Are there any benefits, or do many kids do it just to make a statement?
Are there any benefits, or do many kids do it just to make a statement?
If you sign ,there is money.
Unless is a ceremonial signing (D3) where it is just a walk on.
bobbbbbb wrote:
If you sign ,there is money.
Unless is a ceremonial signing (D3) where it is just a walk on.
So exactly what OP asked about?
there is not always money in signing with a d2 team, so I would also assume the same with d1
I see this a lot with high school football players.
"Excited to say I've committed to play football at Virginia Tech." #letsgohokies #VT
When they are just walk-ons with no scholarship and are officially not a part of national signing day. Back in the 90's/early 2000's none of this ego-based nonsense existed.
You were a...
1. Scholarship Athlete
2. Preferred Walk-On (which means you join the team for preseason practices and the coach knows who you are and you don't have to tryout)
3. Walk-On (which means coach does not know you and you have to make the team via a tryout.
ACL Thief wrote:
bobbbbbb wrote:
If you sign ,there is money.
Unless is a ceremonial signing (D3) where it is just a walk on.
So exactly what OP asked about?
I'm assuming he is referring to the current trend of high school kids doing a "signing ceremony" at the school. In some cases, they really were recruited and have a guaranteed spot on the team waiting for them, whether or not there is a scholarship involved. But in many cases, the kid is just hoping to walk on and it is just to make the kid feel special.
For example, there is a kid on our team who is a senior. He is one of the laziest kids on our team, we kicked him off the team last year for poor attendance and poor attitude. This year we allowed him back out. His attitude isn't much better, but he shows up every day, so he remains on the team.
Since his PR in his best event, the 400, is 55, I was surprised a few weeks ago when he arrived late to practice because he was doing his signing ceremony. I asked which school and he said "Columbia." I have serious doubts they will be taking a 55 second quarter runner onto their team as a walk on, and am even more doubtful he has a guaranteed spot on the team. However, he got into the school and is on our track team and apparently plans to compete in college, so therefore a signing ceremony is just the thing to do these days.
Usually they set up a table and dramatically sign their acceptance letter to the school (or scholarship offer, as the case may be) and then put on a hat or shirt from the school. A photographer takes pictures and they invite their current coach, parents, friends, etc.
To me, an early 30s track coach, this is baffling, since in my day, only the really top recruits did this, and usually only for the money sports. We have had kids on our team do a signing ceremony only to be told during their freshman year they are too slow to even be allowed to try out.
Sdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdf wrote:
ACL Thief wrote:
So exactly what OP asked about?
I'm assuming he is referring to the current trend of high school kids doing a "signing ceremony" at the school. In some cases, they really were recruited and have a guaranteed spot on the team waiting for them, whether or not there is a scholarship involved. But in many cases, the kid is just hoping to walk on and it is just to make the kid feel special.
For example, there is a kid on our team who is a senior. He is one of the laziest kids on our team, we kicked him off the team last year for poor attendance and poor attitude. This year we allowed him back out. His attitude isn't much better, but he shows up every day, so he remains on the team.
Since his PR in his best event, the 400, is 55, I was surprised a few weeks ago when he arrived late to practice because he was doing his signing ceremony. I asked which school and he said "Columbia." I have serious doubts they will be taking a 55 second quarter runner onto their team as a walk on, and am even more doubtful he has a guaranteed spot on the team. However, he got into the school and is on our track team and apparently plans to compete in college, so therefore a signing ceremony is just the thing to do these days.
Usually they set up a table and dramatically sign their acceptance letter to the school (or scholarship offer, as the case may be) and then put on a hat or shirt from the school. A photographer takes pictures and they invite their current coach, parents, friends, etc.
To me, an early 30s track coach, this is baffling, since in my day, only the really top recruits did this, and usually only for the money sports. We have had kids on our team do a signing ceremony only to be told during their freshman year they are too slow to even be allowed to try out.
Welcome to the pussification of student athletes where everyone gets a participation ceremony.
thatrunner#5 wrote:
Are there any benefits, or do many kids do it just to make a statement?
Even kids who don't get a scholarship will get a book scholarship at the very least where the school pays for their books. And kids who sign don't have to deal with "trying out" for the team and the stigma associated with being a walk on. Walk ons also might not get any gear until they earn their place on the team. So there are several benefits to signing.
Sdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdf wrote:
Since his PR in his best event, the 400, is 55, I was surprised a few weeks ago when he arrived late to practice because he was doing his signing ceremony. I asked which school and he said "Columbia." I have serious doubts they will be taking a 55 second quarter runner onto their team as a walk on, and am even more doubtful he has a guaranteed spot on the team.
Was it this fake Columbia?
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/EventRecords.aspx?SchoolID=51418Kids at the high school I coach at will have no intention of competing in college, but will say they do just so they can be a part of "signing day." It's ridiculous.
Saywhat2 wrote:
Sdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdf wrote:
I'm assuming he is referring to the current trend of high school kids doing a "signing ceremony" at the school. In some cases, they really were recruited and have a guaranteed spot on the team waiting for them, whether or not there is a scholarship involved. But in many cases, the kid is just hoping to walk on and it is just to make the kid feel special.
For example, there is a kid on our team who is a senior. He is one of the laziest kids on our team, we kicked him off the team last year for poor attendance and poor attitude. This year we allowed him back out. His attitude isn't much better, but he shows up every day, so he remains on the team.
