Decision to commit early not what it is cracked up to be

January 21, 2011 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


They may not wait until the last minute to make a choice, but if they do perhaps it's preferable.

Two of the state's top senior athletes -- Mesa High guard Jahii Carson and Hamilton offensive tackle Christian Westerman --  made initial choices as juniors or just prior to becoming seniors and opted out of a first choice.

Carson originally picked Oregon State to play basketball then switched to ASU this summer. Westerman had been aligned with Texas (2009's national runner-up) until Friday when he de-committed and shifted allegiance to Auburn (2010 national champ). 

Nothing wrong with making a change when choosing what college to go to. It's a big decision for any kid - athlete, academician or both. It's better to take all the time one needs to be sure a school is right for him or her. When it comes to athletics there is always a deadline and some colleges press athletes needlessly (falsely).

So athletes, take your time. Don't be hasty just so the rush or frenzy to commit becomes an ego thing that friends and fans can read about. Getting the chance to go to any college -- and get  a college education paid for - should be reward enough.