Board endorses cross-country program

BENTONVILLE — Northwest Arkansas Community College is off and running with a plan to launch the first sanctioned sports team in the school’s 30-year history.

The Board of Trustees voted 7-1 on Tuesday to start a cross-country program to compete in Division II of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

The association’s board must approve the college’s application before the team officially is created. If that happens, the team likely would begin competing in the fall 2021, said college President

Evelyn Jorgenson.

Tuesday’s vote followed a presentation on the topic at last month’s board meeting by John Luedtke, who directs health, physical education and club sports at the college.

Administrators and board members who supported the plan said the cross-country program will draw students to the college who otherwise might not enroll. The tuition and fee revenue from those students will make up for expenses associated with the team, estimated at $54,000 per year for a team of 20, they said.

The college held forums for faculty and staff to hear the plan. Employees asked questions, but most of the feedback was positive, Jorgenson said.

The only negative input Jorgenson heard was from a person who told her when the college was founded, it was agreed the school never should have a sanctioned athletic program. Jorgenson said she couldn’t see how such an agreement could hold forever.

“Times change. Situations change,” she said.

The association has three divisions. Division I colleges may grant full athletic scholarships. Division II colleges may grant athletic scholarships, but they are limited to tuition, books, fees and up to $250 in course-required supplies. Division III colleges aren’t permitted to offer athletic scholarships.

About five years ago, the board set up a committee to study the possibility of offering sanctioned sports. That committee presented a plan for launching women’s volleyball and softball and men’s baseball programs. Administrators, however, declined to pursue it based on feedback from various stakeholders.

The discussion at that time

was of Division I sanctioned sports, a much more expensive endeavor than Division II because scholarships are higher and staff members recruit nationally rather than regionally, Jorgenson said. In addition, cross country is one of the least expensive athletic programs to run.

“So this is kind of gently dipping our toe into something that’s the least expensive that we can do, but still provide that opportunity to students because there are so many cross-country runners in the area,” Jorgenson said.

Carlton Efurd, a longtime cross-country coach at Rogers High School, attended Tuesday’s board meeting to support creating a college team. Northwest Arkansas is a “hotbed” of cross country in the state, and many kids would be interested in joining the team, Efurd said.

Mark Scott was the only trustee who voted against the

proposal, saying he heard criticism of it, including some from state legislators. One legislator in particular — he didn’t name the person — was adamant sports detract from what a community college’s primary mission should be, Scott said.

Northwest Arkansas Community College’s mission is to “empower lives, inspire learning and strengthen community, through accessible, affordable, quality education.”

Scott also suggested the money spent on cross country could be better spent on other college programs dealing with student retention, diversity and inclusion.

The hope, Jorgenson said, is the prospect of competing in athletics at a collegiate level will inspire more teens to consider the college.