School’s athletic department needs to shape up
By Matt Charbonneau
Carleton University athletics officials and players are trying to figure out how to clean up the school’s varsity reputation.
Carleton’s director of athletics, Drew Love, says while three teams have recently qualified for the playoffs and skill levels have increased, more improvement is needed.
“Making the playoffs is one step up the ladder,” he says, adding teams are not content with simply making the playoffs.
While some teams have done well, like women’s soccer and water polo and men’s rugby, Love says he is disappointed overall with Carleton’s varsity achievements this year.
“I’m not satisfied with the level of competitiveness we have in general,” he says.
“I’d like to see this university always (having) winning teams and great fan support.”
Not all Carleton teams have struggled.
The women’s soccer team made its second consecutive Ontario University Athletics playoff appearance this year, while Carleton’s men’s rugby team qualified for the Tier II championship.
Carleton’s women’s water polo team has finished no lower than third place in its division in the past 10 years, collecting four gold and six bronze medals.
But other teams, especially the high-profile football program, continue to struggle.
After winning five of eight games last year, gaining its first playoff berth in 10 years and its first winning season since 1987, Carleton’s football team plummeted to a 1-7 record and last place in the seven-team Ontario-Quebec Inter-University Football Conference this year.
Despite making the playoffs, the women’s field hockey team finished 3-11-2 and sixth out of nine OUA teams.
The men’s soccer team posted a losing record of 5-7 in its OUA East division this fall, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1991.
Carleton athletes realize their losing tradition.
“Carleton always ends up on the short end of the stick,” says Andrea Myland, a third-year soccer player.
Given the recent results of Carleton’s high-profile varsity teams, some players say it might be time for many teams to consider changing coaches.
“As with anything in life, when something is not working, it’s time for a change,” says Mike Hall, a sophomore football player.
Players say the lack of a physical education program at Carleton also affects the university’s athletics level.
“If you don’t have any athletics programs to offer, why are athletes going to come?” says Myland.
“Our programs are dismal compared to other schools, from what I’ve seen,” Myland says. “(Carleton) doesn’t seem to be a pro-athletics school because it doesn’t have athletics-based programs.”
Hall says more attention and financial support from Carleton administration would “intensify the whole athletics program” by encouraging participation in team sports.
Carleton’s men’s basketball coach Paul Armstrong says there’s more to athletics than winning and losing.
Armstrong’s team finished 5-15 last year and hasn’t made the playoffs since 1991-92.
He says athlete recruitment and team performances have been hurt by Canadian Inter-University Athletics Union rules forbidding athletic scholarships, and the absence of a physical education program.
Armstrong adds Carleton’s decrease in enrolment and consistent cuts to varsity budgets have also contributed to the teams’ struggles.
“It’s a tough sell,” he says. “If our reputation improves, (students and athletes) are going to come to our school.”
Even though Love is disappointed with Carleton’s athletics, he says he has high hopes for future varsity teams.
“I understand that you can’t ask for championships every year,” he says. “I think it’s important that the teams are always competitive in all respects.”
Love says the athletics administration will review its fall varsity teams in the next few months, while examining Carleton’s performance during the winter athletic season.