2008 Woodie Awards
Club Sports: Clubs looking for playing space
Amara Grautski
Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: Sports
With a lack of on-campus facilities for club sports teams and a call for improvements, an increased budget to provide short-term alternatives was discussed yesterday between university officials and Student Government Association (SGA) President Rob Ranley.
The group, which included Athletics Director Peter Roby and club sports director Jerry Foster, discussed a revised budget for club sports, which would give the department $237,000 for the 2008 academic year - a $127,000 increase from last year.
Last year club sports divided its $110,000 budget three ways: $50,000 was distributed evenly among 40 teams, $10,000 was used to help fund teams going to championships and $50,000 was used at Foster's discretion.
However, Ranley said he has been speaking to members of club sports teams since January to get their feedback. He said one of the biggest concerns among teams is having a sufficient amount of space that is safe and close to campus to use for practices.
"We're considering field rentals doubling to about $50,000 ... just because it's so constrained on campus," he said.
Ranley said some of the areas that had been discussed were near Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Wentworth Institute of Technology, but in the past these areas hadn't been rented because of lack of funds.
Middler Tim McIvor, events coordinator and member of the club tennis team, said playing at the Sportsman Tennis Club in Dorchester, where the team currently practices, isn't safe or convenient for teammates.
"Once in a while the vans [we use] don't have service, so basically we have to take the public buses," McIvor said, "and when we're waiting for them at 11 p.m., cops have pulled up saying that we're not safe and then just stroll away."
McIvor said the team chose to play at the courts in Dorchester because it was the place that provided the cheapest indoor tennis courts at $22.50 per court per hour. But price and location aren't the only issues the tennis team has with the Sportsman Tennis Club.
The group, which included Athletics Director Peter Roby and club sports director Jerry Foster, discussed a revised budget for club sports, which would give the department $237,000 for the 2008 academic year - a $127,000 increase from last year.
Last year club sports divided its $110,000 budget three ways: $50,000 was distributed evenly among 40 teams, $10,000 was used to help fund teams going to championships and $50,000 was used at Foster's discretion.
However, Ranley said he has been speaking to members of club sports teams since January to get their feedback. He said one of the biggest concerns among teams is having a sufficient amount of space that is safe and close to campus to use for practices.
"We're considering field rentals doubling to about $50,000 ... just because it's so constrained on campus," he said.
Ranley said some of the areas that had been discussed were near Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Wentworth Institute of Technology, but in the past these areas hadn't been rented because of lack of funds.
Middler Tim McIvor, events coordinator and member of the club tennis team, said playing at the Sportsman Tennis Club in Dorchester, where the team currently practices, isn't safe or convenient for teammates.
"Once in a while the vans [we use] don't have service, so basically we have to take the public buses," McIvor said, "and when we're waiting for them at 11 p.m., cops have pulled up saying that we're not safe and then just stroll away."
McIvor said the team chose to play at the courts in Dorchester because it was the place that provided the cheapest indoor tennis courts at $22.50 per court per hour. But price and location aren't the only issues the tennis team has with the Sportsman Tennis Club.
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