The headlines for the MAC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships that took place this past weekend in Buffalo read that Eastern Michigan won the championship for the 27th time, followed by Miami and Ohio in second and third place, respectively. In a factual way, this certainly described the results of the meet. Unfortunately, it fails to describe the real story of the weekend. That story is the class, dignity and competitive spirit demonstrated by the Bobcat team following the announcement that the university would no longer sponsor a men's swimming and diving program.
In the pool, the Bobcats swam their hearts out. The Ohio University point total was higher than it has been in more than a decade. The team posted sixty career bests, and there were a number of great individual performances by both swimmers and divers. In the stands, a large crowd of parents, fellow students, nearly the entire Bobcat women's swimming and diving team and alumni gathered to pay tribute to this team and do whatever they could to support their effort. At the request of the fans of the other teams, a petition was circulated to Save OU Swimming. In the end, more than 400 people, the vast majority fans of other teams, signed the petition.
A casual observer of the three-day meet would have been completely unaware this was anything more than a championship swim meet. The cheers from the Bobcat team itself and the fans were at least as loud as the other teams'. The team showed the same enthusiasm for each of their team members, whether they were competing in an exhibition heat or a championship race. They shared in each other's disappointments and achievements just as they always do. Although invisible to the casual observer, we also witnessed a team supporting each other to overcome their own feelings about how and why the university they are so proud to represent had turned its back on them.
And then, at the conclusion of the last event of the championship meet, something happened that none of us will ever forget. The Eastern Michigan team and fans began to cheer 'OU' and form the letters with their arms. Almost immediately, the rest of the crowd and the team members and coaches from all the teams on the swim deck joined them ' for one minute the entire natatorium was cheering for Ohio University. The other teams and fans then began cheering Save OU. Later, when the Eastern Michigan team stepped onto the podium to accept their awards, they began to cheer for OU again ' a spontaneous outpouring to honor the effort, class and dignity displayed by our team in this most difficult of circumstances. Eastern Michigan took home the championship trophy, but what their team and fans were trying to communicate was that the Bobcats were the true champions this weekend in Buffalo.
We ask that Ohio University recognizes this display of class and effort by the men's team by displaying a like amount of integrity. Specifically, we ask the university to honor its word and commitment to the swimmers and divers and to allow the current team to complete their eligibility as was promised before they came to Ohio University. 'United Swim Parents
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