruiting services but I also don't like that I, as a club coach, cannot have conversations about my athletes with an NCAA coach, but that these agencies can.

I would love to know how they plan to enforce the no talking between coaches. My daughters coach is sisters with a college coach, are they really not allowed to talk about her gymnasts?!?

 

[duyetanh]

I would love to know how they plan to enforce the no talking between coaches. My daughters coach is sisters with a college coach, are they really not allowed to talk about her gymnasts?!?

It’s going to be on the honor system. And some coaches will follow it, and others won’t. It’s kind of like how life is, really. Would be great if they all followed it though.

 

[tomtnt]

All it takes is one disgruntled parent t to report to the NCAA...

Don’t they have older gymnasts they can discuss? Couldn’t they just refrain from taking about the younger gymnast until after the sophomore year? If they are good, the will hopefully still be good?

I would love to know how they plan to enforce the no talking between coaches. My daughters coach is sisters with a college coach, are they really not allowed to talk about her gymnasts?!?

 

[wandrewsjr]

This thread has me thinking of one of the oddities of our sport. Female gymnasts can be the best in the world at their sport, competing as senior athletes on the world stage - Kyla Ross helped team USA win an Olympic gold medal her sophomore year of high school - and are now considered "too young" to be talked about as potential college athletes.

 

[ernestine]

This thread has me thinking of one of the oddities of our sport. Female gymnasts can be the best in the world at their sport, competing as senior athletes on the world stage - Kyla Ross helped team USA win an Olympic gold medal her sophomore year of high school - and are now considered "too young" to be talked about as potential college athletes.

Because we are talking about people who are twelve years old.

 

[Flippin'A]

This has nothing to do with my DD, but I'm curious-- does anyone know how this'll affect homeschooled gymnasts who decide to graduate early? I know Trinity Thomas and now Maile O'Keefe decided to graduate early and start college at 17. Could a homeschooler or their parents somehow show that their child is skipping a year of high school so they could be recruited earlier?

 

[wandrewsjr]

Because we are talking about people who are twelve years old.

?? I thought we were talking about recruiting rule changes that limit any coach contact until the summer between sophomore and junior year?

 

[doublestrike]

What would it take to become "a recruiting service"?????

That's weird because she made a point that she and her agency do not make calls on behalf of your gymnast but believes it's up to the gymnast to make contact. Not sure if that's changed because of this new rule. It's one of the reasons we didn't hire her. I don't need someone to assess what schools my daughter is interested in, but would have considered hiring someone to make the calls if they were credible. If a recruitment agency can make calls on behalf of a gymnast then any person can that is not a coach/relative. Sounds like a ridiculous loophole.

 

[gymgal]

I am definitely for the rule to keep verbal from happening so early. The part I don't like is that us club coaches can't even have regular conversations about our athletes unless they are juniors? We have a coach coming in next week, and we won't even be able to discuss the two kids she will be watching, that's gonna be interesting. Also when we go to Nationals, we can't talk about any of our 10s since none are juniors yet. I wish general conversation about kids was allowed, as long as no commitments/intent to commit was happening. Not that you can police that.

I am guessing the rule is meant to curb those club visits as well, though that is impossible due to older recruitable gymnasts in the same gym. It will be up to the coaches to follow the rules and not talk about anyone under rising Jr year.