Men’s soccer cut for money, players say
By Braden Howell
Staff Reporter

Men’s soccer players claim the athletic department’s decision to cut the men’s soccer program and retain the women’s program was a financial decision and the result of federal law Title IX, senior goalkeeper Michael Lahoud said.

Some of the players are planning to write a letter to the coaches and the athletic department to express their discontent with the coaching and their feelings that the team was cut due to Title IX compliance, Lahoud said.

The soccer team had about 2.5 scholarships at the time it was cut. Associate Athletics Director Marcy Girton said starting fall 2003, the athletic department will make a push to fully fund the women’s rifle team, which is the only women’s team not meeting NCAA maximum scholarship standards. The rifle team currently needs 2.1 scholarships to become fully funded.

Lahoud said the players had originally planned to start a petition to save the program, but that after several meetings players decided it was a hopeless venture.

“They didn’t listen to us before, why would they listen to us now?” Lahoud said. “The athletic department doesn’t care about winning; it’s all about the money.”

The athletics department announced Feb. 7 that the men’s soccer program will be cut. Hyman said the decision to cut the soccer program was based on player evaluations, in which players admitted they were not having a positive experience playing soccer at TCU.

The decision frustrated players, Lahoud said, who said cutting the program was a financial decision and that the negative experiences they had were the result of poor coaching.

“The coaches are happy where they are, but we never felt like they were striving for success,” Lahoud said. “It’s hard for us to have a positive experience when we’re losing all the time. We feel cutting the program was financial relief for the athletic department.”

Freshman midfielder Blake McVay said he is definitely transferring and, along with several other players considering transferring, are all looking at several schools in California.

“I’m leaving, and I know at least three other guys have talked about it, but the rest are just staying here,” McVay said.

Chancellor Michael Ferrari said money saved by cutting the men’s soccer program has been incorporated in the approved university operating budget for 2003-2004, which is set at $229 million.

Athletic Director Eric Hyman said the money previously used for the men’s soccer program will not be put toward the softball program that is waiting for outside funding in order to be started.

“All money we have is institutional money and that money will go back to the school, except what was appropriated for salaries,” Hyman said.

Hyman said the salary line item was divided between men’s and women’s soccer, but will now all be in women’s soccer. He said the salaries are the only part of any money previously used for men’s soccer that will stay in athletics.

Braden Howell