Save our Site

January 1, 2006

As we begin the new year, the editors of Great Lakes Hoops have one unifying resolution:  We need help.  Apparently there are quite a few folks out there who enjoy what the site has to offer and it is our desire to go beyond their expectations.  With that in mind, we are looking to increase the production value of our site.  We want to cover more games, take more pictures and tell more of the great stories that would otherwise go untold.  To do this, we need two things:  Human resources and financial help. 

If you are a fan of basketball in mid-Michigan, especially the Saginaw and Lansing areas, and would like to help us cover the big games, please contact me at this address:  jared@greatlakeshoops.com  Currently, we don't offer any compensation to writers because...well...we don't make any money--though we do seem to lose it rather quickly!  What we can offer you is an opportunity to do something you would probably do for free, for free!  In other words, what you might lose in a paycheck you could gain in experience.  We are not exclusionary, per se, so if you are interested just drop me a note. 

When we started this site, truthfully, we had a better handle on what we didn't want it to look like than what we did.   It was then and it continues to be our desire to keep the site free for everyone.  The greater part of the site is about teams, players and games--not about recruiting hype.  For sites like Michigan Preps and Prep Spotlight, it is in their best interest to exploit players with hype because that is what makes them money. 

There are two things that I am sure of as I write this: Great Lakes Hoops will never be in the business of unduly hyping players and it will never cost you anything to enjoy.  This is not to say that operating GLH doesn't incur costs, it most certainly does.  I am, however, saying that I could not in good conscience exploit high school student-athletes for money.  Student-Athletes who need publicity to give them greater opportunities for college scholarships will get it from GLH.  But, unlike a lot of the remora in cyberspace, we will do our best to eliminate the mercenary interests as they become evident.

In order for Great Lakes Hoops to continue to grow we are going to need a sponsoring partner.  I did not have the expectation of needing a sponsoring partner this soon, but circumstances have a way of dictating action.  I won't waste your time with a sales pitch.  I think the demographic we serve is obvious enough to go without mention; so, if you are the owner of a small business or a marketer for a corporation in Michigan and are interested in partnering with us please drop me a note at the same address as above.

Regards,

Jared Field

Editor, Great Lakes Hoops