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sealhall74 wrote: Sat Dec 18, 2021 10:37 amWhere do Macombies go now for things like craft fairs, weddings and receptions, big business meetings, Coach's Football Show (assuming Myers will do a public one instead of in the studio), ....
Wedding receptions - The Forum (old Illinois Theater), WIU Union Grand Ballroom
Craft Fairs - 4-H/U of I Extension center, MHS Commons, West Central Illinois Arts Center
Business meetings - WIU Union, City Hall conference room
Coach's Football Show - They used to have those at Buffalo Wild Wings. Could also have it at the HOF Room in Western Hall.
Macomb Public Library also has a meeting room that can be used for small things
Western Illinois Museum and West Central Illinois Arts Center are also used for some kinds of receptions and things.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
Western Illinois University Alum/Fan/Employee
Member of the Marching Leathernecks - 1996-2000
Kansas Wesleyan is really small, is there anybody on our current roster that came from a high school smaller than KWU. I think Western needs to take a serious inventory of it's situation and face reality. WIU can not compete in the MVFC anymore, we don't have the money, facilities, all the points Lawson made.
Missouri State hires a name brand Power5 coach and we are going NAIA. Knife vs. Gun?
Our A.D. has my complete respect. I don't have doubt that this was probably the best hire available with the resources she had at her disposal. I think this was an impossibly difficult situation. At least Myers has an affinity for Western, I can't help but think some candidates got on campus and couldn't get out of town fast enough.
vatusay wrote:Paraphrasing because can’t remember word for word.
Excited to be back home. Doesn’t see it as an opportunity but as a calling.
We all need to give him a chance. No matter what qualifications we think his resume has. Hopefully he can continue his winning ways from KWU.
100%, he has my whole support. I hope he brings us back to a winning program
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hendrickson has my full support as well. The more I think about it he has been here, he knows people, he is a winner, he will put more heart into this than most, He is probably better suited to do more with less. I could see a higher profile coach come in here and after a rough go, throw up his hands with a well what do you expect me to do mentality (with regards to WIU's resources and facilities hampering recruiting).
Time will tell, I feel better about this hire than I did about Elliott (Elliott just was not the right guy not trying to disparage him). Also, my comparison to Missouri State wasn't fair. Our situation is different than theirs. Now if we could just find some money *sigh*.
Being part of this process I want to share with you the why so you have a better understanding and get on board with Coach Hendrickson.
Western Illinois had upwards of 60-70 applicants for this position and 98% were just interviewing and wouldn’t be a good fit for the position we are in. We needed what was best for WIU, the players and the community. You have to admit all of these areas were struggling.
The previous staff wasn’t any of that come to find out. Only certain coaches were allowed to participate in game planning and recruiting choices. In other words they had no say so in anything and their recommendations weren’t even considered. They were directed to not recruit high schools players because they were told no high school kids will come to WIU. There was major division amongst the staff and it was evident the last 3 years. We have a couple of really good coaches from this staff that are being considered to stay that the kids love and respect! At the end of the day it wasn’t a good environment under the previous leader.
Coach Hendrickson came in prepared like no other. His 30+ page vision and plan is one he’s followed throughout his career. He has success everywhere he goes because kids buy into his vision, plan and program. I don’t care what level you come from…if you can coach you can coach. All coaches had to start somewhere. So let’s not get tied up of where he came from but let’s look at the success he’s had!
Since he’s been announced as our head coach the comments coming from former Neck players and his former players at Kansas Wesleyan are so uplifting because they all echo the same sentiment…”Great leader but even a better person”, “Great Choice!” And so many more.
Here’s some great news…my phone has blown up from former Neck players that are successful high school coaches all over this country and or at the junior college level since Coach Hendrickson was introduced. Many have tried to send kids to Western because they know our program better than anyone and know the culture only to fall on deaf ears from the previous leadership and recruiting coordinator.
Something else to remember…most schools are concentrating on the transfer portal leaving a bunch of good All- State high school kids out there without offers. All of these former Neck players/coaches are sending info on these kids as well as their own as of Friday! So Coach isn’t really behind the eight ball on recruiting after all. He hasn’t left the office since Friday for very long and has been busy on the phone talking to these kids. I’ve always said we never built that foundation of good high school recruits any time the last 3-4 years. There was no recruiting these past several months which is good for Coach Hendrickson. He can immediately bring in HIS kids to build that foundation!
