I am a Post-It note junkie. 

If I have an idea or something I want to remember to tell all of you, I write it down on a Post-It note...the big ones that are like little mini-billboards. 

So I figured this was the time of year to run through all of these 25 ideas and pass them along to you.  They range from ways to jump-start your recruiting, to ideas to motivate and shake-up your staff, and lots, lots more. 

If you feel like you are stuck in a recruiting rut, try one (or all) of these:

1. Ask your top five recruits that you're in contact with to commit.  Tell them you want them at your program, and that you're ready to make them your top recruit at their position.  They'll probably say no, but they'll be excited that you've made it clear they are wanted.
2. Start a blog.  Tell prospects how to become better athletes...give them your tips for being the best player they can be.  Demonstrate that you are an expert they should want to be around for the next four years.
3. Send a letter to the three recruits who are putting you off and not replying to your communication.  Thank them for their time, but let them know that you are going in a different direction and will be looking at other prospects at the end of this month.  Be professional and wish them the best.  Two possible results in doing this: 1) They won't reply and you won't be stressed-out wondering if they will contact you eventually, or 2) they will call right away and apologize for not getting back to you.  It's a win-win for you.
4. Pick a new area of your state/region/country and start recruiting there for 2010. 
5. If you have a staff opening, hire the best recruiter, not necessarily the best coach.
6. Host an in-house recruiting roundtable discussion for your staff (or bring us in to do it).
7. Become an expert for your sport by building a page on Squidoo (it's like a cross between a blog and Google, and is growing quick in popularity).
8. Speaking of blogs, start one.  Now.
9. Offer to do a free college recruiting workshop for high school athletes and their parents in your area.  Better yet, do one when you're on the road at a high school of a recruit you are scouting.  You'll get recruits talking to you that you didn't know would be interested, build your reputation as an expert, and bring in leads for other sports in your office.
10. Go on the same tour through the admissions department that you send your prospects on when they visit your school.  It will be VERY insightful for you.  Scary, more than likely.
11. Bring us in to help you manage your recruiting message.
12. Let your youngest most inexperienced assistant run your office for a week.
13. Come up with three suggestions for your athletic department on how you should change your college's athletic website.
14. Call a former coach that you used to work with and ask him for two ideas on how you can be a better coach, leader and recruiter.
15. Ask your team what kinds of clothing your department could sell that they would be excited to buy and wear around campus.  Let them design it.
16. Quit and get out of collegiate coaching.
17. Take at least 15 minutes during your day and go for a brisk walk.  It helps.
18. Write thank you notes to each athletic administration staff worker that helped you do your job this year.
19. Check your emails once in the morning, once at mid-day, and once at the end of the day.  DO NOT leave your email window open in front of you on your computer.  It's a time waster.
20. Have everyone on your staff switch offices.  You'll be amazed how energizing that can be, and how much worthless stuff you'll be forced to throw away.
21. Go to a campus activity - a concert, play, debate, etc. - where students are at.  Be seen outside the athletic department.
22. Hire the folks in video production to do a documentary of your staff and program and put it on YouTube.
23. Read books that will make you better sales professionals and recruiters this summer.
24. Be in Dallas on August 1st and 2nd to make sure your 2009-2010 recruiting year gets off to a better start than this past year.
25. Ask for the sale.  Ask early, ask often (but only to the kids you want...a lot of them are ready to give you a yes).

There!  The Post-It notes are off my desk, and you've got 25 ideas that will help jump-start real change in the way you coach, recruit and manage your office.