By Arthur Cosson, Video Editor and Social Media Manager
On Monday, Feb. 20, the Vice President of Athletics at Saint Leo University, Fran Reidy, had the hard task of announcing that, in order to resolve financial problems, no less than 70 student-athletes and five coaches in their athletic programs would be cut for the next season. The men’s and women’s Swimming, Cross-Country, and Track and Field programs, which represent six out of the 23 NCAA athletic programs at Saint Leo, will all be discontinued at the close of the season.
Student-athletes and coaches are impacted in many ways. However, how the university decided to communicate and address these announcements has not been helpful for the affected students and staff.
On Thursday, Feb. 16, the whole university received an email indicating that changes have been decided following a vote of the Board of Trustees to “prepare for the future.” One paragraph was dedicated to the athletic announcement and preceded by a simple green “validated” Emoji as if it was a positive thing for the University.
The statement read: “Six intercollegiate athletic programs will be discontinued at the conclusion of their seasons. Since there are currently four teams on the road competing, and another five traveling this weekend, discussions will occur with the affected programs and the athletic community once all teams return to campus. We will communicate the programs once we have informed and supported the student-athletes impacted.”
Teams such as tennis or swimming were competing at the national or conference level at the time the email was sent out. Notably, this same weekend, men’s tennis won the first national title in program history. Swimming qualified in both relays and individuals for the highest NCAA DII level and won several medals during the Sunshine State Conference Championship.
However, we cannot say that this email has not impacted the mental health of the Lions.
Hugo Chopineau, a senior and captain of the swimming team at Saint Leo, reported that the whole team was crying when the announcement was made, even though no one knew which programs were impacted at this moment. A climate of fear had already been established for the weekend. “Personally, when I heard the news that six sports programs were being cut, I was in the conference championship, which was not ideal for staying focused on the competition,” said Nino Viallon, a freshman on the swimming team.
It was only in the following week that Reidy convened the swimming teams at 10a.m. on Monday, Feb. 20, followed by the cross-country and track and field teams at 11a.m. the same day, to tell them that their programs were cut for the next season.
At this moment, and after waiting for five days to see what is happening, four coaches have learned that they are going to lose their jobs, and over 70 athletes do not have an athletic program anymore for the next semester. This news was “extremely violent,” said Viallon.
Indeed, it is now time for athletes to start the transfer process to find a new school and a new team, with the aim of continuing both academic and athletic careers. Unfortunately, student-athletes only have a few months left to do so. “I wish Saint Leo University was more prepared to support the affected athletes, as many athletes currently feel alone in figuring out what next steps to take,” said one athlete who prefers to stay anonymous. “This decision, along with the communication of the news, feels very out of alignment with the university’s Core Values,” the anonymous athlete added, reflecting the thoughts of many athletes after the meeting.
Beyond this, it is also the loss of a family.
“It was like having a family and having it taken away from you. It was very emotionally hard for my teammates and coaches,” said Viallon.
Other athletes are also scared for the university’s future and have to stop their sports career, even though they still have NCAA eligibility.
Albert La Red, a junior on the track and field team, is one of them.
“For the upcoming fall semester, I will remain at Saint Leo because of the amazing education that professors offer and how close the university is to my home,” said La Red.
But these decisions affected him and his teammates.
“I was looking forward to competing with the same group of athletes that I was able to grow a bond with during the cross-country season,” said La Red. “Being surrounded by talented and kind-hearted individuals, I was able to find a passion for life I might not have developed otherwise.”
Everyone is hoping that the affected student-athletes are finding a new “home” where they can continue to train, compete, and follow their academic careers
