Prep Schools

[Mike]

I have never understood how prep schools work and would appreciate some information. Example: In 2007, Drake recruited Wendell Faines, a power forward out of Lincoln, Nebraska. Faines didn't attend Drake this year but spent it at Massanutten Military Academy, a prep school in Virginia. I think Creighton has a couple of current players who attended prep school and I am sure there are others in the MVC. Is the commit that a player makes out of high school still binding after a year of prep school? Why do these students attend the prep schools? Is it usually for academic reasons? The prep schools are not cheap and I assume that all students attending these prep schools are not from wealthy families. Who pays the tuition for these high school basketball students to attend prep school? Do the players just attend one year after high school? Is it like a 5th year of high school?

I would appreciate any knowledge that any of you can provide. Thanks.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

Prep schools are the new juco's.

Usually a player will go to help them with grades if thats what they need. Or to some low level recruits they might go to a prep so that way they can raise their recruiting stock.

A big reason why kids are going the prep route as compared to a juco is because if you go to a prep school you still have 4 years of eligibility. So its more like an advanced high school if you will.

as for payment kids usually recieve scholarships to these places much like they would a college. And kids i believe can only attend one year of prep school after their 4 years of high school.

[cufan]

You preserve a year of eligibility, plus you play against big time competition, which attracts big-time college coaches for scouting. Many prep schools are actually bona fide high schools which also have post-high school programs. So the kids do take classes. For example if you didn't complete the core-classes required by the NCAA you might go to the prep school to take the classes you need in order to qualify for the nCAA. Or, if you didn't get a high enough ACT, you might go, take classes while concentrating on studying for the ACT to increase your score. All the while, you probably get better competition than you would get at most junior colleges and you are seen by coaches, whether they came to see you initially or another player on your team or another team.

I have no idea who pays for the kids, but I wouldn't be surprised if the big-time players get scholarships.

[Mike]

Again, using Faines as the example . . . . . is he bound to attend Drake or are his options "open" since he didn't go to Drake right out of high school?

[DoubleJayAlum]

Again, using Faines as the example . . . . . is he bound to attend Drake or are his options "open" since he didn't go to Drake right out of high school?

If his "commit" was nothing more than a verbal, then, like all verbals, its non binding.

As I understand LOIs, they are only binding for the next academic year. So if Faines signed a LOI, but then chose to go the Prep route for the next academic year, the LOI would no longer be binding. He could chose to go anywhere he wants and even sign a new LOI with another school.

[Mecha_Bulldog]

If his "commit" was nothing more than a verbal, then, like all verbals, its non binding.

As I understand LOIs, they are only binding for the next academic year. So if Faines signed a LOI, but then chose to go the Prep route for the next academic year, the LOI would no longer be binding. He could chose to go anywhere he wants and even sign a new LOI with another school.

That's my understanding. If you're wondering about Faines specifically, he signed a LOI to Drake for the 07-08 year. When he enrolled in prep school, his LOI was void and his recruiting was officially open. As far as I know, he's still verbally committed to Drake, but Drake has no available scholarships for next year. Nobody outside the program knows if he's still coming to Drake, but at this point I'd guess he's not.

As for why he went to prep school instead of Drake, there were rumors about grades, but his official reason was he wanted another year to develop because he was young for his grade.

[NewEra]

[QUOTE=Mike;135525]I have never understood how prep schools work and would appreciate some information. QUOTE]

Well basically if you are good at basketball but are P'tarded you have to go to prep school first.


I'm just joking CU fans, don't get all crazy.

[DawgieStyle]

Josh Tabb...@#$#$, @#$@#$, @#$@#$, @#$@#$@#$@# :cursing::cursing::ranting::ranting::ranting:

[jb399]

As for why he went to prep school instead of Drake, there were rumors about grades, but his official reason was he wanted another year to develop because he was young for his grade.

Seems a little iffy if you ask me. Don't most people red-shirt for that reason?

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

Seems a little iffy if you ask me. Don't most people red-shirt for that reason?


You could red shirt and lose a year of eligibilty.
Or you could go to prep school and do the same thing and get all 4 years.

It depends on the person though. If you go the red shirt route you're on campus and hanging out with your teamates and such and building friendships and trusts.

