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This weekend was extreme. Over the course of the tournament on Smith Mountain Lake, our club took on the challenge of approaching some of the fishing industries top companies and sponsors in hope to find support for our team as we begin to grow at the collegiate level. This tournament provided the perfect opportunity to talk to the go-to people and get our name out there.
Personally, I am terrible at remembering names. When it comes to doing business with someone, remembering a name is crucial. If I were to walk up to the owner of a boat company in hopes of getting a sponsorship for our fishing team and call him the wrong name, my chances are over.
If I had any advice for other collegiate fishing programs, I would absolutely recommend going to these Elite Tournaments and trying to get hooked up with the big-guns in bass fishing. It was a bit overwhelming trying to gather info from everyone and send out our sales pitch at the same time, all the while trying to remember every name and write down the necessary contact info.
Looking back, the most satisfying part of being around the lake for the weekend wasn't meeting all of the pros, wasn't being on the show Hooked Up, nor was it learning new fishing tactics. The glory came as we walked away from the tournament, making rounds to all of the people we had met and gotten to know. We looked at this process of saying goodbye and thank you as an opportunity to make a lasting impression. Who knows, maybe those last goodbyes will bring about sponsorship opportunities that we never thought were possible. I can only hope so.
— Scott Wiley
