Forum › Forum › Lehigh Sports › Other Sports/Suggest New Category › Alumni Engagement
This topic contains 22 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by lfnadmin 9 years, 8 months ago.
-
AuthorPosts
-
May 19, 2015 at 9:28 pm #19895
Came across this from a “Bison Club” post on twitter. We’ve had some conversation here previously about our desire for a proper booster organization. The agenda in the link is impressive, to me. I know that I have periodic contact with the basketball partnership via email, but it seems pretty isolated.
Am I correct in thinking that we don’t really have the alumni/booster structure in place that others programs do? I recognize that we’re a small body of fans here – but is there anything we could be doing to start an initiative?May 19, 2015 at 11:50 pm #19899You are not aware of the organization that has supported teams/players and parents at Lehigh since 1972? Really? You may not think that the Southside Boosters are proper but most athletes will tell you they are the backbone of ALL the sports programs. You seem to focus on B-ball and have no clue about a great organization right under your nose that supports student athletes 12 months a year. As a parent of one of those kids years ago, the Boosters are something you are missing. Get involved.
ps- MOST, not all alumni are only interested when playing LC. Have you ever tried a Booster trip? thought so………………………..May 20, 2015 at 12:08 am #19900Wow. Looks like I stepped in it there. I’ve seen references to them a few times here, but know next to nothing about them. I assumed it was local – and I’m not.
Do they have events like the club I linked? I would certainly be interested.
Certainly didn’t mean to offend anyone. Question is withdrawn…May 20, 2015 at 12:21 am #19901toddcudd,
Don’t be offended. The Southside Boosters is a wonderful organization. In addition to their tailgates at all home football games, some basketball, lacrosse and softball games, they sponsor trips to all away football games. Membership is open to everyone and they have a newsletter which updates everyone on Lehigh sports news. There are some distinct difference between Lehigh and Bucknell’s clubs but let me give you a link to their site. I encourage everyone to join.May 20, 2015 at 12:57 am #19902Thanks TMH , loved those trips and fun times. Made me realize my son made the right choice
May 20, 2015 at 1:47 am #19903The Boosters are a great group of guys who support LU sports.
Miller,SouthSide has been around since before my days in the early 60s.Originally composed of mostly steelworkers back then.
I dont think todd was suggesting supplanting Southside but rather trying to organize alumni,particularly younger classes,into a group to to support LU not only as fans but as donors.I note both Bucknell and Lafayette have such alumni groups. The Pard group has raised significent funds to upgrade Pard facilities. The Packer Society does a great job reaching the deep pockets as do the individual sport partnerships. I agree with todd that these 2 groups do not reach a very large segment of our alumni.-
This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by
RichH.
May 20, 2015 at 2:15 am #19905The thing that really caught my eye on the bucky link was the remote events around the country. I saw events in Philly, Pittsburgh, B-more, Boston, etc. They had an event in CT somewhere today. I would think that we could make things like that happen too. I go to a watch party for Lehigh-Lafayette most years, and it’s very well attended – set up by a local alum chapter (Triangle). But it’s the only thing I’m aware of. The bucky events appear to have coaches, admin, etc. involved and engaged.
I don’t know if something like that would ever make it down here to NC, but I’m sure there would be plenty of interest in Philly, NY, etc. I haven’t yet found the right opportunity to move back to PA, to be able to attend more events at LU.May 20, 2015 at 2:36 am #19906Maybe I’m just out of the loop now, but it if memory serves, the alumni association under Niemeyer, Bott and Turanchik did a pretty good job of rallying the average troops — not just the Asa Packer folks — around sports.
They seemed to have receptions at all sorts of events (maybe they still do), particularly those out of town — NCAA nationals, tournaments, etc. I remember meeting Craig Anderson at such an event; he gave an engaging talk on playing for Casey Stengel.
May 20, 2015 at 1:41 pm #19912Today’s bucky event – an example of what I was trying to describe:
May 20, 2015 at 2:13 pm #19913Local club has a coach event regularly. A few years back, the NYC club hosted Andy at a similar event. It would be nice to have a coordinted outreach to more alumni. Over the years,I’ve been to some Packer events and a few partnership events. It isn’t that nothing is being done. But,to me, it is rather static. A broader outreach to a wider alumni population is one way to broaden support and get more $$$.
May 20, 2015 at 11:47 pm #19933I guess todd means a LSAF group that gives money rather than really supporting the teams on the field. LEHIGH STUDENT AID FOUNDATION. Not sure it would really work at Lehigh because most donors would get priority seating and parking upgrades to events,……….well at Lehigh most fans can walk right up and buy tickets to just about any event because other the Lafayette football game its open season. Lehigh is very lucky to have the Southside Boosters supporting athletics.
