Editor's Note: This is the second installment in a two-part series examining the potential development of club sports programs on campus.
For many of the club sports teams trying to gain support and recognition from the athletics department, responses have been unaccommodating, to say the least.
Many students at Tufts anxious to participate in sports have looked to club athletics as a means to potentially compete on a level other than varsity or intramurals. While some have successfully founded club sports, others have encountered stiff opposition.
The difficulty comes from the university policy that states that there cannot be a club team in a sport for which there is already a varsity program. For club teams such as tennis, soccer, lacrosse and hockey, all of which are still working to be recognized by the school, this rule is stifling. For teams such as rugby and ultimate frisbee, which have been established club sports at Tufts for many years already, the rule proves insignificant. However, the administration seems to be a hindrance even to teams that are already recognized.
"We're a fall sport," said sophomore Thomas Bennett, captain of the men's rugby club. "But we still want to practice in the spring. The administration won't give us funds or let us book any fields [in the spring] ... They do help us with funding in the fall during our official season, with money and transportation and things like that. But when it comes to spring, if we ask for something, their immediate answer is no. We present our case, why it works, but they still say no. They're quite an inconvenience more than a help."
The athletics department defends its denials for funds and recognition by citing its limited resources.
"We try to offer sports on both a recreational and competitive level, whether it is varsity or club," Director of Athletics Bill Gehling said. "We have acknowledged what these teams are trying to do and have worked to come up with solutions. The lacrosse team is a perfect example. We have our varsity program, and we wanted to make sure we had a recreational opportunity as well, so we started recreational lacrosse nights during the week to give people a chance to play."
Many of the club teams' founders have been given this same answer. The problem is that for many of these players with varsity or near-varsity-level talent, "recreational" nights aren't enough. Gehling acknowledged this, but he feels that there is not much more the department can do.
"It comes down to how much you can afford," Gehling said. "Not just facilities or money, but support. We don't have enough fields to accommodate all the teams like a Div. I school would. It's a constant effort to balance things out, because the interest and needs are unlimited, but the resources are limited, and we need to allocate our resources logically. Plus, safety is always a concern."
For the men's varsity ice hockey program, the beginning of a club hockey team beneath it poses little threat in terms of stealing players or affecting roster decisions. In fact, the club team seems to be completely isolated from the varsity.
"We don't have a lot of players who come out," varsity coach Brian Murphy said. "So the idea of using a club team as a farm system doesn't really work for us. The existence of a club sport doesn't affect us either way."
For a nascent club team like co-ed ice hockey, resources are especially scarce, especially when it comes to an off-campus venue to play, transportation or even trainers to be on duty.
"I support the university policy," Murphy said. "That's what I'm here to do. To be honest, I don't really know much about the club team."
The situation is difficult and uncomfortable for everyone - the athletics department included.
"I take no pleasure in saying no to anybody who wants to play a sport they love," Gehling said. "I am more than willing to sit down and talk with people to address this issue. It's an issue that merits future study, but right now, it's very difficult. We have to attempt to be consistent. Unfortunately we don't have the resources of a Div. I school, where in many cases they have a full-fledged recreation department. It's very rare for a Div. III school to have both varsity and club teams in a given sport."
While many club teams on the rise are dismayed that they can't be given the chance to represent Tufts, Gehling does acknowledge that the future holds the possibility of working something out.
"There are a lot of aspects to think about," Gehling said. "With sports medicine coverage and available facilities, as well as funding, there's no obvious solution to the problem."
