|  Washburn Field 1927>
RESTORE THE ROAR.....By Andy Cornell 3-29-09
One of the best days of my life came in the winter of 1997 when I was sitting in an AP English class at Englewood High School, half asleep. I was awakened by a knock at the door. It was my football coach Randy Penn, who said, "I need to speak with Andy."
The Teacher pointed me out of the room of boredom and I went into the hall and met a man name Greg Polnasik.
Coach Polnasik was the Head Football Coach at Colorado College.
Coach and I sat in the library and talked about me playing football the next year for the Tigers.
I went on to play four years of football for the Tigers and loved every minute. Being the only Division 3 football team in the state of Colorado , we traveled a lot. Everywhere from Oregon, California, Michigan and Mississippi to Tennessee, Missouri and Kansas just to name a few. Playing wide receiver for the Tigers was a blast.
That is why I was so disheartened to learn that Colorado College is planning on eliminating the tradition-laden 127-year football program. Not from an alumni email or CC bulletin, but rather a cold press release. No warning to Alumni or players, just a simple budget cut.
The Cut will reportably save $450,000 year, along with the Softball and Water polo programs, also on the chopping block, the total savings will be around $750,000.
My reaction is simple. It’s a terrible move for many reasons.
1) No warning to Alumni. Doing this months ago would have given alumni an opportunity to pull together and make a financial push to save the program.
2) There are 20 athletic programs at CC. Hockey and Womens soccer are Division 1 sports and I would never be in favor of cutting either one. But that would leave 17 other programs to choose from, including mens soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, swimming, basketball, womens lacrosse, just to name some.
Granted the CC football program is not a dominating program. In fact, there have been many losing seasons for the Tigers. However, football is the centerpiece program to any REAL college or university that wants to compete athletically.
What is homecoming going to be? A soccer game? Count me out for that borefest.
3) This is now how you drum up support for other programs and future donations? I would have very little reason to donate money to CC if they choose to kill one of the most tradition laiden programs in America.
Washburn field, home of the Tigers, is the oldest playing football field this side of the Mississippi . And they want to kill that tradition? That's not OK.
4) What a terrible, underhanded way to treat active players and coaches. No warning, just gone. Many players are looking to transfer and who can blame them?
It has been reported that CC did not even forewarn it own league that they would be eliminating three varsity sports.
I know that President Cleste means well and I have no doubt that the new AD Ken Ralph wants what is best for CC. But this is simply not it.
So I am calling on ALL CC alumni, ALL CC fans, and any one who loves college sports to help save CC football.
Please send letters to the president of CC and the board of trustees. If you wish to make a contribution to help, know that any amount would be a huge step.
E-mail assistant to the trustees Linda Petro at:
lpetro@coloradocollege.edu
The administration needs to hear from us immediately. The phone number of the campus switchboard is: 719-389-6000.
Let them know what a huge mistake eliminating football would be. Also inform them if you plan on making a contribution, now or in the future.
In a day and age with so much uncertainty we can not afford to lose 127-year old traditions and programs like Colorado College Football.
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Andy Cornell can be reached at: artificialturf2003@yahoo.com
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For the official press release from Colorado College, click the link.
http://www.cctigers.com/news/2009/3/24/FB_0324093216.aspx
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Visit: www.saveccfootball.com
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