FWIW-the young alumni are the same group that most here complain about their attendance at athletic events when they were in school.May 21, 2015 at 5:49 am #19935Toddcudd:
Good example with the link.
What burns me the most about is events like this is this:
“PLEASE NOTE: Due to the nature of this reception, we kindly request
that no prospective student-athletes (9th-12th grade) are in attendance.
This is a measure to ensure compliance with NCAA Bylaws
that govern how prospective student-athletes can interface
with coaches, boosters and alumni at off-campus events.
Thank you for your understanding.”So an alum can’t bring his kid who might be interested in playing down the road?
The NCAA bureaucracy (high school sports isn’t much better) and this scholarship world has generated far too much bureaucracy on college campuses. The rules are ridiculous. I’m scared to talk to friends and their kids about Lehigh.
May 21, 2015 at 12:39 pm #19936I’m with you on those NCAA rules, Sunday. By their strict definition, we as alumni and fans can be considered “representatives of athletic interests”. I don’t think it’s commonly enforced that way at the moment – but it could be. If I interpret this correctly, we could have trouble for even talking to a potential recruit in a social setting.
I’m really hoping these rules get a serious look soon; I’ve seen rumors that the social media rules are being examined closely. I understand the concern about boosters and money and special “benefits” for athletes, but I think some sanity needs to be restored. LOTS of people are going to try to give kids advice and suggestions on where to go to school. Seems dumb to exclude people from the conversation who actually know something about the schools.May 21, 2015 at 2:00 pm #19937Absolutely on point sunday.The recruiting rules are a Gordion knot of qualifications,clarifications,exceptions for each rule. That said coaches do a good job at it. Very little cause for alumni to be involved with hands on recruiting. While you shouldn’t take your children ,nieces,nephews to a recruit meet and greet ,you are not barred from talking to them about LU.
What we can do is help LU with funding for their efforts,better facilities ,equipment etc. As it is now the Partnerships fund many of the events teams hold as well as defray some recruiting costs. Partnerships reach only a small percentage of our alumni base.
As was noted earlier,a good number of alumni were not sports fans. True enuf, I guess. Basing this estimate on student attendance tho is deceiving. Most of our events require students to travel. Cant just walk to matches as back in my day. Moreover ,practically all are televised luve. Just those two facts are going to limit participation by casual fans. Not to mention the tailgating rules. IMO,these casual fans are thise that an an active booster group can reach.May 21, 2015 at 6:30 pm #19941Just returned from vacation so let me add my two cents
As I’ve become more involved with Lehigh, I’ve found that they run a very, very, very decentralized operation. That seems to be the major difference with Bucknell. For the most part all of the amenities provided by the Bison Club is available at Lehigh. It is just not found in one spot.
1.)The Southside Boosters, of which I am a member is a wonderful asset to Lehigh. It is however, Lehigh Valley-centric and football-centric. That certainly does not mean that it is limited to the Lehigh Valley nor do they only support football but it is their strength. I’ve attended events for basketball (M & W), lacrosse and softball sponsored by this organization and they host a wonderful banquet for all sports. If Todd however wants to attend a Lehigh football game, home or away and wants to attend a Lehigh gathering, he may have to get involved with this group.
2.)The Lehigh Wrestling Club, which like the SSB is independent of the University but certainly gets their support is strictly wrestling based, although their reach is a lot wider. If Todd was looking to attend the Southern Scuffle for example and needed a place to stay or a dinner to attend, he would need to belong to this group.
3.)The Alumni Association is bigger than ever. They will host viewing parties in conjunction with Alumni Clubs across the country for significant Lehigh events like L-L or playoffs. They will also arrange tailgates for many of the away football games. If Todd wanted to attend those, he needs to watch his emails. I believe they also arrange for coaches to talk at various Club events esp those for Tower members.
4.)If you wish to support Lehigh Athletics financially, there is the Lehigh Athletic Partnership. You can contribute to Lehigh Athletics in general as I do or to any one in particular e.g. the Lehigh Basketball Athletic Partnership. Lehigh will make that fairly easy to do.I would love to see much of this under one umbrella if even from a promotional standpoint. What I don’t know is whether it needs to be done within or outside the University. That way, Todd or anyone else living outside the greater Lehigh Valley is well aware of everything that may be available to them.
I hope this makes it a bit clearer. -
This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by
-
AuthorPosts
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.