Spring Break
A question of funding: an ire of charger ball
Underfunded baseball program seeks to re-structure; three people, three ideas for improvement
Chase Purdy
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Sports
If pressed to diagnose the performance problems of the baseball team, to explain why the team is 3-20 in the GLIAC, members of the team, the coach and the athletic director will cite different reasons.
And though their reasons differs, they all agreed each explanation plays into the other.
Athletic Director Don Brubacher, who succeeded Mike Kovalchik last fall, said he intends to improve the performance level of the baseball program.
"No one in the program now is content with the competitive level of the team," Brubacher said. "One person just cannot handle a college baseball program as we'd like to see it handled."
The master plan
Brubacher said he believes every athletic program should focus on four areas: staffing, quality of facilities, scholarship and funding for travel and equipment.
So when he took the job as athletic director, Brubacher set out to build a master plan. He said his plan included several substantial upgrades to the baseball and softball programs, such as updated locker rooms, revamped dugouts and added field lighting.
But he listed staffing as his No.1 concern, and as a result, Andy Lovell '06 walked onto the field as a full-time assistant coach in Fall 2008.
Additionally, Brubacher said he hopes to provide more appropriate indoor practice facilities for the team to work in during the off-season.
Brubacher acknowledged the small pool of scholarship money available to the baseball team, but said he depends more on coaching than money to improve team performance. He confirmed the college recently made more of a commitment to increase baseball scholarship money.
According to head baseball coach Paul Noce, the GLIAC allows nine full scholarships per baseball team. But the college's budget provides only three full scholarships, Noce said.
A veteran opinion
Money lies at the root of the problem, said Mike Lude '44, and unless the college wants to settle with poor performance, he said, administration should increase the money going into the baseball program.
And though their reasons differs, they all agreed each explanation plays into the other.
Athletic Director Don Brubacher, who succeeded Mike Kovalchik last fall, said he intends to improve the performance level of the baseball program.
"No one in the program now is content with the competitive level of the team," Brubacher said. "One person just cannot handle a college baseball program as we'd like to see it handled."
The master plan
Brubacher said he believes every athletic program should focus on four areas: staffing, quality of facilities, scholarship and funding for travel and equipment.
So when he took the job as athletic director, Brubacher set out to build a master plan. He said his plan included several substantial upgrades to the baseball and softball programs, such as updated locker rooms, revamped dugouts and added field lighting.
But he listed staffing as his No.1 concern, and as a result, Andy Lovell '06 walked onto the field as a full-time assistant coach in Fall 2008.
Additionally, Brubacher said he hopes to provide more appropriate indoor practice facilities for the team to work in during the off-season.
Brubacher acknowledged the small pool of scholarship money available to the baseball team, but said he depends more on coaching than money to improve team performance. He confirmed the college recently made more of a commitment to increase baseball scholarship money.
According to head baseball coach Paul Noce, the GLIAC allows nine full scholarships per baseball team. But the college's budget provides only three full scholarships, Noce said.
A veteran opinion
Money lies at the root of the problem, said Mike Lude '44, and unless the college wants to settle with poor performance, he said, administration should increase the money going into the baseball program.
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