KOSNITZKY’S KORNER: The Art of Decommitting

As we now embark into the final weeks until National Signing Day on February 6, 2013, the abundance of committals and decommittals occurs at an accelerated rate. The high school athlete who receives multiple offers has the dilemma of not only choosing the right school for himself but ensuring that he does not alienate the other suitors. This especially becomes difficult when one of the suitors is a prominent university in your community.

I was particularly impressed when I read elite running back, Alex Collins’s response as to why he decommitted from the University of Miami and what he may do over the next few weeks. The South Plantation High athlete stated 7 weeks ago to InsideTheU.com that he would make his decision as a “neutral person.”

Yes, I am a Miami Hurricanes fan but regardless of what Collins decides to do, I commend him for his tactful response and urge other recruits to follow his lead if they also change their minds with their school choices. While this has often not been the case with many recruits since him who changed their minds, my hope is that ardent fans give these young men the respect and space to choose the right school. We have to remind ourselves that these athletes may not have our life situations nor our life experiences. I urge everyone in this circumstance to a take a step back and prepare for more indecisiveness among our youth until we get to that day of formal commitment.