Troy's Head Coach Enforces Unique Requirement for New Players: A Love for Waffle House
The coach shared his unconventional recruiting strategy, emphasizing the importance of liking Waffle House as part of the team's culture.
One NCAA Tournament team might be celebrating at a popular dining establishment if they achieve a dramatic upset.
Before No. 14 seed Troy goes up against No. 3 Kentucky this Friday, Trojans coach Scott Cross disclosed his distinctive recruiting pitch: he specifically asks recruits if they enjoy the restaurant chain Waffle House.
“It started off with the first two recruits we brought on campus. As we’re driving down the main street, I pointed out Waffle House and asked them if they wanted to eat there for breakfast. They responded, ‘Waffle House? Hell nah, I don’t want to go to Waffle House.’ So I said, ‘Okay, my mistake. We’ll look to eat somewhere else.’ In short, we signed neither of those guys.”
After those initial rejections, the Trojans welcomed Nick Stampley, who had previously played at Eastern Florida State, for an official visit.
“We were driving by Waffle House, and we didn’t mention it. He spotted it and said, ‘Oh Coach, y’all have a Waffle House here? Can we go there tomorrow?’ He was our first signee and one of the toughest players we ever coached.”
From that moment, the coaching staff made it a point to ask new recruits if they like Waffle House, with the understanding that if they answer negatively, they rarely end up being signed.
Troy is set to appear in its third NCAA Tournament in school history this week after a remarkable season, completing with a 23-10 record and securing an automatic NCAA bid by winning the Sun Belt conference tournament.
