Sports

Task Force examines student-athlete culture

By Tucker Hamlin ’17

Last December, Athletic Director Jon Hind ’80 and Dean of Faculty Pat Reynolds, along with several other Hamilton administrators, began a full review of the athletics program. Sports are an integral part of the campus community; over a third of the students play on varsity teams, and many others participate in club or intramural squads and physical education.  This Task Force was designed to take a comprehensive look at all aspects of the program.

The Department of P.E. and Athletics partners with several offices on campus, from Admissions, Communications and Academic Affairs, among many others. As Pat Reynolds stated, “The task force was to enhance the collaboration and the understanding that all these contributors are critical to our Athletics program’s success.”

Within this program, there are four sub-categories that the task force is based around: the athletic department, athletic resources, the campus culture and recruitment. “We wanted to look at what the partnership between these categories is, and if it is effective,” Jon Hind told The Spectator.

In general, the Task Force is trying to make sure these four categories are all being utilized to the best and most effective degree. Specifically, the athletic department sector is looking at the work of the administrators, coaches and each team, to make sure they are being strongly supported.

Within the category of resources, the Task Force is looking at whether or not the budget is appropriate for facilities, staff and branding. Although there may not be any deficiences in terms of resource availability, as the new locker room facility is set to open this year, Hind reiterated the importance of “being competitive with other schools especially within the NESCAC.”

The final two categories, campus culture and recruitment, are two areas often not thought about in the everyday function of athletics; however, they still play a pivotal role for the program and for student athletes.

With much of the student population involved in sports, the Task Force has made a strong effort to get a better grasp on the school culture through the website and broadcasting of games, to see how well-integrated into academic and social life our student-athletes are. Complementing this, the recruitment category is supported by Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Monica Inzer. The rest of the admissions staff play an important role in making sure the school’s recruitment for the program is attracting the best student athletes, even while Hamilton competes against other NESCAC schools.

Although much of what the task force is trying to accomplish is for varsity athletes, Dean Reynolds discussed how he works hard “to ensure excellent experiences for our student-athletes, all those who take part in intramural sports and for all students who take part in the physical education program.”

Dean Reynolds told The Spectator how the college mission emphasizes athletic success.  The mission discusses “the academic success of student-athletes, the contribution of athletics to our residential learning environment, the role of student-athletes in our community and as ambassadors for Hamilton in competition and in our surrounding communities.” Reynolds continued to say, “We have an expectation that an excellent athletics program at an excellent liberal arts college means a student athletic experience that is competitive within the NESCAC. Therefore, this multi-faceted success is the purpose of the Task Force.”

As the task force continues to meet, Jon Hind expressed, “This Task Force is a good time to take a comprehensive look at our athletes and program as a whole.  Our athletes try their very best and compete.  We of course want to win more, but our goal is to be the very best we can and optimize the time we have practicing and working with other players and coaches.”

Overall, the Task Force continues to work with different members of the community to make sure student athletes and all who participate in athletic competition have the best experiences possible.

The athletic program, along with the help from faculty in different academic departments are making sure the program is efficient and competitive, in the hopes of making the program even stronger for the years to come.

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