It has been a month since players and coaches of the men’s and women’s tennis teams received news that the sport was being placed on hiatus. Now, after much deliberation and re-evaluation of the issue, tennis players are rejoicing, or at least some of them are.
Last week University of La Verne Interim Athletic Director Julie Kline announced that the women’s tennis program will continue as an intercollegiate athletic sport. This shed a ray of sunshine for the women tennis players, while the men’s tennis team has yet to see the light.
Why bring back the women’s tennis team and not the men’s? The initial argument for putting the teams on hiatus in the first place was due to lack of athletic facilities. But thanks to Claremont Club President and CEO Mike Alpert, the athletics department has been granted use of the club’s facilities for free.
If money is not an issue and facilities are not an issue for keeping the men’s tennis team on hiatus, then what is?
Kline said that the expected incoming class and the number of women tennis players returning for next season is the reason for bringing back the women’s team only.
Still we think that choosing one team over another based on such projections is not a good enough reason to terminate another.
It would be beneficial for the University to demonstrate how important all its sports teams are, regardless of the size of the team, which could change.
The University prides itself on small class sizes and individualized attention, why should sports teams be treated differently?
It took a lot of negotiating to come up with ideas to save the tennis teams and progress has been made. Perhaps a little more brainstorming will sprout a much-needed solution to saving the men’s tennis team.
Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.