Everyday at noon, I stop just inside the doors of the College of Arts and Sciences to pick up a copy of The Daily Free Press. The first thing I do is flip over the paper and read the sports headlines and articles. Throughout the fall and winter I read about the trials, tribulations and success of all of our sports teams: the articles about the men’s soccer team last minute run to the playoffs and the stories about the women’s basketball team’s super freshmen received equal attention in my eyes.
Thirty years ago the state of women’s sports in this country was far from the elevated position it is today. The fact that an independent paper such as The Daily Free Press covers women’s sports with such accuracy and commitment is a testament to how far women have come in such a short time. With this in mind, it is with all due respect that I say, “WE NEED A NEW MALE SPORT IN THE SPRING!”
I come from Baltimore, Md., and I grew up on both men’s and women’s lacrosse. I have the utmost respect for women’s lacrosse players, and I know for a fact that I couldn’t run two feet without having a pocket as deep as the Grand Canyon. They play a tough sport, and I congratulate them on being nationally ranked.
Women’s softball also deserves recognition for their accomplishments completed and to come. Their record winning streak last year and the pitching of Robyn King receive my admiration.
However, I am tired of reading about just two sports every single day. I know men’s and women’s tennis are hard at work, but both teams get little press as is already. It is time for Boston University to face the facts about its student body. Does the administration really want to know why we are predominantly female? It is not because we are so close to Newbury Street or because there is some weird feminine attraction to our campus: We have no men here because we are missing some major male sports.
An article written in the Free Press last semester stated that female admissions were rising in universities, but BU was the only one in this area that was so disproportionate. I am not saying I have a problem with the ratio, but if it means bringing more guys here to get some male sports, then so be it. We all must make sacrifices to achieve our goals.
For some reason unbeknownst to me and the rest of the student body, we lost our football team years ago. I have never heard of BU having a men’s baseball or lacrosse team, and I think it is about time we did.
Title IX was created 30 years ago to give women equality in sports. Its purpose was not to make things equal to the last little detail but force universities to improve the conditions, opportunities and facilities of women’s sports.
BU has gone overboard in their efforts to equalize sports. To date we have 11 women’s sports team and only 10 male sports teams. To top all this off I have heard rumors that the women’s ice hockey club is going to be a varsity sport next winter. The tally after such an event would leave women with advantage of 12 to 10.
I for one am sick and tired of such BS. If BU wants to dig its own grave, that is the choice of the administration, but at least I won’t be here to see them finish the job. If BU wants to curb its dropping admissions numbers, bring men onto the field. I do not expect football to come back soon, and I don’t think the Athletic Department does either. Baseball is just a baby in the world of club sports and isn’t ready for the jump to varsity, but hopefully someday soon they will be.
The winner, not just by default but for their commitment and organization, is men’s club lacrosse. These gentlemen of the field practice at all hours of the day and have proved they have the staying power to be rewarded for their efforts. It is time for men’s lacrosse to be advanced to the varsity level.
I expect most you to read this, and tell me to go find a box of tissues. I spent most of my schooling previous to BU at an all-male private institution. What happened on the playing field yesterday was the topic of conversation tomorrow. Sports represented the atlas that held our world in place. I don’t expect things to be the same, but some resemblance would be nice. When I came to school I didn’t expect BU to pop Atlas in the kneecap so he would drop the ball.
Jeff Abraham SAR ’03
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