What’s the hurry with college freshmen?

Every so often some kid commits to a college when they’re 12, and fans decry it.

“What are they going to start doing next? Recruiting in grade school?” people will say.

Well, it appears that college freshmen are now being gobbled up in much the same fashion. I’m noticing from all my networks that increasingly, incoming frosh are expected to report not in the fall, not in second summer session, but first summer session.

That means this week.

For those from Texas on East it might not be such a big deal, because most high schools in those regions are finished by mid-May. But on the West coast, where the school year ends in mid-June, college comes too quickly.

I know one girl who graduated this week and was headed out to college the next day. Another went to her school last weekend, came back for graduation during the week, and headed back on a plane the next day.

No time to breathe, no time to enjoy finally being done with high school. No time to reflect on the first milestone of life, or relax and catch up on things that fell by the wayside for the sake of senior portfolios, activities and last-minute business. It’s just on to more school, with no head space.

I just finished up my own teaching school year a few days ago, and it’s only been today that I’ve felt a faint semblance of being rested again…..eventually. If I had to jump into school again this week, I’d lose my mind.

I’ve written against year-round basketball for the 18-and-unders in this space before, because I think young people need a break sometimes. And then someone will post a comment that unless kids stay on it 24/7, someone who is working harder will get the next scholarship instead of them.

Maybe so. I’m a fair person and am interested in the opposing argument. So in this vein I’d like to throw the question open to college coaches: why snatch a kid up so quickly now? Do you really feel like an extra 3-9 weeks in the program will make that much difference? Do you think they’re going to get in trouble if they don’t come to college the second high school is finished? Aren’t you afraid they’re going to get burned out on school and/or hoops?

I really want to know.