Sports Clubs Lack Resources

Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has 15 different sports clubs, and 15 clubs that want more funding and more respect when they are looking for practice space.

CSUMB is a growing campus but is it growing fast enough for the population? The sports clubs are all running into the same problem. They are being given a small budget to purchase materials and in some cases practice space and a coaching staff.

Sports clubs are just like any other club when it comes to reserving space. The teams must go online and reserve a room at the beginning of the semester before anyone or any other clubs take the space. The only problem is the limited space that is provided and the odd hours that are being provided. Since there are classes taking place in the dance studio throughout the day the dance team, the cheer squad, rhythmic flow, and other clubs are all fighting over limited free space.

The dance team and cheer squad have been forced to rent practice space since they could not find space and the space they were given is unsafe for the teams to practice on. This also made the fees for the teams increase.

Clubs that need a field like the Rugby and Lacrosse have been denied use of the CSUMB fields due to the amount of upkeep that would be needed; they then had to find their own practice field. The clubs were lucky to find a field in East Campus to use.

Many clubs are trying to find ways to earn more money or find ways to become an official team at CSUMB. The Rugby club is currently talking with Vince Otoupal, the Director of the Athletics Department, about the pathway they must follow to become an official team. They will have to find a large fund of money as well as another women's team to keep the opportunities equal.

Title IX requires that there is equal opportunity for women in sports as men. This forces schools to make sure that there is around the same number of athletes in both gender sports. Currently CSUMB has 10 official California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) teams. There are three other teams that are under athletics but not apart off CCAA, but belong to other leagues.

The Rugby club and a few other clubs are lucky enough to be recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as sports so they could raise money to become an official campus team over time. Unfortunately to clubs like Mixed Martial Arts and Disc Golf that is not an option. They are not considered sports by the NCAA and for the time-being will not be able to receive extra funding from athletics. Although these clubs have tight budgets they are still pressing onwards and making a name for themselves by raising money and competing with other clubs.