THE FUND FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE ELON COMMUNITY
“A FUTURE EXPANSION FOR A BETTER ELON”
Project title: Women’s Rugby: An Investment for the Future
Project Dates: June 2023, March 2025
Please list the names and department affiliations of all applicants.
Connie Book, President of Elon
Jana Lynn Patterson, Dean of Students
Dave Blank, Director of Athletics
Director of Athletics amount of funding requested: $6,310 (maximum $7,000)
Are the grant monies to be used primarily for speakers or performers? __X__ Yes ____ No
Has a similar proposal been previously funded by Fund For Excellence? ____Yes__X__No
Which of the following best describes your grant request (check one)?
___ Enhance the quality of current programs or areas of study.
___Support faculty research and development including mentoring students ___Interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary workshops, study groups, and courses.
_X__An event to deepen understanding of historical or contemporary issues, events or milestones.
___Academic outreach to the community.
I/We request funding for (the total funding awarded will not exceed $7,000) __one year __X__ two years
Project Narrative: Women’s Rugby Investment 2023-2025
1. Description Summary:
Being a part of the Elon community is extremely important to everyone associated with the school; part of what makes Elon one big family is the sports environment. More importantly, as a student, that’s what represents us and makes college the most exciting. According to the Elon University’s Division of Inclusive Excellence page, equity is defined as: “the practice of understanding and satisfying human needs, particularly those created by historical and social forces that have generated disparate outcomes for groups of people based on their identities. Elon conceptualizes equity also as a goal of eliminating oppressive practices and systems that prevent some groups from achieving their fullest potential.” Then, according to the U.S. Department of Education, Title IX is an act that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
But what exactly are the credentials of Title IX? The National Federation of High School Sports states there is a three-prong test that high schools and colleges have to follow in order for them to not be violating Title IX. First and foremost the generalized requirements that everyone knows includes, Participation Opportunities, Financial Aid Flowing to Athletes, and Other Athletic Benefits and Opportunities. However, within those requirements there are laws that make sure you’re not breaching Title IX, are the: Substantial Proportionality, History and Continuing Practice of Program Expansion, or Full & Effective Accommodation of Athletic Interests. We propose a new sport of Women’s Rugby, to accommodate the need for a more
2 inclusive athletic program as well as generating excitement, while bringing the Elon community together as a result.
Rationale:
Before the plan is discussed, we would like to cover the basis of the three-prong test that was mentioned above. The first step is Substantial Proportionality, which is examining the boy to girl ratio of the student body in correlation to how many male and female athletes there are at the school. At Elon, there are 7,117 students total, with there being 4,272 female students and 2,845 male students. Those numbers alone are a big difference. When looking at the female athletes, there are 248, which come out to 6%. For the male athletes, there are 227, which comes out to 10%. Therefore the numbers are disproportionate, and aren’t supporting or representing a substantial number of women and male. The percentage for male student athletes are higher, while there’s a larger female student body. While yes, the male athletes aren’t being represented well either and should have another team included soon, the investment of a new women’s team will help better the proportion, since there’s more female students in the student body. Title IX also mainly looks at female sports for the three-prong test, to make sure schools are practicing equity and inclusion. The second step in the test, History and Continuing Practice of Program Expansion, basically looks back in the history of the school to see if there’s a record of ongoing expansion within women's sports. When looking at the history of women’s sports, in an article written by Elon back in 2016 after the great Charlotte Smith led the newly Women’s Basketball team to a championship. The article did a deep dive into the history of female sports, it tells us in order that:
■ 1971: Women’s Basketball was added
■ 1977: Slow-pitch Softball was added
■ 1979: Women’s Tennis became an official sport
■ 1986: Women’s soccer was added
■ 1990: Fast-pitch softball was added in 1990
■ 1993: Women’s cross country
■ 2025: Women’s Rugby
Therefore, with the history, it’s not showing consistent ongoing additions throughout the years. The last time a women’s sport was founded at the university was back in 1993, and it’s been 30 years since then. So it’s stopped its practice of an “ongoing” installment of a sport. The third step, in the test, really only comes if the first two steps genuinely can’t be shown. That step is, Full & Effective Accommodation of Athletic Interests. Where it basically states that the school has “maxed out,” or the student body doesn’t have anymore sports “interests,” for the school to see a need in investing in a new sport. This will be furthered a little bit later, but with this new implementation, students will be excited for an updated opportunity like this.
