McDonald's and Burger King have managed to coexist peacefully for the last 54 years, and Pepsi and Coke have been enjoying each other's company for the better part of a century. So why can't club and varsity sports at Tufts work something out?
As of Feb. 13, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate began working with the Athletics Department to alleviate tensions arising from the university's rule to maintain only one competitive and one recreational level of any given sport. The Daily applauds the collaboration, particularly since the prospect of club sports being co-sponsored by the Senate as well as the Athletics Department will ensure necessary diversity in the range of athletic activities available to students.
The Athletics Department has a very legitimate argument for maintaining Tufts' current policy: that allowing a club sport to exist in an arena that already supports varsity and intramural teams of the same variety puts an intolerable strain on the department's resources. After all, there are only so many fields and funds to go around. It would be unreasonable to expect the Athletics Department to conjure extra field space or equipment out of thin air, and it would be counterproductive to pull resources away from varsity teams.
However, this mentality unfairly discriminates against certain club sports - like the unofficial ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer and tennis club teams - and discounts them as superfluous when, in fact, they provide a related but altogether different service to the student body than their varsity and intramural counterparts do. Just because they are the same sport does not mean that they are the same activity.
Club sports fill a niche for competitive, talented athletes who simply do not have the time or the desire to devote themselves to varsity-level training and competition regimens. Yet club athletes would probably not be satisfied playing at the intramural level with its minimally restrictive practice and playing schedules and competition limited to other Tufts teams. Therefore, to suit students' varied athletic preferences Tufts should do its best to recognize and support all club sports, just as it recognizes and supports several types of performing arts, political and religious organizations.
Of course, making that mantra into a reality is easier said than done. But if the Senate is willing to add its support to the club sport program by recognizing and funding club sports just as it would any other student organization, the additional financial assistance would allow club sport organizers to rent or buy what their teams need without having to overburden the Athletics Department.
If the Senate and the Athletics Department continue to cooperate and establish a unified, streamlined, effective committee for approving and funding club teams, the student body will reap the benefits of their teamwork.
