Spring 2009 - Issue 5

The Silversword: Home > Sports > Not On the Same Playing Level … Yet

Not On the Same Playing Level … Yet

Dwight Narruhn, Staff Writer

When I first arrived at Chaminade University of Honolulu five years ago, certain sports fell by the wayside and were forgotten about — like men’s water polo, men’s tennis and women’s golf.

During that time, from fall of 2005 until now, we replaced those sports with men’s soccer, women’s soccer, and women’s basketball, which I think are better sports to have and support.

However, even though we have these new sports and others, they will not achieve the monetary backing required to pay for equipment like jerseys. I feel like the school and athletics department only focused on one sport alone, which was men’s basketball. The department focuses their monies on this one particular program because of the Maui Invitational, a basketball tournament in November sponsored by CUH, EA Sports and Adidas.

Yes, the Maui Invitational brings in recognized NCAA Division I basketball teams for our small little Division II team to face. And it helps our school to pay for this sport’s program.

But, what about the other sports at our university?

CUH Athletics Director Bill Villa said of the state of funding for the other sports programs that the other sports are not locally, let alone nationally, known for being competitive. For TV markets or sponsors, our university does not gain notice for our sports because we are so small and do not have a strong name in the sports we compete in.

However, I think CUH should push all of its sports programs to compete on the same level as our competitors.

Obviously, it’s going to take baby steps. Our sports programs have not played up to par with their competitors at all this year. Some, perhaps most, are dwelling at the bottom of their divisions. Sponsors look at this as a weak selling point and do not want to fund these programs. Who can blame them?

There is hope. The next four years should be interesting to watch to see if our teams can improve and gain that competitive edge that companies can notice and recognize. All of our sports teams are young and eager, and all have the potential to improve. But it is going to take coaching, guidance, recruiting — and dedicated funding.

Until that happens, I guess some teams will have to stick with fundraisers like car washes.