Dear Editor,
As the President of the Women’s Rugby Club, I would like to respond to the article, “Recognizing the Importance of Club Sports on Campus.” I was honestly shocked when I read the article, written by one of my own teammates, although some very important points were made.
Like any club sport, Women’s Rugby is caught in a grey area. The club is mostly supported by the school but not in the same way that varsity sports are, for obvious reasons.
The support of the school is a purely superficial issue. The biggest problem that the Women’s Rugby team has is one with commitment. It does not matter whether a person plays a varsity sport or a club sport. A commitment is made when a player joins a team, and they need to adhere to that commitment.
Women’s Rugby has two practices: Monday and Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Obviously, certain members have conflicts, but many teammates consistently make excuses for not attending. The other teammates who show up to practice find this disrespectful, and the cycle of people not attending practice is continually perpetuated.
Since Women’s Rugby is a club sport, there are no negative consequences for individuals who do not show up to practice. The club barely has enough girls to fill the necessary 15 players for a full roster, so every player is needed, even if they do not attend practice on a consistent basis.
I am not trying to say that the fault completely lies with the players; the leadership is also to blame for our current predicament. The Women’s Rugby Club is working on ways to increase commitment levels, to improve the rugby team, and is always open to new members.
– Elyse Badal ‘13