Justin M's Essay

How are teams spending their money on recruiting players and paying for other expenses and where does the money they fund come from?

College and University Sports Organizations must do a good job year round in order to reap the benefits of successful sports programs. First of all, the head of the organization (most likely the head coach) must have an experienced coaching staff. Some big time college teams are fortunate to have many people working for the coach playing important roles in their jobs, whether it is with the play book or in the office. A key ingredient in this cycle is the recruiting end. Most initial recruiting is done online with many schools having their own website, such as the Boston College Football Program. Before the season begins the coaches work with the players and drill the play book into their heads until they perform the skills they are taught to the best of their ability. If the players and coaches each do their part they will succeed as a team. As a result, the organization gains popularity and top athletes will want to join the team to continue the success. When players as individuals put up impressive nu
mbers, they will be recognized and may have a chance to play in professional leagues such as the NFL, MLB, and NBA, to name a few. All of this recognition brings money into the college program by ticket sales and donations. A large sum of money comes from alumni. Many of the alumni make generous donations to their college as a sign of respect, pride, and gratitude. The schools depend on these large donations to keep their sports programs alive.
To have a successful organization such as Boston College’s football squad, many spots are filled early. We met with a man who scouts high school players from all over the country. Recruiting players throughout the United States works out very well money wise because it attracts more fans and player interest. Players visiting the school recognize the beautiful campus and tour the football building. The building alone can fulfill the player’s needs. It is an impressive facility which cost the college over 26 million dollars. This is an attraction that is much needed to bring in talent at this level. These students are getting offers to many schools and seeing the campus and this facility makes an impressive first look.
Northeastern University has a good baseball program. We met with the coach and he explained his method of recruiting. He searches for players all over New England by going to games, showcases, and etcetera and rates them one, two, or three with one being the best. Then he recruits six players a year for his ball team which is about half of what the average baseball team would get in that same division. If a player doesn’t get recruited he tells them not to lose interest. There are walk on tryouts and the coach knows he will benefit from these players as well. It is also important what the student’s first impression is of the coach. I got the impression that the Northeastern coach cared about his players and the game of baseball. He wants to succeed and that is really all you can ask for in a coach.
When an athlete is involved in an organization, both the athlete and the organization have to do their part. Trust is a big factor. The athlete puts his or her trust in the school’s program and the program trusts the athlete
to do a good job in order to keep the cycle going. The organization and the athletes feed off one another. You cannot be a successful athlete while working with a failing organization and you cannot be a successful organization when you have unsuccessful athletes. Just like any other business, it is a team effort. In order to keep the ball rolling and the money flowing you must have cooperation from both sides working together.