SwimSwam welcomes reader submissions about all topics aquatic, and if it’s well-written and well-thought, we might just post it under our “Shouts from the Stands” series. We don’t necessarily agree with or endorse the content of the Shouts from the Stands posts, and the opinions remain those of their authors. If you have thoughts to share, please send them to [email protected].
Preston Parrish was a member of College of Charleston’s swim team from 2005-2009. He then coached for Mt. Pleasant Swim Club, SwimMAC Carolina, and Carmel Swim Club. He was the Head Manager for the Men’s National Select Camp at the Olympic Training Center last month. He is currently getting his master’s degree from the University of South Carolina in Sport and Entertainment Management.
Thursday (11/6) evening, the athlete director of the College of Charleston, Joe Hull, informed the Cougar Swim and Dive program that they are on the chopping block due to “maintenance” costs surrounding the pool and ventilation system. This was something I had long been preparing for, after programs like Clemson and Maryland dropped their programs a few years ago, I knew mid-major schools, such as CofC, would be next. The news spread quickly, as there was an immediate outpour of support from the entire country to help save this team. I immediately talked with my teammates during my tenure at the College about how we can fight this and raise the necessary fund, in the neighborhood of 1.5 million, to make the repairs. And here I am, asking for all of your help.
Friday (11/7), the same athletic director, Joe Hull, told the team that even if they raised the 1.5 million dollars, the team would still be cut.
What gives?
So you lie to us about why you’re cutting the team? Was money ever the real issue? What is the real issue?
We, the swimming community, College of Charleston Alumni everywhere, and the former and current members of the College of Charleston swimming and diving program deserve an explanation. A real explanation.
The swim team has had the highest GPA among sports teams on campus and it has a 100% graduation rates for swimmers who stayed on the team all 4 years. Which of these reasons lead Mr. Hull to make his decision?
The reasons why this team needs to remain a varsity sport at the College of Charleston are many. As a member of the brother- and sisterhood of swimming, I know many of you are aware of them, because if your team was in a similar position, you’d fight for the same reasons too. Just like we are fighting for ours now.
Our alumni are doing incredible things, and I wanted everyone to know a few examples of why this program is worth saving. For instance, Andy Puciaty swam for CofC 2006-2010 and recently completed medical school at USC. Now he is completing his first year of residency working in emergency medicine. Then there’s Chris Lietzow who swam at CofC from 2005-2009. He attended the Charleston School of Law following his student-athlete status, and is now an Assistant Solicitor for the City of Charleston. Michael and Millard Mulé swam on the team from 2002-2006 and now run a political campaign strategy firm that helped re-elect a Governor and a US Senator in this past week’s elections. Bucky Buchanan swam on the team from 2004-2008 and is currently completing his 2nd master’s degree while also working for College of Charleston as an instructor of exercise science and the Fitness Director of the College. He also volunteers with the swim team. There’s Kalyn Cogswell who now works at Trident Medical Center as an Occupational Therapist, and Alex Gray who is now a detective with the North Charleston Police Department. I could go on and on about the awesome things that former members of the College of Charleston swim team are now doing, but I think you get the idea. Although, no one is ever a former member of the team. They are, indeed, a member of the current team, and past teams, and those teams still to be seen.
And herein lies the problem. The athletic department has lost sight of who these amazing student-athletes are. To them, the team is not worth the spending. And the fact that without having a swim team, these people would not have considered attending the College of Charleston, and not become a part of the family we have become and built upon. We have become a number on a budget somewhere that the Athletic department can apparently no longer afford amidst controversy.
The kinds of people listed above are the kinds of people that the College will miss out on as potential students in the future, as well as Clemson, Maryland and the other colleges that have succumbed to “financial constraints” of college athletics. Swimming is a sport that recruits great people to participate in it, as evidenced by all the people mentioned above. This is because, in my opinion, swimming and diving has some of the greatest people in it.
The current team and alumni of the program are going to raise the 1.5 million dollars the athletic department claims will fix the ventilation system for the pool to save the program. But we are going to need as much help and support as we can get. If anyone can offer assistance, monetary or otherwise, we will gladly accept it.
