Spring Break
Softball struggles for time in the gym, once practicing at 4 a.m.; lack of fans and funding result in frustrating play
Betsy Woodruff
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Sports
Before graduation, most Hillsdale students attend at least one football game. Plenty also watch volleyball and basketball. Softball, however, garners much less attention -- and, according to senior Devon Trimmer, less funding from the college. The combination of limited funds and quick coaching turnover has presented a significant challenge for the women on the team. The team had to hurry to fill the head coaching void heading into Fall 2007.
"Having more funding would make us a lot more competitive," head coach Jamie Meyers said.
"There's times when you get angry as a player," Trimmer said, "But we don't bring in any revenue. They're investing in us, and we don't give a lot back to them. With basketball and volleyball, the games are packed and people pay to get in."
Trimmer pointed out that softball games are long and cold in Michigan, which hasn't helped the team win fans on campus.
"We are at the bottom of the totem pole," Trimmer said. "Nobody likes us!"
Meyers said this is normal.
"If you look at patterns in NCAA sports," she said, "revenue sports tend to have bigger budgets."
"When it's 40 degrees and raining, nobody wants to come out and watch you play," she added.
Dana Gould, a senior and a team captain, thinks this limits the team's scholarship funds.
"I have a suspicion that we don't get as much scholarship money," she said. "If you compare us to the basketball team, the basketball team is a revenue sport because they draw in a larger crowd and people have to pay to get into their event, so I feel like probably the basketball players get more money."
She believes this may limit the team's ability to recruit new players.
"Scholarship money does play a big role," Gould said. "For me, academics is really important too, so coming to Hillsdale was a fairly easy choice because I knew I was going to get a good education. But I know there are people out there who are trying to get the most amount of money from a school."
"Having more funding would make us a lot more competitive," head coach Jamie Meyers said.
"There's times when you get angry as a player," Trimmer said, "But we don't bring in any revenue. They're investing in us, and we don't give a lot back to them. With basketball and volleyball, the games are packed and people pay to get in."
Trimmer pointed out that softball games are long and cold in Michigan, which hasn't helped the team win fans on campus.
"We are at the bottom of the totem pole," Trimmer said. "Nobody likes us!"
Meyers said this is normal.
"If you look at patterns in NCAA sports," she said, "revenue sports tend to have bigger budgets."
"When it's 40 degrees and raining, nobody wants to come out and watch you play," she added.
Dana Gould, a senior and a team captain, thinks this limits the team's scholarship funds.
"I have a suspicion that we don't get as much scholarship money," she said. "If you compare us to the basketball team, the basketball team is a revenue sport because they draw in a larger crowd and people have to pay to get into their event, so I feel like probably the basketball players get more money."
She believes this may limit the team's ability to recruit new players.
"Scholarship money does play a big role," Gould said. "For me, academics is really important too, so coming to Hillsdale was a fairly easy choice because I knew I was going to get a good education. But I know there are people out there who are trying to get the most amount of money from a school."
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