Since his PR in his best event, the 400, is 55, I was surprised a few weeks ago when he arrived late to practice because he was doing his signing ceremony. I asked which school and he said "Columbia." I have serious doubts they will be taking a 55 second quarter runner onto their team as a walk on, and am even more doubtful he has a guaranteed spot on the team. However, he got into the school and is on our track team and apparently plans to compete in college, so therefore a signing ceremony is just the thing to do these days.
Usually they set up a table and dramatically sign their acceptance letter to the school (or scholarship offer, as the case may be) and then put on a hat or shirt from the school. A photographer takes pictures and they invite their current coach, parents, friends, etc.
To me, an early 30s track coach, this is baffling, since in my day, only the really top recruits did this, and usually only for the money sports. We have had kids on our team do a signing ceremony only to be told during their freshman year they are too slow to even be allowed to try out.
Welcome to the pussification of student athletes where everyone gets a participation ceremony.
Priceless!!
thatrunner#5 wrote:
Are there any benefits, or do many kids do it just to make a statement?
If there is no scholarship offer, there is nothing to sign. If they tell you they are signing, they just mean committing. If they have a paper in front of them, it's likely either blank or something silly the school has put together but is in no way shape or form binding. It could be a used McDonalds receipt. If they still insist they are "signing" with no scholarship in DI...then they're lying.
doctorj wrote:
Saywhat2 wrote:
Welcome to the pussification of student athletes where everyone gets a participation ceremony.
Priceless!!
There isn't a chance in hell Columbia University would let that guy touch their track. Please show him this thread. LOL!
NCAA DI P5 Recruiting Coordinator wrote:
There isn't a chance in hell Columbia University would let that guy touch their track. Please show him this thread. LOL!
It’s obviously not Columbia University. It’s fake Columbia.
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/School.aspx?SchoolID=51418Bonehead Beliefs wrote:
Back in the 90's/early 2000's none of this ego-based nonsense existed.
You were a...
1. Scholarship Athlete
2. Preferred Walk-On (which means you join the team for preseason practices and the coach knows who you are and you don't have to tryout)
3. Walk-On (which means coach does not know you and you have to make the team via a tryout.
I can confirm this. In fact, lable #2 is relatively new. When I graduated in 1993, you were either on scholarship or a walk-on. Looking back, I would be classified as a preferred walk-on by today's standards. I was a sub 2 half guy who could run cross and I spoke with the assistant coach several times before I graduated. He said they'd love to have me on the team and I took him at his word. I received the summer training packet in the mail, my name was on it with the other recruited guys, and we all showed up two weeks early to start training in August.
I never signed anything. In fact, no one in my school had a signing day ceremony. The only person in my county that I know of that had one of those was a girl who got a full ride to a D1 school for swimming. That was a big deal. She was an OT qualifyer in HS, too.
Bonehead Beliefs wrote:
I see this a lot with high school football players.
"Excited to say I've committed to play football at Virginia Tech." #letsgohokies #VT
When they are just walk-ons with no scholarship and are officially not a part of national signing day. Back in the 90's/early 2000's none of this ego-based nonsense existed.
You were a...
1. Scholarship Athlete
2. Preferred Walk-On (which means you join the team for preseason practices and the coach knows who you are and you don't have to tryout)
3. Walk-On (which means coach does not know you and you have to make the team via a tryout.
Uhm, the reality is even fully funded T&F D1 teams can't give 50 athletes on the squad a full ride and can't even give most a decent partial. With Title IX, Mens T&F is limited to 12 full tuition and board scholarships to be used however each team wants to divy them up (women get 18). Also, many D1s don't even get a budget for their full allotment depending on priorities throughout their other sports. (The football analogy you note IS somewhat true due to the fact that Football and Basketball are not limited with the same scholarship restraints as all others) Luckily, at least most throwers and xc/mid/distance runners are academically strong and academic $$ is there too. (Not so with sprints/leaps but they get more t&f scholarships)
In light of this fact, the big deal is a "signed" athlete gets coached, raced, has access to training facilities including PT, massage, needling, laser, alter-g, aqua, doctors, screening, plus transportation and meals to meets, team tutors, gear, etc. just the same as the scholarship athletes. Sometimes, depending on the program, scholarship $$ gets divied to upperclassmen based on merit in college and not hs accomplishmnets .
Just being invited to be on a D1 team IS an accomplishment worth celebrating.
.....Whether its done discreetly or obnoxiously is usually reflected by the hype their hs coaches, parents and school give it.
bobbbbbb wrote:
If you sign ,there is money.
Unless is a ceremonial signing (D3) where it is just a walk on.
Not true at all. Plenty of high schools to a "signing day" with walk ons at every level. If someone "commits" to play sports at a school plenty of high schools have them to a signing. Picture opportunity and makes the high school look good.
Seen it all wrote:
bobbbbbb wrote:
If you sign ,there is money.
Unless is a ceremonial signing (D3) where it is just a walk on.
Not true at all. Plenty of high schools to a "signing day" with walk ons at every level. If someone "commits" to play sports at a school plenty of high schools have them to a signing. Picture opportunity and makes the high school look good.
Yea, it is sad, all about self promotion and social media status, FAKE news
Yes, High Schools do signing days but many of the kids are not really signing. Many have committed to play or run at a college where they are a walk-on. They are part of the ceremony and have a blank paper in front of them. Men's track is probably the most extreme example of this. I am aware of a D1 team that has 53 guys on the roster but only 22 are receiving any type of athletic scholarship. I imagine that less than 1/2 of the boys who commit to a D1 track team are receiving any immediate scholarship.
Saywhat2 wrote:
Welcome to the pussification of student athletes where everyone gets a participation ceremony.
YAWN