River Falls Faces Cloudy Future-UPDATED

Wisconsin's Black River Valley becomes awash in color each October and November.  Thousands of outdoor enthusiasts flock to the valley to enjoy the crisp, clear days and abundant fall colors.  For the UW-River Falls swimming team however, this November, has a cloud looming over it. That's when UW-River Falls Chancellor Dean Van Galen and Athletic Director Rick Bowen will decide whether to continue the WIAC program.  

The program encountered a hiccup this summer when Karges pool became unusable and the university, in the midst of constructing a new Health and Human Performance recreation building, opted not to repair the aging facility.

If the worst comes to pass, it would be an unfortunate choice for a program and a coach that have done many things right.  They have brought in numbers, worked within the smallest budget in the conference, and represented the university well with one of the WIAC's highest team GPA's.   

“Last year’s team had a 3.18 GPA as an average for the men’s side and a 3.0 GPA on the women’s side," head coach Bill Henderson told the UWRF Student Voice. "We operate on the lowest budget in the conference at 40 percent of the others. We are putting 40 athletes out there to represent the University at a fraction of the cost other teams are."

CSCAA Executive Director Bob Groseth has already been working on the issue.  "We put together an effort targeted at the UWRF school officials that will be making this decision."  He noted that officials from both the Wisocnsin and Minnesota Local Swimming Committees (LSC's) have become actively involved.  "The response has been very, very, positive" he explained. 

One supporter has been Wisconsin General Chair Drew Walden.  "The UW systems schools are unique in their ability to provide great swimming opportunities to the student athletes of Wisconsin and Minnesota," he wrote to Van Galen. "Each of the programs has had a long history of superb coaches working with great young people in one of the best sports in the world. To lose UW River Falls would be a tragedy." 

Carol Skinner, board president for the Hudson Area Swim Association agrees.  "Many of the kids who swim in HASA continue on at the high school level, and then go on to swim at RF.  Having a college swim team in the area is important to a lot of people."

The team is also important to the region's collegiate swimming success.  Each December, UWRF hosts the Falcon Invitational.  The invitational is one of the biggest and most successful mid-season invitationals and gives dozens of Division II and III programs a chance to achieve NCAA cuts at the University of Minnesota aquatic center.  UWRF has also been instrumental in enabling the WIAC to host their conference championships at the fast University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

"The swimming & Diving program is a recognizable part of UW-RF's identity in Minneapolis, St.Paul and through out Wisconsin," explained local referee Chris Porter.  "Hosting the Falcon Invitational each fall is the kind of sports leadership that should be lauded and rewarded rather than snuffed out."

The pool problem is compounded by a state that is facing a $2.2 billion reduction in the statewide budget.  Earlier this year, the WIAC rejected a proposal that could have made their conference championship a three-session timed final meet. 

Parents and swimmers were notified of the possibility in a letter from Van Galen that read:.

“There have been no decisions made regarding potential changes in UWRF swimming, including the possibility of suspending the swimming program,” he said. “In fact, there have been no substantial discussions about changes to the program, and it would be irresponsible for me (or others at UWRF) to make a decision on the future of UWRF swimming without adequate information and a fair and
open process.”

Maintaining an open process is what the team hopes to do.  On Wednesday the university's Athletic Committee heard opinions from community members, students, faculty and staff. 

Through the Student Voice, Henderson also encouraged others to appeal to the Student Senate.  “This decision will have a profound effect on a lot of people, including members of the team, myself and those I consider bringing onto campus as recruits.”