Kids having signing ceremonies that aren't getting any athletic scholarship is basically the same as giving participation trophies, which is what I believe @Basketball12345 is saying.

 

The purpose of signing a National Letter of Intent is to accept an athletic scholarship to a certain school, so if you aren't receiving a scholarship then you shouldn't be having a signing ceremony. IMO.

 

I don't necessarily have a problem with a signing ceremony, even if you're going to KWC, or Georgetown. But to act as if it's a scholarship is silly at best and disingenuous at worst.

 

The one's that bug me are the one's that are driven by the high school coach and are designed to make it look like the kid is getting a great deal when in fact they aren't getting anything and are likely going in debt just to be on a roster.

 

The absolute worst is what i referenced above. Which is a signing ceremony to go on a club team. It's happened at County and hoptown the last couple of years for the JCC club team... It's embarrassing. It puts the local media in a bad spot because they're being asked to cover something that is disingenuous but to expose this they'd have to make a kid look bad. It's really silly and sad.

I am pretty sure that when you see a college release a listing of those that have signed, it is those who actually received some sort of athletic scholarship.

 

They may also publish a listing of others who have signed/committed at a later date, these are typically the student athletes that are not receiving any sort of funding from the athletic department.

I am pretty sure that when you see a college release a listing of those that have signed, it is those who actually received some sort of athletic scholarship.

 

They may also publish a listing of others who have signed/committed at a later date, these are typically the student athletes that are not receiving any sort of funding from the athletic department.

 

There is nothing signed when you are walking on... For NAIA there isn't a letter of intent. for division one you do sign a letter of intent if you are receiving a scholarship. But when a kid "signs" with Georgetown or something similar it's often just their financial aid paperwork. That's my understanding.

Just so I am clear with the post. Are you referring to kids that sign with an NAIA school or kids who sign with an NAIA school who possibly end up on those schools JV teams which I am not sure they 100% know that at the time of the signing. Just trying to understand the initial post.

Just so I am clear with the post. Are you referring to kids that sign with an NAIA school or kids who sign with an NAIA school who possibly end up on those schools JV teams which I am not sure they 100% know that at the time of the signing. Just trying to understand the initial post.

 

I'm referring to kids who are signing and not getting any type of financial support from the athletic department. The situation I am talking about in partiticular involves a student who has not played a single minute of high school varsity baseball but is for some reason signed to play baseball at an NAIA college.

 

It's one thing if you have the academic background to pay for your college expenses and don't need the financial aid from the athletic department, but in this case the individual has neither the athletic nor academic background to receive a scholarship.

Congratulations you get to play sports in college! Oh yeah you're also graduating $100,000 in debt..

 

You have to look long-term. These kids will be paying off student loans till they are 50 just to say they played college sports. Is it really worth it?

There is nothing signed when you are walking on... For NAIA there isn't a letter of intent. for division one you do sign a letter of intent if you are receiving a scholarship. But when a kid "signs" with Georgetown or something similar it's often just their financial aid paperwork. That's my understanding.

 

NAIA D1 & D2 offer athletic scholarships. Little confused, are you saying those kids that are signing with an NAIA, like Pikeville, don't deserve the opportunity even then they may too be receiving an athletic scholarship?

NAIA D1 & D2 offer athletic scholarships. Little confused, are you saying those kids that are signing with an NAIA, like Pikeville, don't deserve the opportunity even then they may too be receiving an athletic scholarship?

 

He was saying the Letter of Intents are different, the NCAA D1 & D2 NLI is far more in depth. The NAIA NLI is basically a piece of paper from the admissions office. If you aren't receiving athletic scholarship then there is no purpose of a NLI.

NAIA D1 & D2 offer athletic scholarships. Little confused, are you saying those kids that are signing with an NAIA, like Pikeville, don't deserve the opportunity even then they may too be receiving an athletic scholarship?

 

Nope. Read what I said. I said that my problem is with kids who sign fake papers when they aren't even playing real games. See my comments about jefferson community college.

 

And I know that NAIA offers "scholarships" But they are not like NCAA schools.

 

again, I said that I think a kid should hold a signing ceremony when they are going to a real school and playing on a real team...

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Edited February 23, 20179 yr by FeelingGood

I completely understand and agree with what you are saying.

 

If a kid was a good high school player and is having a ceremony to show he is getting the chance to play at the next level(walk on or scholly) it is ok with me.

 

 

If the kid played 8 minutes a game in basketball, 1 inning in baseball, or was on kickoff team in football and is signing......well.

Nope. Read what I said. I said that my problem is with kids who sign fake papers when they aren't even playing real games. See my comments about jefferson community college.

 

And I know that NAIA offers "scholarships" But they are not like NCAA schools.

 

again, I said that I think a kid should hold a signing ceremony when they are going to a real school and playing on a real team...

 

I think NAIA schools do indeed give athletic scholarships where money is included for playing a sport. In this case I see no difference than D1 or D11 schools. As long as the kid is actually getting financial aid for playing it is an "athleitic scholarship".

Agree with you on D3 "signings". No money, no scholarship.

Totally agree on the premise of the thread. The "signings" are an opportunity to pat oneself on the back.

 

What really frosts me, is the valedictorian sits down the hall, with full-ride offers from a handful of prestigious universities, and only gets an asterisk by their name in the graduation program.

Athletic Scholarship = ceremony

No athletic scholarship = No ceremony

Recently in the news near me, high school athletes have been going through the signing ceremonies just to play JV sports at NAIA schools, these individuals have never started a high school varsity sport and yet they go through the “signing process”. As a former high school athlete it irritates me to see this. Not because I'm not happy for the individuals to get the opportunity to play at the next level, but because if you are going to play JV then it really isn't much different from playing intramural or club sports at a big university. It’s unfair and ridiculous for those individuals to get the same recognition as those who have signed legitimate NLI.

 

That being said, I think signing ceremonies should only be for those who are receiving athletic scholarships. If you aren't going on scholarship then there's no difference in you or Tom, Dick, and Harry who are going to the same school just for academics and are paying for it out of their pocket.

 

It seems to me as if people are starting to take this situation less and less serious because more and more of these type of situations are occurring. There should be some type of standard/requirement to meet in order to go through the signing ceremonies.

 

I tend to agree with your post, just a reminder that not all schools award athletic scholarships.