Don’t get me wrong…we will always need a few transfers but we need that strong foundation of high school kids each year. The majority of those kids will come from former Leathernecks!
Another attraction to this hire is his ability to work in the community. He is adamant that all his teams do community service and participate in activities for visibility. That’s why he broke the attendance records at KW the last 3 years. The community supported him and his teams because he worked his tail off in the community! He can fund raise folks! Coming from a private school he had to raise money for new uniforms, helmets, locker room renovations etc.
Last night he went to the Sports Corner after the basketball game and bought the whole bar a round of drinks and stopped by every table and held conversations with everyone. Sounds like my kind of guy!
Let’s not look back…but forward to a new era of Leatherneck football! Like I said in my Facebook post on the football alumni page “Leathernecks take back THEIR Program!
Coach Hendrickson held his first team meeting Friday via Zoom and all current players attended. Those kids are ready to work as evident by their comments on Facebook and Twitter. They are ready for a change as well and deserve our love and support!
Hope this gives you a better understanding!
#NECKup
Leatherneck57 wrote:Being part of this process I want to share with you the why so you have a better understanding and get on board with Coach Hendrickson.
Western Illinois had upwards of 60-70 applicants for this position and 98% were just interviewing and wouldn’t be a good fit for the position we are in. We needed what was best for WIU, the players and the community. You have to admit all of these areas were struggling.
The previous staff wasn’t any of that come to find out. Only certain coaches were allowed to participate in game planning and recruiting choices. In other words they had no say so in anything and their recommendations weren’t even considered. They were directed to not recruit high schools players because they were told no high school kids will come to WIU. There was major division amongst the staff and it was evident the last 3 years. We have a couple of really good coaches from this staff that are being considered to stay that the kids love and respect! At the end of the day it wasn’t a good environment under the previous leader.
Coach Hendrickson came in prepared like no other. His 30+ page vision and plan is one he’s followed throughout his career. He has success everywhere he goes because kids buy into his vision, plan and program. I don’t care what level you come from…if you can coach you can coach. All coaches had to start somewhere. So let’s not get tied up of where he came from but let’s look at the success he’s had!
Since he’s been announced as our head coach the comments coming from former Neck players and his former players at Kansas Wesleyan are so uplifting because they all echo the same sentiment…”Great leader but even a better person”, “Great Choice!” And so many more.
Here’s some great news…my phone has blown up from former Neck players that are successful high school coaches all over this country and or at the junior college level since Coach Hendrickson was introduced. Many have tried to send kids to Western because they know our program better than anyone and know the culture only to fall on deaf ears from the previous leadership and recruiting coordinator.
Something else to remember…most schools are concentrating on the transfer portal leaving a bunch of good All- State high school kids out there without offers. All of these former Neck players/coaches are sending info on these kids as well as their own as of Friday! So Coach isn’t really behind the eight ball on recruiting after all. He hasn’t left the office since Friday for very long and has been busy on the phone talking to these kids. I’ve always said we never built that foundation of good high school recruits any time the last 3-4 years. There was no recruiting these past several months which is good for Coach Hendrickson. He can immediately bring in HIS kids to build that foundation!
Don’t get me wrong…we will always need a few transfers but we need that strong foundation of high school kids each year. The majority of those kids will come from former Leathernecks!
Another attraction to this hire is his ability to work in the community. He is adamant that all his teams do community service and participate in activities for visibility. That’s why he broke the attendance records at KW the last 3 years. The community supported him and his teams because he worked his tail off in the community! He can fund raise folks! Coming from a private school he had to raise money for new uniforms, helmets, locker room renovations etc.
Last night he went to the Sports Corner after the basketball game and bought the whole bar a round of drinks and stopped by every table and held conversations with everyone. Sounds like my kind of guy!
Let’s not look back…but forward to a new era of Leatherneck football! Like I said in my Facebook post on the football alumni page “Leathernecks take back THEIR Program!
Coach Hendrickson held his first team meeting Friday via Zoom and all current players attended. Those kids are ready to work as evident by their comments on Facebook and Twitter. They are ready for a change as well and deserve our love and support!
Hope this gives you a better understanding!
#NECKup
Well I’m sold and very excited for our future. Go Necks!
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
