Then how do you explain kids flocking to Minnesota, St. Cloud and UMass among others? Every school has obstacles and faces objections - it is, by definition, the recruiters job to overcome those objections with answers with conviction.
McCloskey, and even Borek, convinced kids (Winnik and JVR, for example) that coming to the large sheet was great for their skating and would HELP their pro-development, but suddenly under Souza its an objection that simply cannot be overcome? When the ice size is converted there will be more objections and 'dirty recruiting' can those be overcome? Kids want scholarship money, they want trust/belief and they want a vision for how they can contribute and who they can become - there is nothing UNH lacks that prevents them from giving kids all these answers...
As for facility amenities, think about applying for a job. There are jobs all over the country with amazing amenities, benefits and work space/facilities. Does this actually convince anyone to take a job? Perhaps, but not ahead of salary, opportunity, bosses/co-workers, non-facility based professional development opportunities, etc. A ping-pong table and fully stocked kitchens are great, but not the reason anyone actually takes a job...
Would all these new bells and whistles help UNH recruit? Sure, but they are not valid excuses for recruiting failures. Speaking out in recruiting interviews about your own limitations or acknowledging to media, admin or boosters that you cannot recruit without them is a giant red flag...
Right now UNH is not only hearing recruit objections, but expressing and validating them themselves AND admitting they cannot overcome them. Quite frankly, that tells the whole story...
