Task Force Media Notes, May 27

This is part of a series of regular reports to update, inform, educate and stimulate public discussion

GEORGIA STATE DROPS WRESTLING AND ADDS WOMEN’S TRACK

The sport of wrestling took another serious hit in early May, when Georgia State University announced that it would drop its wrestling team and add a women’s track and field program. According to athletic director Orby Moss, a review of the athletics program “revealed wrestling no longer fit into the long-range strategic plans of the athletic program.”

At the surface, this could be considered just another example of how gender quotas destroy opportunities for male athletes. But, a close look shows there is more to the Georgia State decision than strict proportionality problems.

In 1991, Georgia State started a new Div. I wrestling team, a decision that excited the wrestling world. Georgia State became the only varsity program in the state, and the team that was the farthest south on the East Coast. Georgia State, under head coaches Gary Kurdelmeier and Keith Walton, put together a solid team, which had a winning record during its seven-year run. The team had also been very successful in fund-raising to support the athletic department.

According to the press release, “wrestling interest has not grown in the area as hoped; recruitment, competition and travel have had to constantly expand outside the region...”

This assessment is disturbing. Clearly, wrestling in the Southeast has grown and continues to grow. In 1997, Georgia had 202 programs with 5,234 wrestlers and Florida had 277 programs with 6,831 wrestlers. Both states had many nationally ranked wrestlers on the age-group levels. An outstanding team could be generated from keeping the top local talent in the region.

Georgia State is a member of the Trans America Athletic Conference, which does not sponsor wrestling. Wrestling is no longer included in the Southeast Conference, the largest Div. I conference in the region. The hope was the Georgia State program might help encourage other area universities to start wrestling. But, with the severe restrictions caused by Title IX, and the court rulings such as the Brown University case, it is nearly impossible for colleges to add men’s sports these days. The wrestling community mourns the loss of Georgia State, which had the courage to start a wrestling program, but did not have the fortitude to stay with that good decision.

PORTLAND STATE PROPOSES TO CUT WRESTLING AND BASEBALL

One of the top wrestling programs in the Pacific Northwest is in danger, as Portland State University is considering a proposal to drop two men’s sports, wrestling and baseball. The recommendation was made by Portland State’s Office of Finance and Administration, and is being run through various athletic and student committees. A final decision by PSU President Daniel Bernstein is expected by June 1.

Portland State wrestling had a similar challenge in 1997, when a faculty committee and administrators proposed its elimination. However, there was so much local support and interest in wrestling that university quickly dropped the idea.

This threat seems to be even greater this time. Portland State’s move up to Div. I is completed next year, with full membership in the Big Sky Conference. According to the press release, neither baseball nor wrestling are in core sports in the Big Sky. In addition, PSU must add a conference core sport, men’s tennis.

The other two reasons for the program cut proposal are the same tired excuses used by other colleges to eliminate opportunity: “progress with regard to Title IX and gender-equity” and “not enough funding to meet the demands of a Division I athletic program.”

If any team at Portland State has earned the right to move up to Div. I, it is wrestling. Clearly, the wrestling team is one of the most successful programs in school history. Portland State has been a powerhouse in Div. II wrestling, with national team titles in 1967, 1989 and 1990. The wrestling team has produced numerous individual national champions. In addition, Portland State wrestlers have excelled on the international level. The first U.S. wrestler to ever win a World gold medal in wrestling, Rick Sanders, attended Portland State. Sanders won two Olympic silver medals for the United States. Other Portland State Olympians were Dan Mello (1980), Anthony Amado (1988) and Travis West (1992).

The fact that wrestling is not a Big Sky conference sport should not be a big deal. Many colleges have teams that are not a part of their football/basketball conference. Portland State wrestling and baseball have been accepted into the Pac-10 Conference, which is even more prestigious than the Big Sky.

Portland State is not the first college to attempt to drop sports as it moved up from Div. II to Div. I. Nor is Portland State the first to site “gender equity” as a reason to eliminate men’s teams. However, dropping wrestling at Portland State makes no sense. The team is excellent, and can succeed on the Div. I level. In addition, high school and youth wrestling is booming in Oregon, and there is a true community interest in wrestling. The smart decision for Portland State would be to continue the wrestling program.

IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT SPRING FOR WRESTLING AND OTHER MEN’S SPORTS

Ever since the concept of proportionality has been forced upon college athletic departments, the spring has become the “slashing season.” This is when colleges make final decisions for the next school year budget, and this is often when programs get cut. The Spring of 1998 has been especially bloody.

In 1997, wrestling survived the spring onslaught fairly well. However, in 1998, wrestling has not fared well. Three teams have been eliminated for good - Div. I Georgia State and junior college teams Fergus Falls CC and Bismarck State College. The athletic director at Div. I Chicago State has decided to drop wrestling, but the proposal is currently under review by the administration. Plans to drop wrestling have been announced Div. I Portland State and Miami of Ohio, where the final administrative steps are being taken on the proposals. Rumors that other college teams are in danger continue to fly. In some cases, colleges will quietly drop a team, and the public will not find out until the next season.

