I am writing to the group, looking for information on what I may not know about this process, which is a lot I am sure.
My daughter has just finished her freshman year in high school.
She has been in the travel/club ball for years, been to camps, played in showcases, emailed coaches, called coaches, etc, etc. She has emailed and called one specific D1 university since the summer before 8th grade. It is not her first choice, and is only probably in her top fifteeen. However, if that is all that she is offered, she would gladly attend this university. If she went to this college, her mother and I could easily get there to see games, and that part would be cool for us.
She has been calling and talking to the head coach on and off this season, more than normal. They have been to a number of her games. After calling the head coach recently, the coach made her a verbal offer for a scholarship to attend the university. In essence telling her that whatever academic scholarships would not pay, that the softball program would pay. My daughter tried to feverishly take notes. However, somehow I feel like I only have a partial understanding of what just happened, as it was presented to my somewhat spacey 15 year old daughter.
My daughter has always had higher aspirations to attend an SEC or PAC-10 school, and is set to attend more camps and showcases late summer and fall, in hopes of continuing to court those schools. However, I just want to know the consensus of the group in how to deal with this very real offer, as opposed to the hope of getting others from those schools in her top ten.
I have a million questions, and noone to really ask, so I submit it to the group.
What don't I know? What do I need to be asking the coach, which we are planning on visiting at an unofficial visit? What do you think the timeframe is for committing to this realistically, or losing the slot? What details should I try to get? What happens if my daughter verbals? Is there any going back if a bigger better offer comes down the pipe? If so, to what consequence? Will another school offer a kid that has verballed elsewhere? Can the university back out? Is it likely?
My mind is buzzing with other questions, but you get the idea, I don't know what to ask, what I need to know,what I don't know and how to protect my sizeable investment in the club ball career of my kid by holding out for bigger and better things at the risk of losing this offer. My daughter is only 15, and at 15, I had no idea where I would attend college, and no idea how she will know if this is the right move or not.
While I want to support her dream of bigger and better things, at some level aren't we all just happy if our daughters get the chance to play the game at the next level, and get an education and as a result a career as a result of their love for the game?
Thanks for any help