When are athletes too young to commit?

It seems to me, as I get older, kids today can’t be kids long enough.

As I watch my 15-year-old grandson live his daily life, his responsibilities grow exponentially.

Take deciding which college he should attend. As a talented ninth-grader who hopes to play football at a higher level, he already is receiving emails from regional college coaches encouraging him to check out this or that football camp and their particular campus.

Yes, he’s getting recruited already, not only for his athletic skills but because he also has a nearly 4.0 grade-point average. He has his life planned out in regards to his career plans. He’s a good kid. But he’s still only in ninth grade.

I read a column by an assistant coach on LinkedIn. She asked, “What is the hurry to commit to a college as early as possible?”

I think my grandson and I are in the minority when deciding upon what we wanted to do as a career. I decided as a junior in high school I wanted to be a journalist and I stuck with it, unlike so many other kids who change majors before they graduate college.

Eighty percent of kids who commit early to a specific college do not attend said college. Sure, early commitment might relieve the stress of constant reach-outs by recruiters and makes mom and dad proud. For the top one- to three-percent of athletes, early commitment works, but for the other 97 percent, why not take your time?

Particularly in today’s world of college sports, committing early may cause more problems than it’s worth.

What if the coach who recruited you is no longer at the college when you enter as a freshman? What happens if your skill development has not increased since your signing on the dotted line? What if the program has signed other players at your position before your arrival?

What about the transfer portal that allows student-athletes to transfer without any form of punishment and the program is not at all what you expected when you committed? What happens if the scholarship money is no longer available?

There’s no need to panic. There are so many options available for a successful student-athlete. Attend junior college first to hone your skills and improve the grades if necessary. Four-year schools are not going to hold your delayed enrollment against you if you have the skills they are looking for.

Dreams still can be fulfilled.

My grandson has not registered for any of the camps that have contacted him as of yet. First impressions can determine a lot, so he’s waiting until he is ready to shine.

In any case, you and your parents need to study each opportunity to determine which will work best for you, not just athletically, but educationally.

Is the school a good fit? Do you feel you will grow at that location? Will you be able to contribute to the best of your ability?

I am not advocating one path over another. I am advocating for a slow down in the process. Good luck.

Nancy Justis is a former competitive swimmer and college sports information director. She is a partner with Outlier Creative Communications. Let her know what you think at njustis@cfu.net