"Recruiting is Selling." - Small Schools Recruit

The challenges facing (and their secrets too) a small college's recruiting. - Original Story by Sam Monroe

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For Lyndon State College, recruiting is an uphill battle that must be fought every year.

“Recruiting is the life’s blood of your program,” said Bill Johnson, Lyndon’s sports information director, who coached basketball for 28 years before coming to Lyndon.

“Great players make good coaches great,” said Vincent Maloney, the Lyndon State women’s basketball coach.

Most coaches agree that networking is number one in any recruiting outfit. The coaches at LSC attempt to have a New England-wide network with coaches and high schools year long, keeping up on stats and prospective players.

Chris Ummer, the coach for LSC's cross country also made use of summer camps in order to recruit, though he no longer is in charge of it. Maloney also uses a camp to aid in recruiting.

“Recruiting is selling,” said Johnson. The coach needs to sell the school and entice athletes with the small things that they can’t get at other schools. Johnson also said that he would never mention another school during a recruiting visit.

As for selling LSC to prospective athletes, the coaches all use differect methods. Joe Krupinski, a basketball coach from LSC says he stresses the improvement of the basketball team. He tells his recruits “you can be a building block in turning this around.” Ummer mentions the mountians and plethora of outdoor activities. Maloney, on the other hand, uses the size of classes and the idea of being a face and name, not just a number in a system to the professors.

Perhaps most difficult part of recruiting for a small school is being able to see prospective athletes play. The issues arise because of scheduling conflicts. LSC's seasons are at the same time as the highschool seasons; this makes it difficult for the coaches to go watch athletes play.

“Students are very excited when a coach walks in to see them play,” said Maloney. Yet not being able to go to as many games as they would like they rely on stats. Ummer, just as an extra boost, will go to a prospective cross country runners will visit them at other sports events.

The last part of recruiting for LSC is a campus visit. The coaches will generly introduce athletes already on the team to encourage the prospect to play.

“It makes them feel like they are already part of the team,” Ummer said.

While Krupinski puts it into one sentence “it is about finding your niche and finding guys who are a good fit at your school and your level.”

Lyndon State Athletics

Sam's Original Story