Team HENAAC

The competition took place at HENAAC’s 2006 conference in Anaheim, Calif., in October. It resembled an amalgam of the NFL Draft, GE College Bowl and American Idol. Thirty agencies, businesses and corporations each provided a coach, an assistant coach and a judge for the competition. The coaching staffs interviewed students, then used two rounds to draft those they felt most met the qualifications they sought.

“We looked for students who showed the potential for leadership, teamwork and creativity,” said Corps team coach Cynthia Perez, a project manager with the Jacksonville District. After Perez and assistant coach David Van Dorpe made their draft choices, they rounded out their team of 10 players through an assignment process.
 
The competition consisted of five rounds. Teams received their assignments, then met with coaches for five minutes to discuss goals and strategies. Teams had 25 minutes to develop their presentation, skit or model, ensuring that each student participated in the presentation of each task.

“Our team bonded very quickly,” said Van Dorpe, a project manager with the Los Angeles District. “We wanted them to learn how to come together as a team and overcome a difficult obstacle. There is never enough time, never enough resources. You have to work together to leverage your talents and achieve your ultimate goal.”

The four women and seven men who comprised the Corps team represented the Air Force Academy and colleges and universities from Puerto Rico, Arkansas, California, New Mexico and Texas. Although the Corps team didn’t win the competition, the coaches were pleased with the teamwork they displayed.

“I was taken by surprise by their preparation,” Perez said. “They were extremely smart; knew what they wanted and how to get there. They didn’t need much coaching at all.”

HENAAC Team members jumping at the opportunity to apply lessons learned

According to Van Dorpe, students and coaches quickly applied their skill sets, employing project management tools of the trade. “We used lessons learned after each round to discuss how we did, how we functioned as a team and what we could do better in the next round,” he said.

“They become your kids,” said bowl coordinator Gonzalo Martinez. “You take an interest in them.”

Van Dorpe agreed with that sentiment. “I hope that they went away with a sense of accomplishment,” he said. “My main goal was to teach them to think, work and act as a team.  I wanted them to learn that collaboration at times means leading, but many other times it may mean following another good leader.  Every good leader knows when to follow.”

“It’s a different way of doing it. You get to observe their reactions under stress situations,” Martinez said. “It breaks down barriers and it’s a great recruiting tool. But I also learned that it is a great exposure tool as well.  There are many folks out there that have no idea who the Corps is, what it does and how it operates.”

Perez agreed. “The Corps has a lot to gain,” she said.  “It gives us a great feel for the market out there as far as who our future ‘replacements’ could be.”

The “future replacements” don’t take long to arrive, according to Martinez. Several of the coaches for companies at this year’s bowl had participated as students in earlier years.

For the Corps, Van Dorpe had served as a College Bowl coach during HENAAC’s 2005 conference. “I jumped at the opportunity to coach again,’ he said. Noting the chance to introduce some of the top graduating students from across the nation to the Corps, he continued, “It’s a great recruiting tool for the Corps and a great opportunity to share a little of my knowledge with the students.”

Like members of the Corps team, Perez was herself drafted. “I was actually volunteered for this task by College Bowl Corps Manager, Alberto Gonzalez,” she said. “His experience as assistant coach last year taught him that the coach needed to be energetic, possess leadership skills and most of all care about and enjoy working with our youth.”

Would she do it again? “I can’t wait to participate again next year, whether as coach or in any other capacity,” Perez said. “Mama Hen already misses her chicks.”