December 7, 1998 - Guest editorial Non-Olympic sports deserve protection
...By Phillip A. Buttafuoco, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Comment ADs and presidents on the same page Opinions Opportunities are greater, but so are the expenses Guest editorial Non-Olympic sports deserve protection By Phillip A. Buttafuoco
Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference
As the 1999 NCAA Convention approaches, it is important for all Division II members to fully understand Proposal No. 2-19, which is written specifically to protect the Division II Men's Lacrosse Championship and permit the creation and sustainment of a Division II Women's Lacrosse Championship. During the 1997 NCAA Convention, the membership passed Proposition No. 137, which protected all Olympic-sport championships regardless of sponsorship levels. The sport of lacrosse (football and golf also), not being an Olympic sport, was not included in this legislation. Proposal No. 2-19 simply asks the membership to treat the sport of lacrosse as we are treating the Olympic sports. If Proposal No.2-19 is not passed, the 1,650 student-athletes who compete in these two sports will be treated differently than their fellow student-athletes. There is a fundamental flaw in establishing a system whereby we identify sports based on their Olympic status. It has been said many times that the NCAA, especially Divisions II and III, should not be focused on developing professional and Olympic athletes. In the spirit of that philosophy, therefore, we urge the membership to provide men's and women's lacrosse with the same "protection" as the Olympic sports. | |
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