Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Talk about the champions, or the Top 25 nationally-ranked team!
LU wrestling
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Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by LU wrestling » Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:26 pm

Folks,

I occasionally post-not much though. I try to stay out of the

1. woke v. non-woke skirmishes;
2. the Lehigh wrestling glass is half-full v. half empty battle;
3. the Lehigh wrestling coaches are transparent enough v. "no they're not" exchanges; and
4. any other grievances that are not wrestling.

Do not interpret this as me casting aspersions at anyone on this board who likes to engage in those kind of dogfights. It's just not for me; so, please, no snarky responses. I'm simply a messenger here.

Yesterday, I received a message from Cliff Chapman (former Lehigh wrestler). Apparently, it was sent to former LU wrestlers, but maybe some of you have also received it too or are privy to the substance. He gave me permission to share. He wrote:

On Sun, Mar 26, 2023 at 10:41 PM Cliff Chapman <cliff.chapman@syncarpha.com> wrote:
Fellow LU Wrestlers,

It's been a long time since I spoke to many of you. I graduated in 1991 after wrestling for four years at Lehigh under Coach Turner for my first year and for three years under Coach Hutch. Pete Yozzo and I recently joined the volunteer Lehigh Wrestling Partnership Board last year to help increase alumni financial support for the program. We are obviously competing with programs that have far greater athletic resources due to the conferences in which they compete and we need to equip the coach and our wrestlers with the training, equipment, and experience to enable us to compete at the highest level.

Yoz took it upon himself to expand our scope to help Coach Santoro put together a strategic plan for wrestling to get and stay in the top 10 and compete for Top 5. We had hoped for a higher finish this year at Nationals while 20th is respectable, but we need time and resources to let the plan the coaching staff has developed come to fruition. The plan includes a number of new initiatives and investments which we've organized into 4 pillars. I won't bore you with the details but the new stuff includes: 1.) an intentional internship program for LU wrestling organized by alumni (next year I will be hitting you guys up for jobs) 2.) mentoring program for current wrestlers 3.) speaker series to introduce student-athletes to our successful LU wrestling alumni and 4.) Bigger budgets to provide admin support, more recruiting support, and facilities improvements to attract the top wrestlers. We're trying to increase annual donations to wrestling from $200K to $500K to $1MM over the next several years. We set the first-year goal at $300K (I'd like to beat it and raise $400K with your help) and so far the LU Wrestling Partnership board is kicking in $55K this year.

Lehigh runs an annual fundraising drive called March Madness. It is a little friendly competition between LU sports teams and all the money donated goes directly to the team you choose. There are cash prizes (additional donations made to Wrestling) for % participation and total $$ raised. I'm hoping that we can get extra money for the team on both of these aspects. Any dollars donated between now and March 29th count towards the competition. So, PLEASE let's all give something. Nothing is too small and we also need some big bucks from those of you who have bigger dollars to invest. Please follow this link to donate prior to March 29th - mylehigh.lehigh.edu/wrestling or on March 28th and 29th use https://marchmania.lehighsports.com/cam ... tling-2023.

For any of you who are interested in the strategic plan or the other initiatives, I've attached a summary of the initiatives. We are rolling them out this year in beta test mode but plan to be rolling them out next year to all wrestling alumni so you can get involved in more ways than simply donating. I would love to talk/reconnect with any of you and Coach is also willing to have some Zoom meetings to talk about the program, the team, and the strategy.

My mobile is 703-622-6210. Hope to be back reporting that we crushed our goals for this year. Participation rates from wrestlers and total dollars raised from wrestlers have lagged other teams. Last year wrestling finished last with 2% participation. Let's turn this around.

Cliff also writes that in addition to the 55k from the board, Lehigh wrestling has also received 19K in donations from individuals.

As you can see from his email, Pat is willing to have zoom meetings to answer questions about Lehigh's strategic plans. This would be a great way to hear what Lehigh is planning to remain nationally competitive and to air your own thoughts and concerns. I plan to donate, and I urge you all to do the same.


