Head Coaching Search

Mheller
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2021 3:45 pm

ST_Lawson wrote:
meganeck wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:18 pm I agree with many on here, including the parents that commented a fundraising campaign is needed, but I think it has been mentioned before that with COVID and having to drop a swimming and layoffs and or wage freezes at the University, I think they thought it would be a good look to be out fundraising for football facilities. I think that time has passed and time to get something started...

 
As an employee who has fallen under the wage freeze (although thankfully wasn't directly hit by any of the 3 rounds of layoffs), I don't think many people would mind a fundraising campaign that pulled in money from private donors. Now, if the president were to announce an extra million or so in funding for athletics from university funds, then I think you'd see a lot of people pretty upset with that. But facilities improvements from private donors...I don't think there'd be much pushback.

I agree that now is the time to start a push for fundraising for football facilities improvements, hopefully with the ability to announce something during the fall 2022 football season.
I think my wife would vote that they start with a football building that can house the locker room, offices, and meeting rooms (her office does room scheduling for things...like football team/group meetings...and figuring that out with existing classrooms can be a real PITA).
Great! However I wouldn’t wait till fall of 2022. I’d start in January. We have momentum from the new HC hire and like my mother used to say, strike while the iron is hot. And we have to call it something. Something like “Campaign for Victory” or “Leatherneck Legacy Campaign”. I am not a marketing guy (obviously) but we need an organized, focused, broad fundraising drive. Something that gets folks excited about the future of football at WIU.

And push for participation. It’s a lot easier to get a bunch of smaller donations than a couple large ones. Everyone should be included in the drive; alumni, boosters, parents (athlete and non-athlete parents). But start right after New Years. Don’t wait for the fall. Give this new coach and his staff the tools they need to succeed. We can do this!


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ST_Lawson
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Mheller wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 6:46 pmGreat! However I wouldn’t wait till fall of 2022. I’d start in January. We have momentum from the new HC hire and like my mother used to say, strike while the iron is hot. And we have to call it something. Something like “Campaign for Victory” or “Leatherneck Legacy Campaign”. I am not a marketing guy (obviously) but we need an organized, focused, broad fundraising drive. Something that gets folks excited about the future of football at WIU.

And push for participation. It’s a lot easier to get a bunch of smaller donations than a couple large ones. Everyone should be included in the drive; alumni, boosters, parents (athlete and non-athlete parents). But start right after New Years. Don’t wait for the fall. Give this new coach and his staff the tools they need to succeed. We can do this!


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Oh, I don't mean wait until then to announce the campaign. I mean start now on the campaign, get the word out right at the start of 2022, then have the goal of officially announcing during the fall season that the new football building or the new west side stands will begin construction as soon as the regular season is complete...something like that.

Could you imagine if we had a big crowd at Homecoming, then at halftime, they officially announce something really big like that? Or maybe if they're doing a new football building just to the north of Hanson Field, they have the groundbreaking ceremony at like 2 PM before the 3 PM game.
 
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
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meganeck
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GV wrote:Thu Jan 01, 1970 3:48 am
meganeck wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:18 pm I agree with many on here, including the parents that commented a fundraising campaign is needed, but I think it has been mentioned before that with COVID and having to drop a swimming and layoffs and or wage freezes at the University, I think they thought it would be a good look to be out fundraising for football facilities. I think that time has passed and time to get something started, It seems they just rely the LC, Day of giving and P&G Auction to raise money. I believe the AD mentioned come 2022 they were going to have some sort of campaign, but it would be for all sports. Somebody that knows more or remembers exactly what she said maybe can fill us in, but they definitely need one specifically for football to improve the facilities. I would be a donor for that. Also when you donate or become a Leather Club member you can designate which sport (including Cheerleading) you want your money to go to or you can have it go into the general fund. 


 
Only the Purple and Gold auction proceeds can not be designated to a specific sport. And you are correct, the timing is right to make a push for facilities.  Show recruits and donors Western is serious about being a player in FCS! 
 

 
No you can for the LC membership, it has been that way for awhile.
 
meganeck
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ST_Lawson wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 5:20 pm
meganeck wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:18 pm I agree with many on here, including the parents that commented a fundraising campaign is needed, but I think it has been mentioned before that with COVID and having to drop a swimming and layoffs and or wage freezes at the University, I think they thought it would be a good look to be out fundraising for football facilities. I think that time has passed and time to get something started...


 
As an employee who has fallen under the wage freeze (although thankfully wasn't directly hit by any of the 3 rounds of layoffs), I don't think many people would mind a fundraising campaign that pulled in money from private donors. Now, if the president were to announce an extra million or so in funding for athletics from university funds, then I think you'd see a lot of people pretty upset with that. But facilities improvements from private donors...I don't think there'd be much pushback.

I agree that now is the time to start a push for fundraising for football facilities improvements, hopefully with the ability to announce something during the fall 2022 football season.
I think my wife would vote that they start with a football building that can house the locker room, offices, and meeting rooms (her office does room scheduling for things...like football team/group meetings...and figuring that out with existing classrooms can be a real PITA).

 
Scott, You're right, I apologize, I think that is what was mentioned previously.
 
GV Dad
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meganeck wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 10:04 pm
GV wrote:Thu Jan 01, 1970 3:48 am
meganeck wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:18 pm I agree with many on here, including the parents that commented a fundraising campaign is needed, but I think it has been mentioned before that with COVID and having to drop a swimming and layoffs and or wage freezes at the University, I think they thought it would be a good look to be out fundraising for football facilities. I think that time has passed and time to get something started, It seems they just rely the LC, Day of giving and P&G Auction to raise money. I believe the AD mentioned come 2022 they were going to have some sort of campaign, but it would be for all sports. Somebody that knows more or remembers exactly what she said maybe can fill us in, but they definitely need one specifically for football to improve the facilities. I would be a donor for that. Also when you donate or become a Leather Club member you can designate which sport (including Cheerleading) you want your money to go to or you can have it go into the general fund. 



