Report card treats swim team unfairly
A letter to the editor
April 11, 2010 4:52 PM ADT
“In their greatest challenge yet”
I would like to call into question the integrity of the evaluation performed by the Brunswickan’s panel of sports experts. What effort or research was performed in completing their self proclaimed “greatest challenge yet?” I would ask that the panel justifies or explain the criteria used in evaluating the Varsity Red Teams.
In my opinion, and I welcome to be proven wrong, the sports panel created a report card based only on their thoughts, with no criteria or objective reporting. Should a report card not be based on some sort of measurable data? What were the grading tools used? What would have constituted an A, B, C or D? It appears to me to be a completely arbitrary evaluation.
How would the members of the panel react if their university marks were selected at the whim of their professors? The panel should take into account they are reporting on a group of student-athletes that represent this school with pride and dedication.
Have you been to one of coach Baker’s practices to watch his athletes work on play after play? Have you witnessed the extra hours coach Speedy and his athletes put in on shooting and ball handling skills? And has the panel ever experienced giving up their holidays with your family to wake up every morning at 4:40 a.m. to train six hours a day for 10 days? Your review seems to lack any understanding of what it actual means to be a Varsity Reds athlete.
For the remainder of this letter I will speak to my area of expertise - the swim team.
Varsity Swimming: C+
What was needed to obtain an A or B?
Representation at the CIS Level?
We sent five athletes to represent our school at the CIS Level. To earn your place at nationals you are required to swim a national qualifying standard. The standard is created by taking the averaged time of the sixteenth placed athlete over five years. This means that you have to be faster than the averaged sixteenth place athlete in the country. Well how hard can that be?
The field of athletes that completes at the CIS swim championships are the best in the country. Olympic and Canadian National Team members led the fields; constantly setting provincial and national records at the meet. The CIS championship has even had a world record set during competition. But surely qualifying for such a meet is void of any real accomplishment.
Strong Conference Results?
UNB swimming had four AUS all-stars; 11 individual medals; four relay medals; 15 total medals - five gold, five silver and five bronze; nine fourth place finishes; 40 top six finishes; (comfortably) second in women’s team scoring; fourth in men’s; and second overall in the conference. This was all achieved in a conference that hosts six other university teams.
Standout performances?
Danielle Losier, a top ranked athlete in the country, set provincial, school and conference records in the 50, 100 and 200 metre breaststroke. She is now the fastest female breaststroker in the history of UNB, New Brunswick and the AUS conference. She was named AUS Rookie of the Meet, AUS Rookie of the Year and AUS Swimmer of the Year. What more would be required by this panel to receive an A or B?
Academic Results?
Although academic results are not yet measurable for this year, expectations are that the team will surpass last year’s mark of eight Academic All Canadians. That means the athletes not only balance 20 plus hours of training per week, volunteer work and some aspect of a social life, but also maintain a GPA above 3.5. Three swimmers had GPAs above 4.0 at the mid-point of this year.
Community Involvement?
The swimmers were participants in the “Heads Up with the Reds” and “Reading with the Reds” programs, the Terry Fox Run and raised over $2,000 for cancer research for a Curl for Cancer event.
Lastly, the comments directed towards a need for a stronger supporting cast and for the senior swimmers to help out the younger talent shows a lack of knowledge and respect towards my senior athletes.
Three of four graduating athletes were medically advised not to swim due to injuries. Collapsing on deck from physical exertion was partnered with constant trips to a physiotherapist, massage therapist or doctor’s offices to not stop the pain but attempt to merely allow it to be manageable. My senior athletes made me proud to coach them and their complete dedication and passion for their sport deserves more respect than has been provided. Before you call in to question their leadership and “supporting” role they perform you should have the courtesy and integrity to research your facts prior to printing them.
Based on what criteria did the panel conclude the team’s achievements this year warranted the grades presented?
Reporting on a topic requires more than just your personal thoughts. It is very difficult to not speak up for the athletes I watched train so hard. The story printed by this panel seems to be a gross misrepresentation of the unbelievable efforts and achievements of our Varsity Red athletes. The athletes depicted in this article did deserve your “greatest effort yet.” I would ask the panel to analyze their assessment of the teams and either justify their grading system or formerly apologize for printing a story that was void of validity.
Dan Monid Head Coach – UNB Swimming
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