Banks and businesses are not the only institutions feeling the strain of the economy’s downturn. Schools all over the country are being forced to drop their athletic programs--including schools like the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
Due to financial constraints, the university may be forced to cut its baseball team from next year’s budget. If UW-L is unable to raise $50,000 dollars by September 1st, the team will not make it to next season.
If it isn’t to return, the program will go down swinging. Zach Thiel, a Wisconsin resident, has stepped up to the plate.
Thiel has two cousins that pitched for the UW-L Eagles last year, but beyond that has no connection to the university. He merely wants to ensure that student athletes at UW-L aren’t compelled to transfer to other schools with healthy programs and that they have every opportunity to continue their sports careers.
Thiel launched the “Save UW-L Baseball” Web site last month in hopes of raising the money needed to keep the decades-old program alive for one more year.
To date, donations have totaled over $17,000 dollars. That still leaves the team with over $32,000 dollars to be raised in less than two months.
The story has been picked up by local media outlets in Wisconsin, but Zach personally wrote in to College News hoping his cause could garner national attention and more contributions. Unfortunately, UWL isn’t the only program looking for help.
In California, the current budget crisis may claim the lives of sports programs at community colleges across the state.
Some budget proposals brought by Governor Schwarzenegger last month included cutting $120 million dollars in physical education spending, according to the Los Angeles Times. Since most physical education instructors also serve as coaches, any layoffs could have dire consequences for their sports programs.
Last month, Los Angeles City College’s governing council recommended suspending all athletic programs as an option for overcoming their budgetary shortfall. According to the Times, this is just one of the many schools struggling to deal with the economic climate. Over 25,000 students are involved in sports programs at community colleges across California.
Showing that the issue isn’t simply limited to less prestigious colleges, the University of Miami is also feeling the financial pressure. Last January, the school went through a string of dismissals and cuts that saved the school over one million dollars.
Despite the trimming, each athletic program was required to slash their budget by three percent. That may not sound like much, but as reported by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Men’s basketball program at UM lost over $70,000 dollars due to the cuts.
Fund raising for athletic programs are dependent on donations from alumni and ticket sales for the bulk of their budget. Under the stress of this current economic climate, they need help now more than ever to stay on the field.
To make a donation to save the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse’s baseball program, visit Save UWL Baseball
Our Take:
We love sports here at College News, especially of the college variety. It’s a great opportunity for students to get involved and show some school spirit regardless of whether or not they have the talent to go professional.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete or not, you can still help your team! If you watch your school’s teams on TV, buy tickets to a game. If you already purchase tickets, try making a monetary contribution. Want to be a super-fan? Throw a fund-raiser! We are all feeling the financial pressure, but any way you can help your athletic programs would surely be appreciated.
The situation isn’t only limited to higher education institutions. High schools and public schools will be forced to make considerable cuts to extra-curricular activities without the proper funding.
This is a serious situation in the collegiate world, and it isn’t going away any time soon. Do what you can today and save college sports.
