AFM Home | The Staff Report | June 2004

By Bob Chmiel

Many times I have been asked to take a retrospective look at the changes in the recruiting process. As a recruiting coordinator whose career began alsmost twenty years ago it would seem that this question would be complex, but in reality it is simple.The most drastic changes in the process involve the advent of extensive computeer use, and the portability of the VHS tapes as opposed to 16mm film. In the past recruiting letters were generated either by personal note, or by copying machines. In the case of the copying machines the note usually read, “Dear Prospect.” A rather impersonal greeting at best.

Enter the computer age, mass mailings with a personal address and greeting, and the prospects name in the body of the letter! Mail contacts became more important and could be generated on a weekly or even bi-weekly basis. In the past the month of May was “actually used” as an evaluation period. High school coaches afforded the collegiate recruiters the opportunity to visit their respective schools and provided them with 16mm film to review the football abilities of their players. At that time the 16mm film remained at the high school. If by chance it was sent to a particular college a visitng coach at the high school may have been prohibited from seeing it because the film “was out.”

Enter VHS and the ability to copy game tapes in an affordable manner, and in multiple copies. In other words evaluation of game performances could actually be made at the collegiate football offices. This provided the college coaches a more focused game plan for their spring visitation, thus turning an evaluation period into somewhat of a public relations format. Keep in mind however, that even though the spring evaluation process was altered the successful veteran coaches still made the really important stops along the way to insure the continuity and the relationships with high school coaches. As a former high school coach it was paramount for to me to pay these hard working men the respect they so deservedly had earned. Until this day I believe the most important aspect of being a great recruiter is to establish a positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the high school coach.

Bob Chmiel, a former Recruiting Coordinator for both Bo Schembechler and Lou Holtz, is a partner with BTI Sports, hosts a sports program for WSND, and is a football television analyst.