You could do the same with prep school if the school is close to the program you will be going to next.

[outpost]

You could red shirt and lose a year of eligibilty.
Or you could go to prep school and do the same thing and get all 4 years.

It depends on the person though. If you go the red shirt route you're on campus and hanging out with your teamates and such and building friendships and trusts.

You could do the same with prep school if the school is close to the program you will be going to next.

I think it's only red-shirting if one were academically eligible for D-1 going in. If one didn't qualify, they currently lose a year but have the possibility of gaining back that 4th year if they show satisfactory progress (i.e. graduate in 4 years).

Arbry Butler is an example of one who qualified, but had difficulty making his grades in the first year. He still had 4 years if he could've maintained the GPA needed.

Troy Mack was an example of someone who didn't qualify initially and sat out his "freshman" season, but graduated within 4 years and earned back his 4th year of eligibility.

Hope that's a clear enough explanation.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

I think it's only red-shirting if one were academically eligible for D-1 going in. If one didn't qualify, they currently lose a year but have the possibility of gaining back that 4th year if they show satisfactory progress (i.e. graduate in 4 years).

Arbry Butler is an example of one who qualified, but had difficulty making his grades in the first year. He still had 4 years if he could've maintained the GPA needed.

Troy Mack was an example of someone who didn't qualify initially and sat out his "freshman" season, but graduated within 4 years and earned back his 4th year of eligibility.

Hope that's a clear enough explanation.

dont confuse us with facts please.

Just kidding :lol:

I actually hadnt thought of Troy Mack but didnt realize that about Arbry. I though he had actually took the redshirt because he was frail and the grades things was something totally different that was found later.

[Mecha_Bulldog]

Seems a little iffy if you ask me. Don't most people red-shirt for that reason?

Sure, but you could go to prep school to develop for a year, and then redshirt when you arrive at your D1 school to develop too. Drake sophomore Bill Eaddy went to prep school, and then took a redshirt his first year at Drake to develop. I think Eaddy went to prep school though to get better (some?) D1 offers, not just to develop. I don't see a problem with it as long as the kid doesn't mind graduating from college two years later than his high school classmates.

[upsaluki]

We have a kid who has excellent grades, but is going to prep at Brewster for a year to work on his guard skills. He plays out of position at his HS. He was also young for his age. There is a good chance he will become an '09 recruit, but there is also a chance he won't stay with the team.

[goaces]

Not an advocate for Prep Schools. It's just part of what has become wrong with college athletics.

[Ace Dad]

I am an advocate for Prep Schools and have "steered" a couple of kids that way.

Both were young high school graduates at the age of 17.

Both were too thin and weak for D1.

Both wanted to play D1 as opposed to go to JUCO and burn two years of eligibility.

Are there some Prep Schools that are purely basketball factories? Yup.

Does this hurt college basketball? No.

Does it hurt the kid? Yeah.

They need an education.

In the old days there was some shenanigans with AAU programs and sponsors paying for tuition. Nowadays the elite players get scholarships, normally 4-6 and the coach rounds out the team with players who can pay.

[goaces]

I am an advocate for Prep Schools and have "steered" a couple of kids that way.

Both were young high school graduates at the age of 17.

Both were too thin and weak for D1.

Both wanted to play D1 as opposed to go to JUCO and burn two years of eligibility.

Are there some Prep Schools that are purely basketball factories? Yup.

Does this hurt college basketball? No.

Does it hurt the kid? Yeah.

They need an education.

In the old days there was some shenanigans with AAU programs and sponsors paying for tuition. Nowadays the elite players get scholarships, normally 4-6 and the coach rounds out the team with players who can pay.

All good points, Aces Dad.
Not sure if you may have seen it, but I think it was on CBS where a documentry was done on Prep Schools. Not that I didn't know it before, but the "shenanigans (I'll use your word) that went on was incrediable. No, I don't think all prep schools are the same...but they all need to be monitored much closer than what they are.

[CousinMose]

I know you were kidding with the P'tarded joke, but the reason he went to prep school is because he backed out of his ISU commitment after Wayne Morgan was ousted and it was late in the recruiting game and didn't think he had time to weigh his options. So I would imagine some kids go to Prep school for that reason as well.