HFO
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by HFO » Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:47 pm

As I have stated before, Lehigh continues to lose its support. $11k was given last year and the new goal is $300k?

From my email. Millions have already been given to Lehigh Wrestling for coaching staff endowments, room renovations, now $300k per year more?

Our goal is to improve our participation and dollars raised from last year.
Here is where we finished in the department in 2022:

•Ranked last in Alumni participation (2.08% Alumni participation)

•Ranked 16th in overall dollars raised ($11,949.79).

Lehigh continues to be a mess and it is not because of $$$.
HFO
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by HFO » Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:50 pm

If only 2% of former Lehigh wrestlers are donating, that says something about communications and outreach to former alumni. My God is Lehigh on a downward spiral. Clean house. Send current President packing, Provost packing. Most of the Deans packing. Most of the Board of Trustees packing. It is a clusterfuck, pardon my language from WWII and Korea.

There is so much wrong with this institution it is mind boggling. You think you can alienate your former wrestlers, alumni and fans with all the mismanagement and nonsense and think there is not a price to pay.

NOT A DIME coming from me. Fix the institution and the money will flow.
LU wrestling
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by LU wrestling » Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:01 pm

I sense that's a "no" from you. And if it's a "no," would that be a "hard no" or a "soft no?"
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jimk72
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by jimk72 » Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:06 pm

To HFO:

Always nice to here positive thoughts from upbeat alums. A great way to get the ball rolling.

On second thought, please take your ball and go home.
JAD77
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by JAD77 » Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:07 pm

I love the positive response to the heartfelt and well stated request for support :roll:

With friends like this ...........
HFO
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by HFO » Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:07 pm

LU wrestling wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:01 pm I sense that's a "no" from you. And if it's a "no," would that be a "hard no" or a "soft no?"
Seems like it is a 98% of HARD NO given last year's data. We shall see what percentage of former wrestlers give this year. :roll:

Put me down as a HARD NO :D
Soft yes for LVWC contribution.
HFO
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by HFO » Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:15 pm

jimk72 wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:06 pm To HFO:

Always nice to here positive thoughts from upbeat alums. A great way to get the ball rolling.

On second thought, please take your ball and go home.
You can double up for my lack of contribution. I payout more than $55k in tips to my golf caddies in a year.
Orthopedic surgery paid well for 30 years.

You guys can impress me and move the dial from 98% former wrestling athletes not giving to 95% not giving. Win yourselves over before you attempt to win the fans over and then the general alumni population.

The problems were laid long before I ever made a post. Explain why 98% of former wrestlers are not contributing a single penny to the program? Start there, then make what ever comments you want about me?

You want Frideman or Lubert sized money? Do not piss off "old alumni".
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jimk72
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by jimk72 » Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:24 pm

HFO wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:15 pm
jimk72 wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 3:06 pm To HFO:

Always nice to here positive thoughts from upbeat alums. A great way to get the ball rolling.

On second thought, please take your ball and go home.
You can double up for my lack of contribution. I payout more than $55k in tips to my golf caddies in a year.
Orthopedic surgery paid well for 30 years.

You guys can impress me and move the dial from 98% former wrestling athletes not giving to 95% not giving. Win yourselves over before you attempt to win the fans over and then the general alumni population.

The problems were laid long before I ever made a post. Explain why 98% of former wrestlers are not contributing a single penny to the program? Start there, then make what ever comments you want about me?

You want Frideman or Lubert sized money? Do not piss off "old alumni".
Thank you for your detailed response. We all now know exactly who you are what you are. Fortunately in my 50 year sales career I've only met you (figuratively) once or twice. But I did enjoy taking your money.
Oracle
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Re: Giving to Lehigh wrestling

Post by Oracle » Mon Mar 27, 2023 5:01 pm

Are you kidding Me? HFO is the best thing to come upon this forum in quite some time.....maybe ever.

Tellin' it like it is.

For some reason, alums don't really go after Universities when it's warranted. Very refreshing. HFO is a masterful writer. Sounds like HFO is close to 90 and still sharp as a tack.
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