RELEASE DATE: January 18, 2007
CONTACT: Public Affairs
Community college State Board and Presidents hear, “Athletics is good business”
Raleigh – Wayne Baker, Executive Director of the National Junior College Athletic Association, came to enlist members to his association when he spoke at the morning Issues Session of State Board of Community Colleges today. Baker told State Board members and community college presidents that athletic teams enhance community college life and can bring more students and more money to the college. He encouraged those colleges that are not involved in athletics to start a team.
“An athletic team brings people to your campus that might not otherwise come,” he said. “They come to the game, see the campus, learn what is available, and may then come back to enroll.” Baker (left) said an athletic team is great publicity for the college. “It gets your college in the local paper.”
Eighteen of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges have one or more athletic teams. There are 14 women’s volleyball teams, 11 men’s basketball teams, seven men’s baseball teams and four each of women’s basketball and men’s golf. One college has men and women’s soccer and another has a co-ed golf team.
Questions from the audience focused on funding. Baker made it clear that state funds cannot be used to support athletics. Student fees and private support are the most common sources of financing athletic programs.
Baker encouraged the presidents who were in the room and those listening in via the telephone to get involved. “Student athletes are student leaders,” he said. He praised North Carolina’s community colleges as being “flexible and innovative.”
The athletics discussion continued in the joint meeting of the Policy and Program committees (right) where interest was evident. Board member Dr. Stuart Fountain inquired about starting a North Carolina conference or region. Baker explained that a region usually has more than 20 members. North Carolina would need more schools to start teams.
Guilford Technical Community College President Don Cameron gave a personal endorsement of athletics. He said his new basketball and volleyball teams have already generated millions in private support that he would not have gotten otherwise. He said those donors told him the college finally “had something for us to give to.”
RETURN TO TOP OF CURRENT PAGE
Last modified:
Wednesday, September 08, 2010 01:01:35 PM
This page maintained by
Public
Affairs.