BUILDING A TRADITION
After twelve seasons, Head Coach Steve Platt has led the Foresters to a 278-128 record (116-56 in the MCC), four MCC Conference Titles, four MCC Tournament Championships, and six NAIA D2 National Tournament appearances in the last seven years.
Last season, the Foresters won the MCC Title and Tournament Championship, were rated #2 in the NAIA (of more than 150 schools across the country, some with over 10,000 students), and played in the Championship game of the NAIA D2 National Tournament.
OVERCOMING THE ODDS
Teams in the NAIA at both levels know the Foresters are tough on the hardwood, but they likely don’t know HU has one of the smaller basketball programs in the NAIA.
While seven of the schools in the MCC provide an adequate budget and fund 100% of the six scholarships allowed for basketball, Huntington University does not. The school provides a limited budget and funds just three basketball scholarships; half the number allowed. It’s like asking the players to compete using one arm.
Also, Huntington doesn't operate a Junior Varsity program, which provides a deeper bench and player development at some schools (scholarships awarded to JV players are not included in NAIA limits). At the same time, players at HU are held to the highest standard of personal conduct, besides tough academic standards.
FORESTER FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
One wouldn’t normally expect a basketball program with half the funds and twice the standards to be successfully competing for National Championships, but three factors have pushed Huntington basketball to the top.
First: a quality Head Coach who knows how to identify and recruit players with outstanding talent, how to mold a changing mix into a team each year, and how to help each team realize its potential by the end of a season.
Second: quality players who really buy into the team concept, who earnestly seek a good education and who embrace school values. They are quality young men and earnest students, not just there for basketball.
Third: faithful fans who help the program gain equal footing with other teams in the MCC and throughout the NAIA. Encouragement is part of it, but so is financial support that enables the program to level the playing field with its competition. We’ll call this the Fan Factor.
|
|
THE FORESTER FAN FACTOR
In short, the fans must step up and provide what the school doesn’t; namely, sufficient funds to operate the program and provide three additional scholarships.
Just like a three-legged stool, all three elements of the Forester formula must be strong or intentions will not be realized. In the case of the Fan Factor, that means support at games, participation in fund-raising efforts, corporate sponsorships, and lots of individual donations.
The two annual fund-raisers (Golf Outing and Meet-the-Team Dinner) contribute in a big way, but more than twice the funds raised by those events is needed each year to keep the program at a level comparable to other MCC schools. The two events simply aren’t enough.
SUPPORT THE FORESTERS
If you manage a company and would like to learn about corporate sponsorship, contact Head Coach Steve Platt concerning the levels of sponsorship that are available.
If you are an individual who values the tradition of the true student-athlete, you too can help the Foresters. Simply write a check in any amount payable to Huntington University and designate it forMen’s Basketball (it's likely tax deductible, but consult your tax advisor).
To make sure your contribution is designated for Men’s Basketball, send it directly to:
Coach Steve Platt
Huntington University
2303 College Avenue
Huntington, IN 46750
- Paul Harrington ('64)
 (Click Photo to Enlarge) |
