Due to the addition of many new athletic teams to Seton Hill University’s (SHU) athletic program, the number of student athletes on campus has grown. As a result, the question of fair budgeting for every athletic team has recently become a popular topic of discussion.
Chris Snyder, the athletic director, initially meets with each head coach and together they then come up with a budget.
By Melissa Whiteman,
Contributor
Due to the addition of many new athletic teams to Seton Hill University’s (SHU) athletic program, the number of student athletes on campus has grown. As a result, the question of fair budgeting for every athletic team has recently become a popular topic of discussion.
Chris Snyder, the athletic director, initially meets with each head coach and together they then come up with a budget.
�Each coach requests what they believe they will need to run their program for each season. These requests usually go through a series of cuts before the final budget is approved,� Marizzaldi said.
Both Snyder and Marizzaldi explained that there are a number of factors that go into team budgeting. Roster size is one of the most significant factors as it determines how much equipment, uniforms, and
travel expenses a team may need.
According to Marizzaldi, �The sport itself determines budget – some outdoor sports or contact sports require more equipment than other non-contact sports or indoor sports. Another important factor is how many games teams play, which can dictate how much money is needed for travel in that sport’s budget.�
Coaches� budgets do not include scholarships, and they cannot take money from one to cover the other.
Marizzaldi projected that becoming a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II should also begin affecting teams� operating budgets, but this impact will not be known until next year. Budgets do not reflect the winning or losing percentage of teams at SHU. Teams are generally not rewarded in terms of budget increases for winning things such as championships and conference titles. Consequently, academic success or failures of teams� athletes play no part in the size of their budget either.
There is also the question of why some teams fundraise and others do not for a suitable budget for their season.
�The term �suitable� has a very broad definition. Some of our teams do have to fundraise; however, they do this so they can travel to places generally not in our geographic area. For example, Florida and Arizona trips will need to have some additional funds if the players and coaches want to take on this challenge,� said Snyder.
Marizzaldi used the baseball team as an example.
�I can’tspeak for all teams, but in the case of baseball, it is absolutely necessary for us to go south in the early spring to compete. These week-long trips are very expensive, and the school cannot support us financially in this endeavor. We also fundraise to enhance our baseball field with items that were not included when the facility was built,� said Marizzaldi.
Usually the teams that require extra travel for extended trips fundraise. Other coaches have the option to supplement their budgets with fundraising for additional items not affordable in their operating budget; it is up to them to decide if they want to do that or not.
�As a coach you are always going to want more money for your program, and all of our coaches at SHU stand up for their programs. However, in my role as (athletic director), I understand that athletics is only a part of the entire university’s budget,� said Snyder.
It is Snyder’s job to make sure that all of our teams have the necessary equipment, coaches, support, officials, facilities and the means to travel safely to competition sites.
�I think the university has traditionally been very supportive of meeting these demands and is always looking to improve and meet future demands,� he added.
A sophomore women’s soccer player, Eileen Tiano, understands that each team only has a certain amount of money.
�When our team has to eat on trips, we all know that we can’t go hog wild on the school’s dime. I think everyone respects our coach enough to know their limits,� said Tiano.
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