Goals:
The investment in a new sports team, a women’s team at that, will help with the ongoing Title IX issue that are probably being practiced at other universities across the country. With the
new installment, the sport will solve the issue of Title IX; by springing into action with the plan, it will show the school’s support, time and dedication to the cause and the university.
Benefits:
With the expansion of a new sport, it will cause obvious benefits and hidden benefits as well.
1. Demographic: At Elon, Northern states dominate. However, with a new rugby team it could lead to people from more areas and backgrounds. For example, in the states, Rugby is most popular in Connecticut and Utah, so it could attract more students from those regions. If we look outside the states, Samoa and Tonga are the top two countries where rugby is played the most, so it could attract more students from those areas as well. Which could lead to an increase in foreign students for Elon. Just to clarify,
a. The Top 5 states, that attend Elon University, are
i. North Carolina
ii. Massachusetts
iii. New Jersey
iv. New York
v. Connecticut
2. Opportunities for teamwork and socialization: With the support from everyone included to help make this sport possible, it will show teamwork and socialization from everyone.
For example, the student body, the Elon board, alumni, investors, and the town of Elon. It will show teamwork, and will lead to socialization due to one common goal. Which is expanding Elon for a better future.
3. Positive impact on the school:
a. Create more opportunities for students and members of the community to interact and share a pastime
b. Create more money with ticket sales, and with the profit from that, it will help for an expansion for academics at the school as well. For example, a new computer lab, or a new building.
c. Increase extension of sports that Elon reaches, furthering its influence in the world of athletics which in turn would give the school more recognition and influence.
d. Encourage more opportunities for women to showcase their athletic talents as well as encouraging the existing female body to try out.
e. Empower women at Elon, by investing in a new sport that's not based around men
4. Knowledge on a new sport overall
a. Could be an interesting opportunity for people who aren’t familiar with the sport to become acclimated with it, creating a unique perspective about Elon that would leave a positive impact on people’s minds, making the university stand out more than before to incoming and current students as well as members of the surrounding community.
b. Also could bring forth others surrounding the Elon community that aren’t familiar with the sport as well
Assessments:
To assess the success of the investment and to make sure that we are listening to the female body, and will also help in the recruiting process for the team that will be talked about further in the proposal. There will be a schoolwide email that is sent out to the female population of the school. In the email, the students will be taken to a questionnaire/petition with four questions that will help shape the outcome of the sport. The questions include: As a woman attending Elon, do you feel empowered by the current state of Elon Athletics? Could introducing a new women’s sport help balance the disparity between men’s and women’s sports? Would an introduction of a new Elon’s women’s sports program interest you? How do you feel about Women’s Rugby? Not only will this help us see who’s interested in the sport, but it’ll also help us understand how the female population truly feels here at the university.
Timeline:
If we were to start now: The sport would be active in Spring of 2025, March 5, 2025
1. June 1, 2023: The proposal would just need to be passed first, which would take a month or even to the summer since it’s close to the end of the school year and there are other issues.
2. June 15, 2023: There will be a listing on the Elon Job Network, Google, and fliers around Burlington/Mebane for the coaching staff.
3. June 30, 2023: Based on interests, meetings will take place with investors who are interested in helping with the new implemented sport. Interviews will also take place with potential candidates for the coaching staff.
4. August 22, 2023 – December 1, 2023 (The full fall semester): This time would be taken for the new coaching staff and investors to go recruit in other states and countries to find future women Phoenix rugby players.
