High School Freshmen Verbally Commit to Top NCAA Programs
High School Freshmen Verbally Commit to Top NCAA Programs
NCAA Gymnastics Recruiting has seen a trend lately of verbally committing to a University as young as your freshman year of high school. Most recently, three top collegiate programs have swept up highly sought after freshmen gymnasts.
The first freshman this year to verbal was Alex Marks of Dynamo, committing to Oklahoma. Marks qualified elite in 2011. Assuming she graduates on time, she won't join the Sooner team until the 2016-2017 season.
Alyssa Baumann at the 2010 Visa Championships
Alyssa Baumann, a junior elite from WOGA, followed her lead an made her college decision, verbally committing to powerhouse Florida. Baumann competed at US Nationals in 2010 right after winning level 9 Western National all around title.
Grace Glenn at 2012 J.O. Nationals
The latest freshmen to commit to college are the Glenn twins, Anna and Grace, out of Southeastern Gymnastics in North Carolina. They have accepted scholarships to UCLA.
Anna and Grace finished 1-2 in the all around at the 2012 Region 8 Championships. At 2012 J.O. Nationals, Anna won the uneven bars title, placed 2nd on beam, and 4th on vault. Grace finished 3rd all around and 4th on uneven bars.
These gymnasts will not sign their National Letters of Intent which bind them to the school until they are seniors in 2015-2016.
In football, as with many other NCAA sports, the majority of recruits wait until they are seniors to select their school. In recent years, it's become common to lock down a gymnastics scholarship as a high school sophomore. But now it seems the trend is getting younger. The problem is, if other NCAA coaches are offering scholarships to freshmen, and having success at it, the trend will continue.
What do you think? Is verbally committing as a freshman too early?