WRESTLING, VOLLEYBALL

Reinstatement by U of R unlikely

The University of Regina wrestling teams and men’s volleyball team aren’t going down without a fight.

However, it’s unlikely any lastditch attempts to save the three teams from being eliminated from the U of R’s athletic program will be successful.

“Realistically, I would probably suggest that’s not possible, and it’s not that people don’t have good intentions,” Harold Riemer, dean of the U of R’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, said Monday.

“We’re talking about the athletic program being in a deficit position and not just this year, but in multiple years now. This year, we’re in the neighbourhood of $500,000 and that’s a big way to go in a short period of time.”

Representatives from the wrestling teams and the men’s volleyball team met with the media Monday, one week after the announcement that their programs had been eliminated.

The fact approximately 200 members of the wrestling and volleyball communities were on hand for Monday ’s gathering at the Level 10 Performance Compound inspired the teams.

“The more this is in the media, in the press, and the more attention we can get, the better chance we have of getting our program reinstated,” wrestler Jordan Tholl said.

“Is it a great chance? No, not really, but there is a chance and we’re going to fight that until there is absolutely no chance at all. (Monday) really shows that the community is helping us out a lot.”

Wrestler Amber Wiebe said the ultimate goal of the media conference was to have the programs reinstated.

“We believe that there wasn’t any adequate evaluation and no clear look at all of the issues and finances,” Wiebe said. “We weren’t given a chance and we want to reinstate the programs. Maybe next year after formal reviews are given and more feedback of each individual program is made public, then they can re-evaluate and determine if they need to cut programs.”

Space was set aside at the head table for Riemer, U of R president Vianne Timmons (who declined an interview request Monday) and director of sport, community engagement and athlete development Lisa Robertson. None of the U of R’s representatives were on hand for the meeting.

Riemer said he already has meetings scheduled with the affected teams Tuesday and Wednesday at the U of R and therefore did not attend Monday’s media conference, to which U of R officials were invited.

“I felt it would be inappropriate for me to make any kind of comments prior to having the opportunity to speak with them on an individual basis,” Riemer said.

“They had a number of questions and among them, why was this decision made, and to give us the specific reasons. We’re willing to share that information with them, but we want to do it in a private way.”

Tholl feels the meetings might be a sign the U of R is reconsidering its stance.

“After the meeting (last Tuesday) that was supposed to be it and there wasn’t supposed to be another question period,” Tholl said. “Now Harold is supposed to come out with detailed numbers for us. It will all be separate teams and it will be a different environment.”

The decision to eliminate the programs leaves the members of the three teams without a place to play because most programs at other schools have already committed to their athletes for next season.

“The timing is a difficult one and I don’t disagree with the athletes,” Riemer said. “The reality is there is no great time for anything like this.”