What's the Fuss?

For the second time in their young athletic careers, four Gulf Coast basketball players will finish the recruitment process on Thursday by signing a National Letter of Intent to attend their respective future schools.

While it’ll be a time for celebration of the athletic achievements, all four will also celebrate the end of a time-consuming process.

Instead of waiting until April, they will end the speculation and stress that has accompanied the life-changing decision during the early-signing period.

Women’s basketball coach Roonie Scovel said signing early is an insurance policy of sorts for players. Academically, signing early allows them to get their class schedule in line with their future school making the transfer as smooth as possible. She also said if players get hurt on the court, the scholarship remains valid.

“I would love for all of them to sign early,” she said.

So would the players.

“It was too much,” said Maryland-bound Dee Liles. “All the traveling.”

Before the season started in October, Liles took three of her five trips allotted by NCAA rules. She went to Maryland, LSU and Louisville.

Since some of the players arrived in Panama City, the letters from coaches vying for the players’ skills have poured in. Some players like Jackie Sanders couldn’t remember all the schools that have recruited her.

Now that she’ll sign with Kentucky, she doesn’t want to.

“I don’t have to worry about the hassle of having everybody trying to get me to come to their school,” Sanders said.

Byron Walker, who will attend Alabama State University next season, is relieved that the process is over. He was recruited by Stony Brook,
Troy, Wichita State, Coastal Carolina, Murray State, Savannah State, Ball State, Fordham and some Division II schools.

“I’m very happy now,” he said. “I feel like I can relax more.”

Xavier recruit Brittany Moore is anxiously awaiting having more free time. Since committing to Xavier out of Merrillville High School in Indiana, Moore had her eyes set on playing for the Musketeers.

“It’s nice that a lot of people want you but with school and basketball, it just takes up so much of your time,” said.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.