 
Only the Purple and Gold auction proceeds can not be designated to a specific sport. And you are correct, the timing is right to make a push for facilities.  Show recruits and donors Western is serious about being a player in FCS! 
 


 
No you can for the LC membership, it has been that way for awhile.
 

 
That’s kinda what I said 😂
 
Mheller
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2021 3:45 pm

ST_Lawson wrote:
meganeck wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:18 pm I agree with many on here, including the parents that commented a fundraising campaign is needed, but I think it has been mentioned before that with COVID and having to drop a swimming and layoffs and or wage freezes at the University, I think they thought it would be a good look to be out fundraising for football facilities. I think that time has passed and time to get something started...



 
As an employee who has fallen under the wage freeze (although thankfully wasn't directly hit by any of the 3 rounds of layoffs), I don't think many people would mind a fundraising campaign that pulled in money from private donors. Now, if the president were to announce an extra million or so in funding for athletics from university funds, then I think you'd see a lot of people pretty upset with that. But facilities improvements from private donors...I don't think there'd be much pushback.

I agree that now is the time to start a push for fundraising for football facilities improvements, hopefully with the ability to announce something during the fall 2022 football season.
I think my wife would vote that they start with a football building that can house the locker room, offices, and meeting rooms (her office does room scheduling for things...like football team/group meetings...and figuring that out with existing classrooms can be a real PITA).
Great! However I wouldn’t wait till fall of 2022. I’d start in January. We have momentum from the new HC hire and like my mother used to say, strike while the iron is hot. And we have to call it something. Something like “Campaign for Victory” or “Leatherneck Legacy Campaign”. I am not a marketing guy (obviously) but we need an organized, focused, broad fundraising drive. Something that gets folks excited about the future of football at WIU.

And push for participation. It’s a lot easier to get a bunch of smaller donations than a couple large ones. Everyone should be included in the drive; alumni, boosters, parents (athlete and non-athlete parents). But start right after New Years. Don’t wait for the fall. Give this new coach and his staff the tools they need to succeed. We can do this!


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Western_101
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Mheller wrote: Sat Dec 25, 2021 4:09 pm Hi Folks:  This is my first post on Leatherneck Nation but I’ve been following this thread since at least mid-season.  I am not a WIU alum but I became a big fan when my son joined the football team this past June.  First I want to say congrats to Coach Hendrickson on his appointment as Western HC.  My son was on the Zoom call last Friday and has since connected with the new coach.  He’s impressed & excited for the future of his program.  One theme that keeps coming up is resources (money) or lack there of.  According to the admin in the group, Coach Hendrickson is a capable fundraiser which is important (maybe critical) but if we truly want to grow the program and be successful, I would submit that all of us could step up.  Someone else on this site talked about a fundraising campaign.  I could not agree more.  When I went to college I was on financial aid and my work study job was calling alumni for donations.  I learned as a 21 year old how much money can be raised by a loyal alumni & passionate fan base.  We can do it at Western.  If someone wants to reach out to me from WIU, I will donate.  But no one has.  Let’s do this!  I want to see Western be successful and I understand it takes money to make that happen.  

who’s in?  
 


 
Welcome my friend. Your views our valued.
 
Last edited by Western_101 on Mon Dec 27, 2021 4:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Western_101
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WIU0812 wrote: Sat Dec 25, 2021 10:04 pm Surprised no one on here has the AD's ear that could at least drop hints about fans looking for campaigns for improvements even multi-year campaigns. Not sure if it would do any good I honestly don't know much about fundraising though I feel as if it is harder to get funds when you tell people just throw it in big pot (Leatherneck Club) and we will figure it out. It would be one thing if they had done well managing current facilities. 



 
In my view the most successful fundraising campaigns are laser focused. One campaign one goal. If I solicit (I solicited a lot back in the day, I might be able to do it again but it is exhausting if you are a "producer" you get good leads "x" closing ratio isn't expected it's required) it needs to be for a specific end goal. Also, the party being solicited needs to see what how his/her donation will actually make a difference.  This is where CGI renderings become a critical part of the sales pitch. Obviously Celebrity/Corporate donors are approached differently.  They need signage and naming rights, however even the fella giving $500 dollars wants a brick with his name. I'm not reinventing the wheel.



 
 
 
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sealhall74
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My 2 cents: You should ALWAYS have facility campaign(s) going.  How much human effort does it take to have it/them up and running on the main site?  Iowa has 4 of em going right now.  You got some drainage problems around the soccer field?  Let people know it needs fixed and you really care about it.

https://www.jointheiclub.com/campaigns/index.html

Good day!  Got my tickets to Carver for Wednesday night.
Also a good day to buy a couple of lottery tickets.

 
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GV Dad
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sealhall74 wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 8:05 am My 2 cents: You should ALWAYS have facility campaign(s) going.  How much human effort does it take to have it/them up and running on the main site?  Iowa has 4 of em going right now.  You got some drainage problems around the soccer field?  Let people know it needs fixed and you really care about it.

https://www.jointheiclub.com/campaigns/index.html

Good day!  Got my tickets to Carver for Wednesday night.
Also a good day to buy a couple of lottery tickets.

 

 
Your 2 cents are spot on!  Apparently it takes a crap ton of effort though to get the website updated.  Our Website is a joke.  The softball Non Conf schedule isn't even updated yet; and first game is 2 months away.  The football page is rarely updated timely.  It can be a major marketing tool, if they would actually use it!  
 
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