The Myth of Reclassifying

Reclassification of a student-athlete can be a touchy subject, and it is done much more often than it should be. Most who give advice about reclassifying do so without any knowledge of NCAA rules or eligibility guidelines. Here is the main thing about reclassifying. It does NOT give you an extra year to finish high school. If you're going to do it, then reclassify athletically not academically, which means that you're committing to doing a Post Graduate year at a Prep School after graduation. A prep year can get you only 1 credit to help with your gpa. You can also retake the SAT. You CANNOT use that year to graduate from high school. The simple fact is, if you do not graduate within 4 years of when you started 9th grade, you will not qualify academically with the NCAA. At this point, you can forget about who is recruiting you, a post grad year at a prep school cannot help you, you must go to a JUCO and earn your Associates degree, which typically takes two years.

Too many times, adults give advice to players and their parents about reclassifying without knowing this simple rule. An extra year of high school is a qualification killer, and is counterproductive to your success as a student and an athlete. If you want to reclassify, make sure you graduate in four, then do a Post Grad year at a prep school. However, this option still comes with a lot of issues and deception. In reality, there is no shame in going to a JUCO. Think about this, the topic of reclassifying to a player often seems too good to be true. That's because it often is.

If someone tells you to reclassify, before you agree, ask what is in it for THEM?

By making a player seem younger than they are, chances are that player will be recruited higher, given an extra star by scouting services, and will have an extra year to play on the AAU circuit. Initially, it seems like these are all good things for an improving athlete. It is not good though, if no one tells the athlete and their  family that they still have to graduate in the same year. When players reclassify, they commonly think that they have an extra year of High School to play around with. They get to repeat a year. Not true. You must graduate on time.

The truth is, all of this truly benefits the AAU or  Prep School Coach. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of excellent, well intentioned AAU and Prep coaches out there, but there are also a lot of manipulators to look out for. Reclassifying you makes his program look better, and your high ranking makes him look like a better coach (If you doubt this, please read George Dohrmann's 'Play Their Hearts Out'). All of this adds up to more paying customers joining their programs, and possibly a sponsorship, all of which makes THEM money. If your parents are paying for you to be at a prep school, and the prep school reclassifies you, then the school will get that payment for another year. All of this results in adults making money by covering up your age. The result for you could be could be a lack of qualifying, two years at a JUCO as opposed to 4 years at a University, and the possibility that you get over recruited. Being over recruited most often leads to time on the bench, and a transfer to a smaller school where you'd play for a year or two. Even if you do graduate, often the coaches that were recruiting you thinking you were younger will feel like you lied to them about your age. All of this adds up to a waste of your time. If this happens to you, will your AAU coach or prep school give you a portion of the money you've earned them? I doubt it. Be smart and look out for your own interests here.

Don't get me wrong, I understand why many feel like reclassification is a good option for them. Perhaps you feel you need another year to get recruited at a higher level, or seen by more people. Maybe you started school early, and are going to graduate at a younger age than those you've been competing against. Maybe you started playing late, or had a late growth spurt, and could use the extra development. I get that, and that is what prep school is supposed to be for. JUCO can also aid in that development. However, if you're thinking about reclassifying, talk it over with your parents, and come up with a reasonable plan that works for everyone. Do your homework. Do not reclassify for academic reasons. That is not an answer, it will prevent you from going directly to a four year university. Make sure you graduate on time, and with all of your core credits.

I can't restate this enough, don't reclassify unless you clearly know the NCAA rules regarding the issue.  Make sure you get your work done in the classroom, and graduate on time. If someone suggests reclassifying, look at the situation clearly, and make sure they're not trying to use you. Finally, if you're an adult and you don't understand NCAA rules, don't give advice to kids about reclassification. Instead, get the facts first, then sit down and discuss the issue with the player and their family.

If you have further questions about reclassifying or other issues regarding prep basketball, email me at adamdesautels@gmail.com. Thank you for your time, please help our student athletes avoid making costly mistakes.

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