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Volume CXXXII, Number 21 |
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Selling rugby short
On April 16, Director of Athletics Jeff Ward announced the decision to elevate the women's rugby team from club to varsity status. Much to Ward's surprise, the team greeted the announcement with silent disappointment. While Bowdoin universally emphasizes open discourse in decision-making, the athletic department carried out this conversion without any dialogue between students and Ward's office. Though Ward clearly believed this decision to be in the best interest of the team, the lack of dialogue is inexcusable.
There are many differences between Bowdoin's varsity and club sports teams; though varsity squads often enjoy greater benefits, the prosperity of club teams should not be discouraged. As an intermediary between the intramural and varsity level, club teams offer students a more flexible and less rigorous schedule while allowing for competition with other schools.
The logistics of club status and varsity status are negligible, though; the real issue is that this decision only contributes to the athletic department's unfortunate history of poor communication between their offices and athletes in regard to decisions affecting the lives of students. Earlier this year, Ward assured the alpine ski team it would not be cut. The team no longer exists.
The Department of Athletics should not be an exception to the College's dedication to the interests of its students. This decision undoubtedly affects the lifestyles of Bowdoin students; therefore, open channels of communication are necessary. Whether or not the new status of women's rugby will be beneficial or detrimental to the team in the long run, the choice to make it a varsity sport without dialogue between the two parties shows enormous disregard for student opinion. Though it is clear that Ward felt this decision would be in the best interest of women's rugby, there is no excuse for this unilateral conversion.
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