Editor’s Note: The author is a member of the women’s Cross Country and Track and Field teams.
Russell Witham’s controversial and erroneous column, fittingly titled “Athletics in Err,” has caused a commotion in the athletic world. The main point of that statement would be “erroneous.” Next time you write an article like this, do your research. Since you’ve failed to do so, I’ll help correct you.
Judging by the content of this article, it’s safe to say you’ve never eaten in Case Dining Hall. An “oasis?” Really?
Up until a few weeks ago, Case didn’t even have strawberries, a food regularly enjoyed by students at Fountain and Clark Ding Halls.
As for space, you must not have seen Case before. It’s much smaller than Fountain and Clark, rejecting your point about “cramming” students into Clark. In 2006-2007, aside from Sundays, Case was only open to student-athletes. In three years, this has drastically changed; now Case is only closed to non-athletes at dinner. It’s a small reward for these athletes who give up everything to commit themselves to rigorous training schedules.
Paul Derr Track is your weakest argument. Your statement, “what are the odds that a group of students can align their schedules such that they can find free time on any weekday between those hours?” is absurd. Do you know nothing about athletics? There are over SIX HUNDRED student-athletes who “align their schedules” each semester. If these six hundred students can do it, there is no reason that a small club team can’t. Paul Derr Track is a facility built and maintained for varsity sports; the fact that it is being shared with non-athletes should be appreciated. Do you think the RBC center would allow a club basketball team to practice there? Or that Carter-Finley would allow flag football teams to use their facilities? Track may not be the most popular or revenue-producing sport on campus, but it’s extremely successful, and shouldn’t be shafted because of an uproar over the supposedly inconvenient times that prevent non-varsity athletes from having the PRIVILEGE to use the facility.
In your article, you state, “If nothing else, it brings bad karma on our program. We don’t need any more of that”. You should be ashamed of yourself. We may not make it to a bowl game often, or get a berth in the NCAA basketball tournament, but if you looked at other sports, you’d realize there is some extreme talent on this campus that’s going largely unnoticed. Last spring, wrestling had a National Champion, Darrion Caldwell. That same day, women’s diver Kristin Davies also won NCAA’s. Golfer Matt Hill was a National Champion. Gymnastics won the EAGL championship. Men’s cross-country won ACC’s this fall, and both the men’s and women’s programs producing All-Americans.
Football beat UNC-Chapel Hill. Men’s soccer made it to the ACC finals and the NCAA tournament. Men’s basketball knocked off Duke a few weeks ago, and the Wolfpack Nation went wild. However, after losing a few games, everyone forgot about that incredible win, and went back to bashing men’s basketball. Where is the loyalty? This is your team, and they are struggling. What they need is a faithful Wolfpack Nation, not a large following of fair-weather fans. You also said, “Students could take pride in something more than mediocrity and look forward to better days.” Clearly, these better days have passed you by.
On ESPN the other day, the announcer commented that the Wolfpack Nation might not always win, but their fans will always be behind them. It’s time to start living up to that claim and stop bashing athletics, instead giving it the undying faith and support that it clearly needs right now.
