Football Is Not the Only NCAA Sport Signing Next Week

Four Other Programs Will Also Ink Classes  

February 3rd might be a banner day for NCAA DI & DII football programs, but meanwhile just down the hall coaches in four other sports will be anxiously waiting to see which high school seniors have chosen to sign with their programs.  Field hockey, track and field, cross country and men’s water polo all get to sign their top recruits to national letters of intent next week, too.   Perhaps football getting all the attention is a good thing for these coaches, but make no mistake about it, they are under pressure to ink solid student-athletes as well.  Every college athletic program adds value to a school, but they also can be a drain, especially if  the coaches and players are not representing the institution in a manner which positively reflects on the college or university. Pressure is pressure and these coaches get their fair share of it when they are putting up more L’s than W’s and when one of their athletes strays from their obligations to the team, athletic department and school.  While little is said about the recruiting the coaches in so-called minor sports do, all year they attend top club tournaments around the region and country identifying quality prospects, getting to know them and their parents, hosting them during on campus visits, and recruiting them in a never ending effort to compile a class of top-notch student-athletes.  No matter the sport, college coaches are looking to upgrade their teams with better athletes while simultaneously bringing aboard competent students and good citizens.  Yes, the lights and music may be pointed in the direction of the football program next week, but you can be sure that there will be plenty of other coaches in the same building intently awaiting the fax machine to pop out good news from their top prospects, too.