5. February 1, 2024 – March 22, 2024 (first half of spring semester): Fliers, petitions, emails, and more will be sent around to the female student body to see who’s interested in the sport. Within that timeframe there will be feedback, tryouts, and mini practice sessions with those who respond. There will need to be some form of team, since the new recruits will not be on campus because they are not in college yet.
6. March 27, 2024: The recruited players and their families will come see the campus, have a tour, and have a couple of practices with the team if they’re free during the springtime.
7. June 1, 2024 – June 30, 2024: Summer sessions with the whole Rugby program, as well as the incoming freshmen getting acclimated with college life.
a. Also, by this time, there should be a few exhibitions with other schools to see what division they would play in.
8. August 22, 2024 – November 22, 2024: Preseason training, not a full practice, but mainly cardio sessions and treatment to get the team adjusted with running.
a. At this time also, the Director for Rugby will figure out logistics of scheduling (who and what days they play for the season), budget, and travel and stay.
9. November 22, 2024 – January 4th, 2025: No practices for the team.
10. January 4th, 2025: Practices begin for the spring semester.
11. February 7, 2025: Festival for Women’s Rugby and First official practice, which is open for everyone to come.
12. March 5, 2025: Season begins.
2. Budget.
For the total cost for getting the sport prepared for their welcome and first season.
Rugby Equipment
$17-$520
Gear/Uniforms:
For at least 15 players
Reasoning
The only equipment needed for the sport is the ball. Balls could be sold as little as $17, and if you want a big bundle they’re sold at $520.
The average rugby team has 15
Cleats: Jersey: Shorts: Socks:
Protective Gear (mouthguards, compressions, headgear, shoulder pads):
$85 x 15 = $1,275
$115 x 15 = $1,725
$22 x 15 = $330
$8 x 15 = $120
$156 x 15 = $2,340
Reasoning
Total = $5,790 players. Therefore, the calculations are based on 15 players. The number on the far left is what the actual price is, and the number on the right is what the total would be for a whole team.
Decorations Free
Coaching Staff Free
The decorations would be free because it would be reused from previous decorations. As for the posters, Elon students who are passionate about Rugby, would do it for free. We would get students from a posting listed on the Elon Job Network.
The coaching staff would be free. Since it’s a new sport, this would be a very social and interactive project for everyone
Reasoning
affiliated with Elon. Therefore it could be the student body, faculty/staff, alumni, and the town of Elon that would help with the new incorporation. Since everyone is involved, there will be people who are passionate and excited about the program that will help coach for free until Elon is equipped to pay the full coaching amount.
Conclusion:
Deciding whether or not to invest in a new sport can be a complex decision, and there are several factors to consider. Women's Rugby is a fast growing sport, and other universities are already hopping on the trend such as: Appalachian State University, Clemson, The University of Page 11
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia, Cornell, and a litany of other universities that’s not important in this case.
Overall, this new and exciting opportunity can help with many aspects for the school and the town of Elon. Aspects such as, more opportunities for students and members of the community to interact and share a pastime, creating more money opportunities that can lead to an expansion of the school, increase extension of sports that Elon reaches, encourage more opportunities for women to showcase their athletic talents, and to empower women at Elon, by investing in a new sport that's not based around men.
3. Statements of Support as needed (Statements can be sent as an email to presidentsoffice@elon.edu.) Please see attached Statements of Support from Ms. Jenny Larson, Interim Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness, and Mr. Dave Blank, Director of Athletics.
Connie Book Elon University President
2185 C.B.
Elon University
March 28, 2023
Dear Connie and the Fund for Excellence Committee Members
The Campus Recreation and Wellness Department emphatically supports Imani Spence and LoRell McLean’s Fund for Excellence proposal for the creation of an Elon University Women’s Rugby team. This support includes a financial commitment of $6,310.
Sincerely,