Thursday, Oct 21, 2004
SPORTS 15
www.theloquitur.com
Coaches advise players through college career LAURA VAN DE PETTE STAFF WRITER LCV722@CABRINI.EDU
AEGINA FOTO/PHOTO EDITOR
The Basketball coach shows the team an example of play with Jenn Skursky on the court.
Athletic Department reacts to LaSalle’s rape scandal ANDREW MATYSIK STAFF WRITER AJM722@CABRINI.EDU Cabrini College fears that the plague of sexual controversy that overwhelmed LaSalle University will spread to its peaceful campus. Three rape cases pointed the finger at LaSalle’s men’s basketball players. The Cabrini Athletic Department is now taking precautionary measures to ensure this type of problem will not occur among Cabrini athletes. LaSalle athletes have struggled and persevered through the thick turmoil. Male collegiate athletes are now being placed under a microscope in order to ensure the safety of the students. If a Cabrini student was to take a leisurely walk down Olney Ave., located in the heart of LaSalle’s campus, it would be quite a different scene from that of Cabrini. Due to the rape scandals, students have observed an increase in police and campus security vehicles on patrol at the campus. The streets where clusters of students walk to class are closely observed by these watchdogs. Obviously, Cabrini has not yet reached this point. Cabrini athletes are still widely respected on campus. “People still look up to us. I haven’t been treated any differently since these incidents,” said Boris Smojver, a senior Cabrini basketball player. “If I have been treated differently, it isn’t because I’m a basketball player,” Smojver said jokingly. However, the question of how these incidents affected LaSalle athletes is presented. Sean McGovern, a LaSalle baseball player, was completely stunned by the incidents. McGovern wanted to stress that his team still receives the utmost support from the LaSalle community. Howev-
er, he was still given a few orders by the coaching staff in response to the rape scandals. “Just keep your mouths shut they said to us,” said LaSalle baseball player Sean McGovern. “We were told not to talk to the press about the incidents”. It was important for McGovern and his teammates to maintain their respectable image. “Also, the coaches said if you go out at night for a drink, don’t wear LaSalle baseball clothes,” said McGovern. This was directed in hopes of not giving LaSalle an even worse name. Cabrini College has not yet reached the point where they had to regulate the attire of its athletes. Stephen Ricci, assistant coach of the LaSalle football team and student, said that these incidents didn’t affect the football team. He stated that it was a problem that needed to be handled by the basketball department. It was absolutely necessary for the football team to stay focused on their season. “We don’t act like that,” Ricci said. “The LaSalle football team is held to a strict code of conduct and the few basketball players that committed this act didn’t respect the code of conduct.” Other LaSalle athletes said that the basketball players were treated better than the average athlete. “I think it’s the school’s fault for the way they handled this whole situation,” said Jessica McClernan, a LaSalle cheerleader. “The basketball players were given easy treatment and they tried to cover up the rapes.” Although the coaches deny wrong doing, the alleged victims have said that they were told not to report the sexual assaults. Not reporting potential felonies is a violation of the Cleary Act, which requires colleges and universities to disclose certain time-
ly and annual information about campus crime and security policies. Therefore, if a coach were to hear of or see an act of sexual misconduct and not report it, they would be in violation of the Cleary Act. In response to the incidents at LaSalle, the Cabrini athletics department has taken a pro-active stance. Recently, the athletic department focused on educating Cabrini coaches and players. “We’ve made coaches aware of the Cleary Act and the penalties that follow if you violate it,” said Leslie Danehy, the Cabrini athletic director. Jeff Falardeu, the assistant athletic director also commented, “It’s on my mind everyday. I have to keep my eyes open for this type of stuff. If not, someone could get hurt and I could lose my job.” The Cabrini athletic department has taken additional steps in educating athletes. A special speaker will visit Cabrini in February to talk with all athletes. The speaker, Mike Domitrz, is a healthy dating and sexual assault expert. He will address topics like dating, communication, respect and sexual assault awareness. Domitrz will conclude with a small session strictly for male collegiate athletes. Next year, the Cabrini athletic apartment will also host a separate orientation. This orientation will be held primarily for incoming freshman athletes. The orientation will educate athletes as to what can get them in trouble in terms of drinking and sexual misconduct. “The goal of all these programs is to protect students from getting hurt and keeping them out of trouble,” Danehy said. Education and awareness is the method the Cabrini athletic department will use to prevent a problem like LaSalle had to deal with.
Cabrini sports teams attract athletes from the tri-state area and as far as California so it is no wonder that coaches take the liberty to play the role of coach and parent to their players. The coaches at Cabrini take an interest in their players’ academic and athletic status. Many of the players feel their coach takes the place of a parent or mentor while they are away from home. They find comfort and trust in their coach. Megan O’Brien, a sophomore elementary education major and Cabrini softball player, said, “I have been extremely fortunate to have had two great softball coaches who have cared about me on and off the field. They have been supportive of every decision I have made and have acted as a mentor when I needed advice and support.” One coach said he understands that many of his players are not from around here and he plays the role as “the parent away from home.” Ryan Greer, assistant director of admissions and assistant men’s lacrosse coach, said, “As part of the lacrosse coaching staff, it is just as important to be emotionally supportive of players as it is to be concerned with their athletic status.” Ryan Dunn, a sophomore lacrosse player, said, “The coaches will do anything they can in their power to make us, the players, feel at home at Cabrini.” “We, the coaches, take team time to focus on academics. Their studies are as important as practice on the field,” Greer said. The men’s lacrosse team spends Tuesday and Thursday nights in the library for study hall and Greer often stops by the library to
tutor some players. It is important the players realize the coaches are not simply athletic figures. We are their confidants,” Greer said. Dan DeRosa, a freshman business major and lacrosse player, said, “The coaches are constantly offering tutoring to any player. They want to see us win games but they want to see us ace tests too.” Another winning team, the field hockey team, is fortunate to be coached by a woman who whole-heartedly loves her players. Their coach Jackie Neary was thrilled to discuss her players to a reporter. The Lady Cavs coach of eight years said, “I think the best thing I can provide for my girls is understanding.” She respects her players as they juggle sports, classes and jobs every day and so she feels her players deserve some slack when lateness is involved and jobs interfere. “The girls are daughters to me. We have a mutual respect that is rare. I treat them like adults until they give me a reason not to,” Neary said. Neary stressed her best attribute, as a coach, is her “willingness to consider each girl’s individual needs.” With regards to Neary, Tami Scanlan, a sophomore elementary education major and field hockey player, said, “She’s a great motivator and role model. The best part is she has continuous faith in the team to win the PAC championship even though we are having a tough season.” Cabrini has earned more PAC titles than any other college in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference. This is a result of constant teamwork between coaches and players both in academics and athletics.
CECELIA FRANCISCO/PHOTO EDITOR
Julie Smith fights for the Lady Cavs field hockey team.