Recruiting question - how much of an advantage is the budget?

[UcMiami]

Was thinking about recruiting and the issues someone like Jen or even someone like Jamelle at Cinci has when it comes to budget.
Uconn and other premier WCBB teams appear to have pretty much unlimited recruiting budgets - I am sure there are limits, but they basically go wherever they need to go and can send out assistants at will.
With Hartford I am sure any plane trip has to be carefully budgeted and weighed against the possible success. And I am sure that the budgets at Cincinnati or Providence or Temple, etc. are much tighter as well.
How much of an advantage do you think this gives the big programs. I know mail and phone calls/texts are cheap, but face time both to evaluate and to connect with coaches, family, and the players themselves is very important.

 

[Vowelguy]

Surely one reason why the all-star camps are popular -- a way to see a lot of players for the cost of 1 trip.

I don't know the extent to which Jen would want to recruit beyond the Northeast. How many kids are going to come from far away to play for Hartford?
9 of the 15 players on roster are from within 3 hours

 

[DaddyChoc]

what about the other 6 UHart player... how far have they traveled?

Surely one reason why the all-star camps are popular -- a way to see a lot of players for the cost of 1 trip.

I don't know the extent to which Jen would want to recruit beyond the Northeast. How many kids are going to come from far away to play for Hartford?
9 of the 15 players on roster are from within 3 hours

 

[John Glass]

I think the NCAA puts so many restrictions on D1 recruiting it is hard to spend money.

 

[UcMiami]

I think the NCAA puts so many restrictions on D1 recruiting it is hard to spend money.

Not talking about spending money on the recruits, but the cost of travel, food, and lodging for coaches - estimate $1000/trip for a coach to fly out to watch a player and the costs add up quickly. It ends up being a small percentage of a Uconn budget and not really a decision maker, but for lesser programs with much smaller budgets, it must restrict their access.

 

[UConnCat]

Not talking about spending money on the recruits, but the cost of travel, food, and lodging for coaches - estimate $1000/trip for a coach to fly out to watch a player and the costs add up quickly. It ends up being a small percentage of a Uconn budget and not really a decision maker, but for lesser programs with much smaller budgets, it must restrict their access.

Geno talked about recruiting trips on last week's coach's show (wtic.com). He talked the difficulty of flying to different parts of the country out of Bradley. Geno mentioned other programs that have use of private jets (Marquette; who knew?) and how much easier that makes recruiting trips. He wasn't suggesting that UConn doesn't have a good budget or asking anyone to feel sorry for him or his staff, but he was simply making the point that there's a lot of time that goes in to traveling to see recruits.

 

[Vowelguy]

You'd think that with all the video taping of games and HS games on cable access, that it'd be easier now than it used to be. Sure, ultimately you need to see players in person, but seems like the video would allow more players to be seen, and to possibly do a first round of weeding-out.

Then again, I guess that only helps out the assistants. Geno sure ain't doing the initial weeding out.

 

[alexrgct]

Hell, I live 20 minutes away from Bradley and basically never use it. I end up driving 90 minutes to Logan for most of my air travel.

 

[pap49cba]

You'd think that with all the video taping of games and HS games on cable access, that it'd be easier now than it used to be. Sure, ultimately you need to see players in person, but seems like the video would allow more players to be seen, and to possibly do a first round of weeding-out.

Then again, I guess that only helps out the assistants. Geno sure ain't doing the initial weeding out.

Your point is very valid but Geno (and most probably CD) strikes me as someone who wants to look a recruit in the eyes and get to understand her personality and her parents. As we all know, Geno has passed on some 'big time' recruits because is was felt they weren't a fit.

 

[Vowelguy]

Your point is very valid but Geno (and most probably CD) strikes me as someone who wants to look a recruit in the eyes and get to understand her personality and her parents. As we all know, Geno has passed on some 'big time' recruits because is was felt they weren't a fit.

Yes, I did say eventually they'll need to see the player in person.

There are also are a bunch of dead periods where a coach can't have contact with the player or family (I believe now is one of them). So even if he goes to a game, he can only watch.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Definitely an advantage. It also helps to have considerable brand recognition. I follow women's basketball and doubt I could recognize 25 coaches on sight.

 

[ThisJustIn]

It's not just the coaches who want to see the players -- the players want to see the coaches. You don't show up, they look elsewhere.

I heard a great story about a bunch of coaches "attending" a game. They were all on their blackberry-like objects texting/writing and such. Ball went into the stands and whapped them on their inattentive heads.

Budget is huge -- you also have to be able to purchase the "Tourney book." Many whine at the cost, but very few know or care about the cost it takes to put on those events. I'm not saying they don't make money, but just consider refs, rental, insurance, management etc. and suddenly, you've got a budget.

 

[UcMiami]

TJI - I think that 'they were interested enough to be in the stands' situation is very important to a lot of players and to a lot of parents and coaches as well. And even when they are not allowed to have contact with players/family, the time spent after a game or practice with the HS or AAU coach is very valuable, and whatever gets said gets passed along.
And VAU - definitely helps to have the brand and the 'rock star' rep of a Pat or Geno - it gets mentioned in local papers, it creates a buzz in the stands, and everybody knows 'he's in the house!'

 

[meyers7]

Hell, I live 20 minutes away from Bradley and basically never use it. I end up driving 90 minutes to Logan for most of my air travel.

Not that I travel that much, but I always use Bradley. Wouldn't dream of going out to Logan. Hell, I'd drive before I'd do that.