This is an across the board problem for men’s Olympic sports, and wrestling is not the only victim of the 1998 Spring Slaughter. The Univ. of Cincinnati wiped out men’s rifle, tennis and indoor track. New Mexico State cut men’s track and field and swimming. Southwest Texas State has eliminated men’s tennis. The Univ. of Louisville dropped men’s indoor track. These are all high profile Div. I programs and were reported in the media. Other smaller schools have made decisions to slash programs to little fanfare.

Title IX was originally written by Congress to create opportunity for women students. The intent of the law was NEVER to eliminate opportunity for anybody. However, as the Spring of 1998 continues to prove, the unintended consequences of Title IX are that opportunity is being lost at an alarming rate.

CONSULTANT DANIEL ADDS FUEL TO THE FIRE WITH HIS ATTITUDE ABOUT WRESTLING

A new sports management magazine, Street and Smith’s SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, had a 15-page report on Women’s Sports in its May 11-17 issue. Almost every page trumpeted the positive results of Title IX. Only one page was devoted to cutbacks in men’s programs, which the publication called “oddball economics.”

Many colleges hire outside Title IX consultants to propose plans to assist in reaching gender-equity goals. One such consultant, Lamar Daniel, was quoted in this story:

l “‘I feel for wrestlers, and track is going to get hit hard,” said Lamar Daniel, an Atlanta-based gender equity consultant. “It’s tragic. Yet, on the other hand, women deserve the opportunity to compete. And I have yet to meet an administrator who was crazy about wrestling.’”

Daniel’s negative statement about wrestling is not only inaccurate but it makes wrestling a target.

We would like to suggest a few administrators who ARE crazy about wrestling.

How about Bob Bowlsby the athletic director at the University of Iowa, who has been a long-time leader within both NCAA wrestling and USA Wrestling. Bowlsby is also considered one of the top young administrators in the nation, and is a member of the NCAA Management Council.

How about Bruce Baumgartner, the athletic director at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. All Baumgartner has done is win four Olympic medals in freestyle wrestling as an athlete, and coach champion Div. I wrestling teams at Edinboro.

Or Curt Blake, the athletic director at Rider University, who is the president of the East Coast Wrestling Association and a long-time wrestling supporter? Or Rondo Felberg at Brigham Young University, an athletic director who has publicly supported his school’s wrestling program.

Consider Dr. Peter Likens, the President of the University of Arizona, which does not currently have a wrestling team. Likens is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished American.

Daniel’s smug remark about administrators dislike for wrestling is not constructive and does not address the issues at hand. Currently, there are 300 colleges that sponsor wrestling, with competition at all levels. Certainly, there are many college administrators that do support wrestling.

CONSIDER WOMEN’S CREW, A GROWING NCAA SPORT THAT HAS NO INTEREST BASE

The article in the Street and Smith’s SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL which included Daniels’ comments is entitled “Rowing Across Kansas? Credit Title IX.” This article points out how one of the three prongs of Title IX, “interest and abilities,” is generally ignored in the push for proportionality.

Consider these excerpts from the article, written by Welch Suggs: * “Why would Kansas State need a varsity women’s crew team? Rowing is about as popular as banana growing in the country’s breadbasket... But the K-State women have a boat that answers the question. It’s christened the ‘Title IX.’”

* “Women’s crew and women’s soccer are hot sports in the NCAA these days because most require large teams. And large women’s squads can balance the 100-plus athletes that football coaches require for programs.”

Is there an interest in women’s crew? Consider the 1997 National Federation of High School Association’s statistics. In the ENTIRE nation, there are only 42 girls high school crew teams. But, in the 1996-97 NCAA statistics, there were 54 NCAA women’s rowing teams. There are more women competing in crew in college than in high school. How does that reflect interest and abilities?

Consider wrestling. In 1996-97, there were 8,730 high school wrestling teams. The 1996-97 NCAA statistics indicated 250 NCAA wrestling teams.

Women’s crew is a perfect example of how Title IX is being used a gender quota, with no consideration for the interest and abilities of young people.

NORTH DAKOTA PLANS TO CUT A MEN’S TEAM, AND IT COULD BE WRESTLING

Administrators at the Univ. of North Dakota, a NCAA Div. II school, have indicated that there will be changes in their athletic department, including the elimination of one men’s sports team. The university is facing a budget crunch. A review of the athletic department is on-going, with the announcement of which team will be cut to be made shortly.

The local media have speculated which of the university programs may get the ax, with wrestling and baseball considered the most likely choices.

Consider this quote from an article in the Grand Forks Herald, the local paper:

* “A sport - and the best bet is wrestling - will be gone. It’s not just because of the 95-percent pronouncement of the governor. The other driving force is the pursuit of gender equity.”

If North Dakota drops a men’s sport and does not add a women’s team, it shows once again how the use of proportionality does not promote new opportunities.

The North Central Conference, which UND competes in, has a strong wrestling tradition. Wrestling is a popular sport among young people in North Dakota. There are 54 high school teams with 1,075 participants. Many North Dakota prep wrestlers compete successfully on the college levels.

We encourage the wrestling community in North Dakota to fight loud and hard for this important team.

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