As a sports fan, I am sad to see athletes left without the opportunity to display their talents through organized competition, especially at the college level.
From football to track and field, college gives student athletes a chance to develop into the professionals we pay to see live or on satellite television.
However, certain college sports don’t draw the attention or provoke the excitement those other sports do.
Furthermore, such sports do not require a college setting for student athletes to become tomorrow’s great professionals.
I am referring to golf.
Unfortunately for EC’s athletic and academic program, potential student golfers and passionate fans of the sport, this year’s season was canceled due to a lack of golfers. This just two years after the team won a league championship.
As detrimental as losing one of its teams is to the college’s athletic program, there is some good news for the golfers left without a team. You can still play.
The loss of the team won’t affect the golfers as adversely as if a football player or baseball player lost a whole season.
Such athletes depend on the rest of the team playing together and communicating on the field to become a better team and better athletes.
The advantage for the now team-less golfers is that golf is a very individual sport. The success of a golfer will depend on how good the individual is and how well the individual develops his skills.
Golfing alone will not take away from the learning process of a golfer. It will not set the golfer back and it will definitely not keep the golfer from being able to compete. There are golf courses at which to practice and even to join tournaments.
There is no denying that being part of a team is a big part of the sports playing experience. The bond that is formed among players on the same team is not something that can be easily recreated outside of playing organized sports.
It is unfortunate that the few golfers who were interested in being part of EC’s team will not get that opportunity. Furthermore, the opportunity to compete in tournaments free of cost is a valuable resource that has been lost and is impossible to replace.
However, student golfers can still continue to grow and develop as long as they stay committed to improving. With Alondra Golf Course right next to the campus, these golfers should have no problem going somewhere to practice.
Yet, the problem of recruiting new players remains. Regardless of the substantial media attention that golf receives, it does not capture the interest of college students at the rate that volleyball or cross country do.
If EC wishes to bring back the golf team next year, there needs to be a more proactive approach to recruiting players and promotion of the program.
I will not be loosing any sleep at the loss of the opportunity to watch the golf team play.
However, it is unfortunate that EC’s athletic program will miss out on the opportunity to excel in yet another sport.
