The WRANGLER Horse and Rodeo News is an equine and rodeo publication with circulation in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Utah and Idaho.
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50 • The WRANGLER • July, 2024 College rodeo recruitment joins the 21st Century. recruitment recruitment is something we don't usually see in the rodeo world. We generally wake up one morning and decide hey, this is what I want to do. At the collegiate level, coaches find a student they would like to see in their program. They offer that kid a scholarship and say "Hi, come rodeo for us", and as they say, the rest is history. In 2020, Heidi Foy of Bullfrog Creatives stumbled across a post by a coach who was wanting an infomercial created for his team. That is when Heidi thought, I can do that; I'm doing Zoom meetings with my job already; I can push it out on my platform." Bullfrog Recruiting Solutions was born. Heidi, a Casper, Wyoming native, is a two-time CNFR qualifier, once in the barrels and once in goat tying. Rodeo runs deep in her family as well as the CNFR. She has been involved in one capacity or another since the CNFR has been in Casper. From a volunteer, to a competitor, to opening production manager- her love for college rodeo and her unique recruitment strategy is taking the collegiate rodeo world by storm. Her horse, Carvers Tough Sonic, Frog, is the company namesake. Frog was the true definition of determination, integrity, and grit. He was a true rising star. So tough, he survived after undergoing two colic surgeries and battling colic 2 more times. In the last round, Heidi made the decision to put him down; her partner in crime was done. The one who gave her the success in and out of the arena. The horse whose memory lives on in the form of college rodeo recruitment. Bullfrog Recruiting Solutions is designed to help students and coaches alike. The community allows the members to complete a profile about themselves or the rodeo programs. This will enable students and coaches to filter and search candidates based on the answers. The program is subscription-based and is for students, coaches, and parents. Heidi said, "Coaches really want students to reach out to them. Yes, they want to speak to the parents too, but they won't be coach you, they won't be with you every day. It's all about the student athletes." Building relationships in the western world is the mission of Bullfrog Recruiting. The recruitment platform is the central hub for all things college rodeo. A place to keep all the information that students, parents, and coaches are looking for. There are forums to ask questions, get advice, and help to plan for the future. Knowing a bit about what is coming that student athletes don't know yet; the Outside the Arena space provides addition resources for life outside the arena; to include financial literacy, social media training, mental performance, physical fitness, and mental health strategies. "The students and coaches get out of the platform what they put in. If they aren't completing their profile and participating in discussions, then they aren't searchable and may not be building those relationships." Said Heidi. Bullfrog is not just trying to help create national champions, but good humans. Rodeo coaches will also find the platform beneficial on the preprofessional development side. By Alicia Werner b u L L f r o g b u L L f r o g c r e a t i V e s c r e a t i V e s Heidi Foy All Photos Courtesy of Heidi Foy.