Hi Kirby ' I believe we have met a few times, although you probably do not remember. The first meeting was through Jim Kahler at Paul Brown Stadium at about this time last year at an OU MBA program event.
I graduated from OU with a B.S. in 2000 and a Masters of Sports Administration in 2001. I was a member of the women's swimming and diving team for all four years of my undergraduate time at Ohio University and captain both my junior and senior years. The time I spent on the team was time that I will never forgot, and has forever molded the way that I live my life and have structured my lifetime values, the values that I intend to teach my children and future grandchildren. It was an experience that will forever be unmatched and words simply cannot describe.
I heard the extremely unfortunate news last night from a former teammate of mine, and I just read an article on CollegeSwimming.com announcing the cut of the men's swimming and diving program. It was interesting to read that you did not think it was necessary to include the women in the team meeting announcing the cuts, and the article rang true when it said unaware of the dynamic of a co-ed program. In fact, I can honestly and professionally say with my sports administration experience, training and background, that unless you have played or participated in a program that is co-ed or endurance-based such as swimming or track and field, you can relate little or any of your experience to the experiences that we have witnessed as former teammates, and to the experiences that the men and women of the current team see on a day-to-day basis. The dynamic, atmosphere and relationship of the team and their contributions to the campus will forever be changed, and it will never be quite as strong with the cut of the men's program.
I refer to the men that I swam with during my years at Ohio as my brothers without fail, and I look forward to seeing them a few times each year, just as much as I look forward to seeing the sisters that I swam with during those years. These men were just as responsible for molding the experience as anyone else, including other teammates, coaches and staff.
I truly hope and would assume that every option was examined when looking at budgets and gender equity, the reasoning given for cutting the programs. However, I can assure you that it is a question in everyone's mind: If gender equity is a reason, then why cut women's lacrosse? And in dealing with the rumor of the athletic department addressing a $4 million deficit, is there no other way to find a mere $61,000 to continue to operate the men's swimming and diving program? I have no idea if these rumors are true, but they have certainly raised questions in the minds of your loyal swimming and diving alumni.
On the issue of timing of the announcement, why was this done in the middle of the academic year, and the middle of the season, just a month prior to the conference meet, the meet that swimmers and divers train for the entire year and for which they base their success of each season? With as much mental attitude that goes into athletics, one would have thought that a decision to announce the swimming and diving cut in the spring would have been a more informed decision and more respectful to these hard-working, dedicated student athletes.
When I attended Homecoming this past October, for the first time in the six years since I graduated, Coach Greg Werner made a plea to the alumni for their financial support. He saw the writing on the wall, and he was trying to do everything that he could to preserve the team. I have donated $50 each year to the swimming and diving program, which is not much, but it helps. When Coach asked that we all try to bump that number to $100, I did not even hesitate to up my donation when I made my contribution after the first of the year. I am a loyal supporter of the university and the program, and I am willing to do whatever it would take to keep the tradition alive. I have not yet made my donation and I assure you that I have no plans to increase my donation with the cut of the men's program. To add to that, I have many friends and former teammates that had not donated in the past and said that they would after Coach's plea this past October. If they were ever on the fence, they have fallen back off and now changed their mindset back to a non-support role with this disheartening announcement.
Again, I write to you with my extreme disappointment on the announcement of the cut of the men's swimming and diving program, and if there is any possible chance of reconsideration, I assure you that you will do more good than you can imagine and your actions will be appreciated, noticed and recognized.
Regards,
Jill M. Schumacher Timon, Director of Marketing, CRC Golf Courses/Billy Casper Golf
17 Archives
Letter to the Editor
