Slick Recruiting

2-19-90

Perspective:

Slick Recruiting

It was a pretty good week for Cobber sports. The Lady Cobbers took over first place in the MIAC title race.

Several track athletes broke school records. And the recruiting of athletes for next year's teams shifted into high gear. Unfortunately, that prompted the new recruiter from the Admissions Office to come and see me.

"Slick", as they call him, is not what you'd call "up to speed" on Cobber recruiting yet. At this point he consists mostly of rough edges.

"I'm from admissions and I'm here to help." Slick said.

Slick used to work with the government.

But now he sees himself as having a career in college recruiting. And he likes to recruit athletes. I think he belongs at Illinois.

"What do you want?" I said.

I had heard some stories about Slick's problems at the last school where he worked. Slick immediately sensed my concern about his past. But, being a born recruiter, he was not discouraged by my chilly reception. He was inspired.

"You're worried about that confusion over their basketball program, aren't you, Jer? Hey, how was I to know all thirty-eight of those kids would enroll? Besides, a lot of those kids I recruited were better than the ones the coach was recruiting. But, hey, that's water over the bridge, right?"

I suggested that maybe his having promised them all that they would be starters as freshmen could have been a big part of his problems.

"I don't think that's what really got everybody so hot.

Coaches do that all the time. Their main gripe at the hearing seemed to be my use of the term `assistant coach' when I was out recruiting. Hey, I figured that since I was being of assistance to the coach by recruiting kids, it was, well, you know, just simpler to call myself an assistant coach, even though I was technically just an admissions counselor. Boy, were they mad. Coaches can really be touchy sometimes."

"Wasn't there also some problem with you promising an athletic scholarship?" I asked.

Slick's prior position had been at another NCAA Division III school. Athletic scholarships are allowed at NCAA Division I and II and at some NAIA schools. But Division III schools can only give financial aid based on financial need and academic ability, not athletic ability.

"That was more of an interpretation error on my part, Jer. The school said we could give out `Leadership Scholarships.' The kid I promised the scholarship to could have led us in both scoring and rebounding. I call that leadership. But those NCAA investigators really made it look like I was a low-life or something."

They can be harsh, I admitted.

"Look, Jer, that's water under the dam." Slick's eyes brightened. "I need some football recruiting brochures.

I got this great list of possible recruits and now is the time to move, what with national signing day being yesterday and all. The kids who were waiting for a Division I or II school to make them an offer are crushed that they won't be getting a scholarship.

They're like jilted lovers. Vulnerable. Now is the time to hit 'em. And I got this great list to work from."

"What list is that, Slick?"

"You'll like this, Jer. This is great. I went over to the NDSU athletic department Tuesday night, kinda' late, and went through their garbage dumpster out back. I found a list of about five-hundred possible football recruits with coaches' notes on it, saying things like `too slow' and `too small' and stuff like that. These are the kids NDSU looked at and decided not to give a scholarship to. It's a gold mine. I got a letter all set to go to these kids, including those coaches' notes about them, telling them to come to Cobberville and show NDSU what a mistake they made. Get it? We play on their wounded pride."

"I get it, Slick. But that doesn't strike me as really being the way we want to be recruiting students around here. Have you talked to coach Christopherson about this idea?"

"Not really. Christopherson is sorta' from the old school. You know, Jer? Pretty set in his own ways. In fact, he was teasing me just the other day about how he would punch me out if I ever set foot in the athletic department.

"So, I figured, this little letter campaign of mine would be my way of showing him what I can do. It would be sorta' supplemental to what he is doing. Kinda' my surprise present to the football program. All I need is the brochures."

I suggested to Slick that he might be reading coach Christopherson wrong. Christopherson is not exactly a teaser. And, from all I can tell, he really hates surprises.

Besides, I added, Christopherson is pretty serious about pitching education first, and football second. I don't think an appeal about showing-up NDSU would exactly fit in with Christopherson's approach to recruiting.

Slick looked discouraged for a moment. But then his eyes brightened again. "Maybe you're right. I maybe should take a more go-slow approach with football. But, hey, I've also got some ideas that I think could really turn our women's basketball program around."

"I'm sure you do, Slick. We'll call if we need help." I said. "Thanks for stopping by."

"No problem. Remember, I'm from admissions and I'm here to help."

Slick avoided walking past Christopherson's office as he left.

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