I have written this idea to Swimming World and USA Swimmer and now I want to share it with my Forum Friends to see if I can garner any support. I just read the report in the ASCA magazine on how the implementation of Title IX has hurt men's swimming. As a supporter of womens sports I think Title IX has done much more good than harm. As a fan of college swimming I think the NCAA has done more harm than good. I was searching for a solution that would get swimming out of being at the mercy of the NCAA.The solution seems to be to start a scholarship fund for swimmers to be administered by USA Swimming. Criteria would be set up,both athletic and academic,for deserving swimmers to earn college scholarships to the college of their choice. The swimmer would be free to swim for the college if they had a team if desired or for the appropriate club if they don't. If they earn a swimming scholarship from the college the extra funds could be recycled back into the program.In the interest of fairness the scholarships would go to an equal number of men and women. This program would not be a way to get around Title IX but to get around the NCAA. Yes,it would take a massive fund raising effort,but I think most swimmers,parents,Masters,and corporate sponsors would be interested in donating(I would.) It would give swimming great publicity and would be a great recruiting tool. What do Y'all think?
Rutgers was fully compliant with Title IX in spite of what the AD has said. Title IX is used as a convenient excuse by those Athletic Departments who want to get rid of "non-revenue" sports. (Note: most revenue sports are also no-profit sports which is not what they would have you believe.) Now the fact that most football teams loose more than the budgets of the Olympic sport teams combined is lost in the noise. The Rutgers AD has been wanting to drop these teams for several years because he has too many sports for him to handle. the alternative of finding and AD with enough brain power was not apparently considered.
Leo
Rutgers was fully compliant with Title IX in spite of what the AD has said. Title IX is used as a convenient excuse by those Athletic Departments who want to get rid of "non-revenue" sports. (Note: most revenue sports are also no-profit sports which is not what they would have you believe.) Now the fact that most football teams loose more than the budgets of the Olympic sport teams combined is lost in the noise. The Rutgers AD has been wanting to drop these teams for several years because he has too many sports for him to handle. the alternative of finding and AD with enough brain power was not apparently considered.
Leo
