A late national signing day for softball arrives Wednesday, and according to coaches, it will be just that: late.
Most of the recruits, they say, have already signed letters of intent, but that’s not where the debate lies in softball recruiting.
In a trend that concerns some coaches, softball seems to be among the sports featuring the most players who commit early to colleges, many times as underclassmen.
Top-ranked Mission Viejo features three freshmen who have already committed, including Camryn Ybarra. The second baseman and No.5 batter has pledged to Oregon State.
Ybarra’s sister, Shianne, is a senior headed to Tennessee. The first baseman committed to the Vols as a freshman, too.
The list of underclassman commitments runs deep. Pacifica’s sophomore duo of catcher Dejah Mulipola and center fielder Irieanna Naea have committed to Arizona and Cal State Fullerton, respectively.
Canyon junior pitcher Hailey Hilburn committed to Utah the fall before her sophomore season.
“Every year, it seems like everyone is committing early,” said Chris Morgan, a travel coach with El Modena-based Team Smith Elite. “(It’s) not good for everybody.”
Morgan said the early commitments can create pressure for players. He has seen players “freak out” if they haven’t committed by their junior seasons.
He also said players should spend more time researching and considering colleges. With few opportunities available to play professionally after college, Morgan believes players need to place an emphasis on education and trust the recruiting process more.
“We’ll always find a place for kids,” he said.
Pacifica coach Mark Campbell said early commitments are risky for the college programs.
“(The colleges) go out and try to get them younger and younger,” he said. “When you recruit a kid when she is a freshman and sophomore, you really have no idea what you’re getting when she’s a senior in high school.”
Campbell also sees a gamble for recruits and their families.
“It’s getting so early now, parents tend to panic and jump on something that maybe they wouldn’t necessarily have taken if they just waited the process out,” he said. “But … it’s hard to get someone to pass on a free education.”
Dave Lastrapes, who coaches the Southern Cal Batbusters travel team, voices many of the concerns of Campbell and Morgan.
He said the trend could lead softball recruiting to resemble another well-known high school sport, unless the NCAA steps in.
“I think the sport is going to end up like football,” he said. “You’re going to have kids commit early and change their mind.”
Esperanza third baseman Brynley Steele was a one-time Penn State commit but will sign Wednesday with Arizona State, Aztecs coach Ed Tunstall said.
Steele re-opened her recruitment after a coaching change at Penn State, Tunstall said.
But Mission Viejo coach Troy Ybarra said early commitments have worked well for his daughters. He is pleased they know where they want to go to college and how hard they’re working at softball.
“As a parent, I’m happy,” he said. “It’s wonderful.”
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
