There are a million things on your to do list as a newly appointed head coach. For Dave Clawson, whose head coaching career has taken him from Fordham, to Richmond, to Bowling Green, and now to Wake Forest, one of the first things on that long list is to get on the phone with former players.
Clawson told Wake's Gold Rush Magazine that one of the first things he has done at each one of his stops as a head coach has been to set up a conference call with former players. The call is meant to not only open his door to alums, but it also allows an open forum for questions, and gives him a first hand account of the history of the program.
"I've done that everywhere I've been. You want the perception of people who know what it;s all about, but it also lets former players stay connected to Wake Forest."
"A lot of times, a former player's biggest connection is with their former head coach, but we want to let them know that here is a place that you can walk in and be comfortable - it's their school, and this is their program." Clawson explained in the article."
Clawson added that it also allows him to get a sense of the kinds of people that are attracted to the school as wel.
That's an interesting way to kick off a new job, but it makes a ton of sense. Whether you're just taking over a high school program, or at a major FBS school, your alumni base is vitally important to your success. Clawson finds