COMMITTING TO COLLEGES

&

NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT

As student-athletes begin to finalize college decisions, questions always arise about accepting a scholarship offer, committing to a university and signing a National Letter of Intent.  Below is a summary that may answer many of the questions that student-athletes and their parents have about accepting a scholarship offers and officially committing to a college. 

VERBAL COMMITTMENTS

Golfers can verbally accept a scholarship offer to play at a college or university at any point during their junior career.  Yes, this means that a golfer CAN orally accept a scholarship offer earlier than his/her senior year in high school; however, most players do not receive scholarship offers until the start of their senior year in high school (or later). 

Prior to November of a player’s senior year in high school (the early signing period), a player who accepts a scholarship offer, is making a verbal commitment.  In other words, the coach has offered the player a spot on his/her team with or without scholarship money, and the player has verbally agreed to accept that offer.  Many parents are concerned that a coach will back out of the offer.  A coach and a player CAN back out of a verbal commitment; however, this rarely happens.  Coaches stand by their verbal offers (even if the player is not playing well).  Typically, the only time a coach rescinds a verbal offer is if the player gets in serious trouble or fails to meet academic standards.  Additionally, barring extreme unforeseen circumstances, a player should NEVER back out of a verbal agreement that he/she makes with a coach.  When a player verbally agrees to an offer he/she should be absolutely certain that he/she wants to attend school and play golf at that school.       

NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT

According to the NCAA, “the National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an institution in which the institution agrees to provide a prospective student-athlete who is admitted to the institution and is eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules athletics aid for one academic year in exchange for the prospect's agreement to attend the institution for one academic year. The NLI must be accompanied by an institutional financial aid agreement.  If the student-athlete does not enroll at that institution for a full academic year, he/she may be subject to specific penalties, including loss of a season of eligibility and a mandatory residence requirement.”

College coaches are not allowed to be present when the golfer signs his/her Letter of Intent.  The University will mail all of the paper work to the prospective student-athlete.  The golfer and his/her parents will sign the documents and mail them back.  Many high schools will have a press conference so that local news outlets can publicize the signing. 

There are two “signing periods” for golfers to sign a Letter of Intent.  The EARLY SIGNING PERIOD for 2009 graduates is November 12-19, 2008.  The LATE SIGNING PERIOD FOR 2009 graduates is April 8 – August 1, 2009.  THESE DATES ARE THE ONLY TIME THAT A GOLFER CAN OFFICIALLY SIGN A NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT.