From Digital Hoops Blast, via LinkedIN and Andrew Pawlowski.
This blog is all about inspiration.
We’re going to spend 3 days elevating best practices from the squads that make up the Atlantic Coast Conference. And then we’ll talk about how to make that even better…
What makes something a best practice? This isn’t about the most intricate experience. It’s about looking at the world from your consumer’s point of view and delivering something that hits it right smack on the head. In the case of colleges, I’m treating the primary consumer as that prospective student athlete.
Cool?
Let’s move.
It seems fitting that today is here. Yesterday, we covered the details at the bottom of a website (check what Duke does, here)… And today we will flip that around with the top navigation. Let’s move to the Maryland Athletics website, here. As you can see in the image below, they hit us front and center with a For Recruits header.
That’s where the magic happens.
First of all, let’s zoom into that menu, below:
Maryland Positions Twitter as a Recruiting Tool. We have long identified that Twitter offers the potential for prospective student athletes to stay in contact with coaches. But if you look at the majority of sites, they instead offer Twitter under “Fan Zone” or “Multimedia” or, maybe, “Social Media”. And I’m a believer that you identify your audience and speak to them. Maryland makes this very clear.
I clicked into Twitter, and come to Coach Gary Williams’ page, here. Coach Williams does a great job here – he’s up fairly often, and is conversational and relevant. Scroll through it and you’ll see he gives props to former players (Greivis Vasquez, Steve Blake, and Landon Milbourne recently) — signaling that he doesn’t forget you once you leave Maryland. Just solid all around.
How could this be better? Make this the first thing on the menu. Twitter crashed the recruits menu, the mission now is to move it to the first thing we see.
You can follow this blog, via the Digital Hoops Blast Facebook page (linked here) or on Twitter — @pawlow34.
One thing Andrew doesn’t mention is that perhaps an even better use of this comes from “down the hall” at the Comcast Center… Brenda Frese and her staff have, arguably, the Nation’s #1 recruiting class in 2011 and 2012 may be equally as good. There is no secret that Frese has long been known for her masterful art of recruiting and her staff is tremendous.
The custom UMD Women’s Basketball site (many schools are doing this now) is really, really good.
I follow many coaches “Tweets” out there and the primary difference between the ones flowing out of College Park and the rest is I don’t just here about: “It’s a beautiful day in (you fill in the college town), or ” Heading to workouts, it’s a great day to be a (fill in mascot of your choice.)” and the best is “just had a great (fill in meal based on time of day) at (fill in local sub, pizza or food spot) AWESOME!” Don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of that… every staff does that, it’s a given. Follow Coach Frese on Twitter, you’ll get the idea.
I haven’t personally done a “Best of Twitter College Basketball Review,” maybe that is something that is out there.
Anyone with input and links to really good uses of Twitter forward them via comments section and we will share.
Posted 3 days, 4 hours ago. Add a comment
THIS IS REALLY GOOD. You’ll see, even though it is “anonymous”, it’s still not 100% accurate… but it’s pretty good. Coaches will still be self-serving and self protective even when being anonymous. It’s as close as I’ve seen to the “truth” though.
By Dana O’Neil ESPN.com
The image of college basketball has taken a beating in recent years, with rumors, murmurs and innuendo about cheating spreading like wildfire. Cynics believe no one is trying to follow the NCAA rulebook and that the game has fallen victim to the begging hands of agents, runners and hangers-on looking to collect on the next NBA star.
Is it that bad? What are the real problems? And is the NCAA doing enough to fix those problems?
To get the answers, ESPN.com went to the sources. During the EYBL Peach Jam last week, we interviewed 20 high-profile head coaches, representing each of the six power conferences. With the promise of full anonymity, we asked them to tell the truth about their sport.
And they did.
What is your least favorite part of summer recruiting?
No one likes the constant travel, the bad basketball and the emphasis on individual skills instead of team play.
Coaches travel everywhere to watch high school kids in July, but can’t keep an eye on their own.
But of the coaches surveyed, many — eight of the 20 — cited the time away from campus and their own players as the biggest problem with the summertime.
“I have my team over for a barbecue before I leave in July,” one coach said. “Little do they know it’s a farewell, not a welcome barbecue.”
“You walk into a living room and promise a mother that you’ll be there for her son,” said another. “And as soon as they get on campus, you’re gone.”
“They’re all on campus and I’m on the road,” added another. “If they do something stupid, I’m going to get fired — but I can’t be there to see what they’re doing.”
Some other popular grievances:
“What don’t I like? All of it. I don’t think there should be summer recruiting, period. They want to clean it up? Get rid of it.”
“I’ll tell you another problem — 70 percent of the kids we’re sitting here watching should be in summer school. They shouldn’t be here.”
“What don’t I like about summer? Everything. The babysitting, the ass-kissing. Does that cover it?”
Continue Reading…
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago. Add a comment
The WNBA Draft is today! For Monica Wright, her family as well as a host of others, today is a special day. In a little less than an hour, everything Monica has known as a player changes. There will be pay checks, endorsements, appearances, media, pictures, travel. Exciting times! Congratulations to all, enjoy the moment and the day – it’s special. Follow the DRAFT HERE. See our 2010 WNBA MOCK DRAFT HERE.
From By DAVE UTNIK
On the rare occasions when she allowed herself to look beyond the goal directly before her, Monica Wright imagined what it might feel like to walk onto the court for the first time as a professional basketball player.
She’s never been one to assume anything. The University of Virginia’s all-time scoring leader has spent her entire career pursuing one small milestone after another.
Looking too far ahead isn’t her thing. Wright prepares for the moment and then moves on. It’s a personal rule that has worked out well because everywhere she goes, success ultimately follows.
But even Wright has day dreams.
Monica Wright's Draft Day
And her happily-ever-after visions have usually involved playing in the Women’s National Basketball Association.
Even as a high school sophomore, when she was just beginning to discover her potential as one of the nation’s elite women’s basketball players, it was assumed by everyone around her that Wright would play in the WNBA.
Her talent was that obvious.
Almost everything Wright has accomplished over the past decade—two high school state championships at Forest Park and first-team Associated Press All-America honors at Virginia—has led her to this afternoon’s draft in Secaucus, N.J., where the best player in Prince William County history is expected to be among the top five selections. She won’t get past the second pick.
“I can see myself around the perimeter playing maybe one through three. That’s where I have been playing throughout my whole career,” Wright said. “But I feel the most comfortable at shooting guard.
“As I have heard and learned, this draft is going to be guard heavy so it’s going to be exciting to see where everybody goes.”
Pre-draft buzz has Wright reaching the podium within 10 minutes, most likely as the No. 2 or No. 3 overall pick—shortly after the Connecticut Sun select UConn center Tina Charles with the first pick.
Here is a quick look at where Wright could be headed:
Connecticut Su
1st and 7th overall pick
After finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference last season at 16-18, the Sun had a busy offseason. They acquired 2009 first-round pick Renee Montgomery from Minnesota in exchange for the first overall pick. On Wednesday, they traded guard/forward Amber Holt and center Chante Black to the Tulsa Shock to get the No. 7 pick.
Connecticut, which desperately needs a center, is expected to select Charles. The last two No. 1 selections—Angel McCoughtry and Candice Parker—went on to win rookie of the year honors.
The Sun would certainly choose Wright at No. 7, but she probably won’t last that long.
Minnesota Lynx
2nd and 3rd overall pick
The Lynx seem to be a perfect fit for Wright, who led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring and was named the NCAA defensive player of the year.
First-year coach Cheryl Reeves wants defense to be a priority after Minnesota gave up the second-most points in the league a year ago. And that is Wright’s forte. ACC and National Defensive Player of the year, check.
The thing about Wright is that she also creates match-up problems with her speed and versatility. She’s started at point guard, shooting guard and small forward at one point or another in her career. The Lynx appear to be set in the backcourt after acquiring Lindsey Whalen from the Sun to play alongside Candice Wiggins.
Chicago Sky
4th overall pick
The Sky nearly made the playoffs for the first time since joining the league in 2005 and Wright is just the kind of athlete who could finally lead them there.
If the Lynx don’t select Wright with one of their two picks, then the Sky almost assuredly will despite five guards on the active roster, including point guard Kristi Toliver, from Maryland, and Jia Perkins.
The Sky bolstered their front court by getting center Courtney Paris from Sacramento in the dispersal draft and Shameka Christon is a trade with the Liberty.
What they need now is an impact scorer. With one pick in the first two rounds, Chicago will have to draft wisely.
San Antonio Silver Star
5th overall pick
The Stars are the first 2009 playoff team to make a pick in this year’s draft. After nearly upsetting eventually champion Phoenix in the Western Conference semifinals, there aren’t many weaknesses.
They addressed a need for rebounding by trading for center Michelle Snow, signing Tasha Humphrey and getting forward Laura Harper in the dispersal draft.
All-Star Becky Hammon and shooting guard Roneeka Hodges are the likely backcourt starters, but Wright has a way of blending in almost anywhere.
Washington Mystic
6th overall pick
It’s probably wishful thinking. As wonderful as it would be for Wright to play—and star—in her hometown, there is very little chance of her landing in D.C.
The Mystics are one of the league’s up-and-coming teams after a string of successful drafts and the recent signing of all-star guard Katie Smith, who should play along with Alana Beard and Lindsey Harding in a three-guard backcourt.
After reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, the Mystics could still use another versatile small forward. Maybe they’ll be lucky enough to find Wright still on the draft board at No. 6. It’s not likely though.
Posted 4 months, 4 weeks ago. 1 comment
I was forwarded an interesting email while in San Antonio. With the economy and every school’s ever-crunching budgets, I found this very interesting. The cost of success and the cost of running quality programs continues to skyrocket. Now deficit’s are mounting for many, many schools.
According to forms filed with the federal government, these schools reported the largest deficits for their women’s basketball programs in regard to the 2008-09 season:
School Deficit
1. Kansas $3,177,605
2. South Carolina $3,155,424
3. Arkansas $3,120,026
4. Texas A&M $2,996,821
5. Virginia $2,933,888
6. Auburn $2,874,009
7. Duke $2,836,386
8. Auburn $2,761,504
9. Oklahoma $2,677,885
10. Northwestern $2,652,529
11. Texas $2,639,111
12. Georgia Tech $2,479,525
The cost of Big 12 basketball
As this chart shows, one-third of the Big 12 schools lost money on basketball during the 2008-09 season, largely because of the massive deficits associated with their women’s teams. The revenues and expenses listed for each school were taken from forms filed with the federal government. The revenues listed for Baylor, a private school, may include subsidies from the university.
Texas
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 1,918,013/ 14,770,278/ 16,688,291
Expenses: 4,557,124/ 7,891,661/ 12,448,785
Profit or loss -2,639,111/ 6,878,617/ 4,239,506
Texas A&M
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 1,049,951/ 8,984,818/ 10,034,769
Expenses: 4,046,772/ 6,219,442/ 10,266,214
Profit or loss: -2,996,821/ 2,765,376/ -231,445
Texas Tech
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 1,746,714/ 6,479,893/ 8,226,607
Expenses: 2,734,893/ 3,831,828/ 6,566,721
Profit or loss: -988,179/ 2,648,065/ 1,659,886
Baylor
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 4,082,782/ 4,595,742/ 8,678,524
Expenses: 4,082,782/ 4,595,742/ 8,678,524
Profit or loss: 0/ 0/ 0
Oklahoma
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 1,448,696/ 6,753,149/ 8,201,845
Expenses: 4,126,551/ 5,409,808/ 9,536,359
Profit or loss: -2,677,855/ 1,343,341/ -1,334,514
Oklahoma State
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 427,816/ 11,052,293/ 11,480,109
Expenses: 2,118,334/ 5,166,055/ 7,284,389
Profit or loss: -1,690,518/ 5,886,238/ 4,195,720
Colorado
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 389,436/ 3,993,889/ 4,383,325
Expenses: 2,710,495/ 3,951,423/ 6,661,918
Profit or loss: -2,321,059/ 42,466/ -2,278,593
Iowa State
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 1,541,423/ 6,197,669/ 7,739,092
Expenses: 2,996,712/ 4,296,701/ 7,293,413
Profit or loss: -1,455,289/ 1,900,968/ 445,679
Kansas
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 315,529/ 15,737,145/ 16,052,674
Expenses: 3,493,134/ 8,219,362/ 11,712,496
Profit or loss: -3,177,605/ 7,517,783/ 4,340,178
Kansas State
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 765,006/ 5,656,041/ 6,421,047
Expenses: 2,513,866/ 4,608,889/ 7,122,755
Profit or loss: -1,748,860/ 1,047,152/ -701,708
Missouri
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 354,849/8,857,828/9,212,677
Expenses: 2,028,463/4,528,720/6,557,183
Profit or loss: -1,673,614/4,329,108/2,655,494
Nebraska
Women/Men/Total
Revenue: 695,026/6,297,232/6,992,258
Expenses: 2,247,575/3,961,218/6,208,793
Profit or loss: -1,552,549/2,336,014/783,465
Posted 5 months ago. 4 comments
