Thanks for the quick response Scott. I still think there a some
problems with this plan, and from the emails I have received in the
past hour or so apparently some of the other smaller teams feel the
same way. Just to take one smaller point, you suggest buying
undershirts and writing UCLA on the back if we're short on cash.
This demonstrates one of the downsides of the pinnies: they further
underscore the divide between large- and small-budget teams. If
we're competing in Sharpied undershirts, that definitely doesn't make
our team look good.
Also, in our case, the biggest problem we have is not a lack of
understanding, it is a lack of money to go around in our club sports
program. Our school would love to give us more money, but the
money's not there. I don't think wearing jerseys is going to change
that, and I don't think we're alone in this scenario. I feel that in
a lot of cases when people are trying to start new teams, the biggest
problem is that schools do not want to commit to a team that is by
definition going to be relatively high maintenance. Adding more
costs only makes that harder.
For $400 ($20x20 people) we could replace some of our standing
rigging so we don't have any more masts fall down this year, buy some
used sails, maybe even without any duct tape, pay for gas to an extra
regatta or two, or excuse a less wealthy member of our team from
paying dues so that s/he can continue to sail. All of these seem
more important to me than how easily spectators can identify us. For
the amount of money that would be saved if the ICSA didn't invest in
this, we could be sure that new and struggling teams have the
resources they need to compete.
Since I have been at UCLA, my team has missed one district meeting of
any kind. It will not happen again.
I appreciate your advice and taking the time to respond to me. And
my team will comply with this rule. But, as a member of the
currently shrinking Pacific Coast district, it seems misguided to me
to mandate increased costs for a hypothetical and intangible result
when there are concrete steps that could be taken to solve immediate
problems.
Sam Wheeler
Captain
UCLA Sailing Team
On Sep 5, 2006, at 9:26 PM, Scott Ryan Grandt wrote:
Sam,
As a small team leader I understand your concerns. As one of the
team leaders at Cornell, I understand the constant struggle to have
enough funds to support a club team. What you may not be aware of
is often times bigger teams face the same struggles. In the case
of the pinnie the cost/benefits were looked at very closely. The
cost is very low, at the minimum you could go to Wallmart and buy
some undershirts and write your team names on them, at most you are
paying 20 dollars for a high quality custom pinnie. This is less
than you will pay for any other piece of sailing gear from gloves
to spray tops to a team hat. Now what is the sport gaining from
this? There is lots to be gained. Including increased exposure.
The biggest problem sailing teams run into with funding is that
sports officials at universities do not understand the sport.
Having a team "uniform" is one more way we make sailing more
mainstream. If sailing were to become more mainstream than the
likelihood of your club team receiving more funding or even
changing status to varsity would likely increase. While the pinnie
will not change things overnight, it is one step of many that ICSA
is trying to take to improve the image and increase the
similarities between college sailing and other college sports.
Now if you still completely disagree with the pinnie etc than I
offer you this suggestion, become more involved in your district's
(Conference's) leadership. Go to your local meetins, talk with
your reps, let them know what you think should happen with the
sport. The attendence at these meetings can be low, so by becoming
an elected rep you have can be presented with an opportunity to
greatly impact the sport.
If you are looking for a company to do your pinnies, Cornell also
used the company that Joe Sullivan from Fordham mentioned, reliable
racing, and were very pleased with the results.
-Scott Grandt
--
Scott Ryan Grandt
Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA)
Vice-President
Cell:562-754-1555
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