Wednesday July 15 2015
▼ Pulling Together Canoe Journey builds First Nations/RCMP relationships 10
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VARSITY ATHLETICS AXED AT KWANTLEN
▶ CHANGES CAME ‘TOTALLY OUT OF THE BLUE’ FOR STUDENT ATHLETES AND COACHES RICK KUPCHUK
Co-captain Jessica Anderegg (left) of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Eagles women’s soccer team said news of the university’s decision to shut down the varsity athletics program came as ‘such a shock.’ FILE PHOTO
this fall, then likely sit out her fifth season of eligibility rather than transfer Just eight weeks prior to the next to another university. PACWEST (Pacific Western Athletic While soccer and golf will play their Conference) season, some student athfall season in PACWEST, another letes at Kwantlen Polytechnic Universeason of basketball is only a “possibilsity (KPU) are stunned to learn it could ity” according to the KPU website. No be their last. mention was made on the future of the For others, their collegiate athletic badminton team. careers may already be over. Dr. Jane Fee, Vice-Provost, Students Last Wednesday, coaches and athletes at KPU, explained that while the in the KPU Eagles Athletic Department decision had been considered for seven received an email which months, a final decision announced “important by the KPU executive ▶ “I cried for changes in the direction committee wasn’t made for KPU’s varsity athletics a half-hour until just before it was program.” posted on the KPU straight.” Minutes later, a notice on athletics website. the KPU Athletics website CHANTALLE BRACKEN Noting the varsity detailed the changes, which athletics budget is mean “winding down varsiroughly $750,000 and ty athletics’ activities” and withdrawing “is focused almost entirely at the Surrey from PACWEST over the next year. campus and 92 student-athletes,” Fee “I cried for a half-hour straight,” said said the money will be reallocated to Chantalle Bracken, who will play goal address “the broader need of students, for her second season, the final one for ensuring their health and wellness. KPU Eagles soccer starting in Septem“Certainly a valid concern is we don’t ber. “The program has given us opporhave the funding to serve 19,500 tunities we never thought possible. It’s students.” horrific they’re going to shut it down.” The announcement blindsided most “It’s such a shock, it came totally out of the blue,” added Jessica Anderegg, continued on page 14 co-captain of the women’s soccer team, Also see related story on page 14 who will play her fourth year at KPU
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