Varsity - The Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics

LUCAS AT LARGE were good friends and every time you see staff move on, it's always hard because you've built those relationships over years. "However, having met the new assistants, I'm very excited. They're very positive and upbeat and I feel nothing but compassion for them because they've been running all over the place.'' During the coaching transition, Betlach received an email from a recruit's mother who expressed her anxiety." she wrote, 'Well, you know we're a little nervous,''' she recounted. Betlach emailed her back, "You trusted Coach B (Bielema) when you supported your son and his decision to come here. And you need to trust him now to bring in the best staff possible.'' Trust is an operative word. So is stability. "She is always the same voice,'' Bielema said, "when they call in with questions.'' As you might anticipate, Betlach meshes well with moms. "I think that's my primary role, absolutely,'' she said. "They're sending their sons away. For some, it's a first child. Even if it's not, some are sending them hundreds, thousands of miles away. "I want to reassure those moms that there's somebody here for them and their sons. I don't know anything about X's and O's, okay. But I try to know a little bit about all the other things. "I'm going to be here when that young man has a question. I don't know the answers but I can always ible in their eyes as a person who can help through the steps. "Recruiting can be stressful for families. So I try to put myself in their shoes and be there to answer any question. The ultimate goal is you want that young person to go where he's comfortable. "We hope it's here for most of them. But if it's not, you still want to help them move on to a place where they're going to play their best and achieve their best aca- demically." "Recruiting can be stressful for families. So I try to put myself in their shoes and be there to answer any question," Betlach said. "The ultimate goal is you want that young person to go where he's comfortable." direct them to whoever has them. And they (moms) do call me con- stantly.'' Betlach starts building those relationships with parents on their first campus visit — which is usu- ally when they accompany their son to Madison for a home game in the fall. "I seek them out on game days,'' she said. "The coaches are really good about bringing my name into it and that begins to make me cred- Betlach can credit her middle school teaching background for "being organized and listening to the kids when they're struggling with something and caring about things that are important to them.'' Her recruiting pitch is academic; a fastball over the heart of the plate. "Ultimately these kids are not going to play football forever,'' she said. "If somebody is trying to decide between different institu- tions, the coaches can speak to the football thing. "I always ask, 'Where do you want your diploma to say you graduated from?' "This is a great institution. Our two sons, who weren't athletes, graduated from here. I know the opportunities available to them be- cause of the education and all the networking that can go on.'' Last Friday, the recruit that was waiting at Betlach's desk got the reassurance he needed. "You just give him a hug,'' she said, "and tell them, 'This is going to be your second home.''' 12 » VARSITY FEBRUARY 2, 2012

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