SF State’s swimming program will be cut off after the 2003-2004 season. “This is it, it’s inevitable,” said Chris Culp, head coach of the women’s swimming team.

Four years ago, Culp was appointed the head coach of the women’s swimming team. SF State promptly announced upon his arrival that the school swimming programs, both men’s and women’s, would be discontinued in one year. The main reason given was the size of the pool. At 25 yards in length with 6 lanes, the pool was smaller than the 55-yard length with 8 lanes the Northern California Athletic Association (NCAA) recommends for competition. Another reason was that the pool was too old. Maintenance of the facilities had become too difficult.

“It was a very difficult decision,” said Michael Simpson, director of the athletic department. According to Simpson, it is difficult to maintain the quality of the over 50-year-old pool and there is always some sort of problem; water gets too hot or too cold, the pool empties by itself, and the amount of chlorine constantly changes. The administration gave them one more year, giving members an opportunity to think about what they would do with their swimming careers.

SF State senior, Erin Broderick, was recruited in 2000, the same year the team was notified that the program would be terminated in a year’s time. It wasn’t until Broderick stepped into the first meeting, that she discovered that she would only be able to swim for one year at SF State. “I was saddened,” said Broderick. “We [the swimmers recruited that year] asked a lot of questions. ‘How come we were able to be recruited, but yet you [the school] are going to cut the team? That’s not fair to us!’”

Broderick, Culp and other members fought in order to dissuade the administration. Every member of the Gator squad attended every president’s meeting, trying their best to plead their case in order to save the team.

Their efforts eventually paid off. A few months later, the administration guaranteed a four-year continuation of the program, instead of a one-year. This enabled the students who were recruited in 2000 to finish the program in four years at SF State. “I think our administration is very sensitive to student athletes,” Simpson stressed. He believes that no other programs that were cut off in the past got this kind of treatment. In previous years, once the school had decided to end a program, there was seemingly little anyone could do.

According to Simpson, the elimination of collegiate sports programs has been seen in larger scale in recent years. This is due in part to a lack of resources, limited budget and lack of interest towards sports. Simpson sighed, “It’s not the students’ fault. It’s a fact of life for athletics.”

This guaranteed four years of continuation will end in February. This season is the last chance for the team to compete with other schools.

Culp questions, and is not convinced, that the reasons given by the school are grounds for the elimination of the swimming program. The swimming team has been using the same small pool for more than 50 years, and has produced 30 All-American swimmers. Members always push themselves to perform at their best and break their personal records. Last year, 97 percent of the members recorded their personal best times, which they refer to as their‘lifetime best times.’

The swimming program can no longer recruit any students because of their limited time period. Still, many students have walked on. Last year, 22 women and 11 men joined as walk-ons. Bridget Morris, a junior, is one of those students. “Every year, you are begging for another year and begging for another year,” she said.

Culp and his athletes have tried to fight and improve the situation in hopes of extending the team’s life. They also held their own fundraiser in an effort to solve the financial problem, but came up short. People outside SF State also pleaded to the school for the preservation of the program. The school received letters from parents of team members, supporters, and people from the swimming world. These individuals included the USA National Swimming Team. Ed Moses, Scott Tucker, Amanda Beard, Josh Davis, all on the 2000 Sydney Olympic team, signed the letter asking President Robert Corrigan for his support. It wasn’t enough to change Corrigan’s mind.

“No matter how hard we try, no matter what we do, it doesn’t matter,” sighed Morris.

Despite their struggle, no one on the team regrets their decision to join the SF State swimming team. “It’s more like a family,” said Morris. Once their season begins, athletes practice eight times a week. They also have only eight days off during the winter break. Like a family, all are always together, both in and out of the pool. “Swimming is not a sport. It’s a way of life. Basically this is what we feel,” said Morris.

“We’re going to be bigger and better this year, and we’re gonna be louder and cheer harder,” said Broderick. The goal for this season is clear, “to get national qualifiers out of our men or women,” said Culp. The coach hopes that that will get the team some much needed recognition. “Something that is more attainable, is to get 100 percent out of each of these kids,” he added. “Personal best times, and lifetime best times.”