I am so proud to have been able to call myself a member of the College of Charleston team and I am so proud to call these amazing people my teammates and my family. I want to give the same opportunity that I had to younger generations of swimmers who want to attend College of Charleston in the future. Folding the team does not do this.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to rise up one more time! And Go Cougars!
“I’ll fight for you, you fight for me. We’re swimmers.” –Nick Campbell (current CofC Swim and Dive Cougar) #SaveCofCSwimandDive
The College of Charleston (C of C) Swim Team / Dive Team has produced some of THE-Greatest-Ambassadors-Ever for C of C. I was a C of C Lifeguard, involved with Sailing and Surfing, I was never actually involved with Swimming / Diving. However, several of my C of C Friends (as well as a room mate), were C of C Swim Team / Dive Team Members, and my Lifeguard Boss was Bill King (then the Head Coach). Having been associated with those Sailors, Surfers, Swimmers and Divers have opened many doors for me (in the armed forces as well as in civilian life here in Southern California). These days, I am well-known within The Surfing Community, and I owe it… Read more »
All athletes deserve a chance, from the kid who loves to play football or tennis or wrestle or swim. And as kids this is where many find their friends and define themselves. Unfortunately the lack of seeing the big benefits of all sports being represented at the collegiate level rest with the AD in this case Joe Hull. The president of the college and the board of directors. Money is taken from smaller, but many times more productive, sports and heavily used for what the college deems as money makers. The overpaid and way more staff than necessary for these sports takes away from a well rounded college program as sports such as coed swim teams are dropped. What is… Read more »
College sports bring more value to a school than the money they bring in. Student athletes are hard working, multitasking, overachievers who are learning important skills to succeed in the world. Their success ultimately brings glory to their alma mater. I’m lucky to have been able to participate in a minor sport at a D1 school and I’m so sad for the student athletes who are having their program taken away. I’m sad for my husband losing his job as head coach and for the possibility of moving our family. I appreciate all the support Bora and the team have received and can only hope and pray it has some impact on the administration at CofC.
This is going to continue to escalate all over Division I sports. The SEC commissioner has been on record saying that most of the Olympic Sports will disappear in the coming years. Are you kidding me? So support Football at all costs with all it’s issues. Today it was revealed that a former Football player of UNC is suing the university because of “Sham” courses he took so he could get good grades. The University set up these courses so the Football Team could prosper. If this is happening at UNC you can bet it is happening across the major Football programs.
Obviously our Higher Education administration, especially in Division I is willing to forget about why kids are going… Read more »
I was a member of the CofC team and a Team captain in the late 90’s. While there I also was lucky to coach for a community team in Mt. pleasant, helping set young future CofC swimmers like Bucky Buchanan and his brother on a path of swimming and life success. It is this virtuous cycle of swimmers helping swimmers, people helping people that is at risk with the end of the program. My swimming career set me on a professional career path with major Fortune 500 companies where my quest for a challenge is fulfilled, including expat assignments to Europe. It is this competitive edge that stays with me in my work and I hope to pass to my… Read more »
My family and I were heartbroken when we read the news about College of Charleston cutting its swim program. Our daughter is a junior holding a 4.0 GPA at one of the top 100 high schools in the country and was hoping to swim for CofC. When we visited for the first time recently, she fell in love with the school and was looking forward to studying historic preservation and community planning. Unless the program can be saved, she’ll have to start her search all over again. That’s the last thing she wants to do.
Karen, we’re in the same situation. Our daughter is also a junior in high school, visited the College last year, and it was very high on her list of schools at which she was considering becoming a student-athlete. We are almost certain to remove the College from our list of potential schools should they elect to cut the swim program. Swimming is by no means the most important aspect, but it is an important one. After all – “On the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that, on other days and other fields, will bear the fruits of victory.”
Suggestion: go to some of the academic clubs and organizations on campus and plead your case. Get them behind the swim program using the same facts that have been presented in these comments. Bashing the A.D. will do more harm than good. It will probably egg him on. I’ve seen this happen at other schools. The AD’s generally only care about the bottom line when it comes to non revenue sports (although my guess is all sports lose money at CofC).
If anyone has any ideas, suggestions or would like to make a donation please email [email protected]. #savecofcswimanddive