At U of T, one of the wealthiest universities in Canada, student-athletes are being forced to empty their wallets to support their Varsity teams. With no athletic scholarships offered in this province, it’s no surprise that intercollegiate athletes in Ontario play for love of the game. Factor in the additional burden of team fees, however, and the lack of funding for athletics at the school is only heightened. For many Varsity Blues students and coaches, saddled with the responsibilities of maintaining academic standing and paying back student loans, paying even more in team fees goes beyond the call of duty.

According to Robin Campbell, executive director of development at the Faculty of Physical Education and Health (FPEH), the perception that U of T is low-balling its teams for funding is false. Campbell explained that the athletics department spends everything it possibly can on intercollegiate sports in accordance with the guidelines issued by SAC.

Athletics at U of T, both intramural and intercollegiate, are funded by student activity fees. Accordingly, SAC mandates that no more than a third of the funding allotted for athletics be used for intercollegiate sports.

Considering that the university competes in 26 different varsity sports, funding for the teams is spread thin. Nevertheless, Campbell asserts that the university is able to sufficiently cover all team essentials. This includes covering the costs of both regular season league play and playoffs, meaning travel expenses and any equipment that is deemed necessary. Financial costs outside of these bare rudiments falls to the teams themselves.

However, members of some teams at U of T would challenge the FPEH’s perception of “essentials.” Men’s lacrosse coaches Keiran Hayward and Tyler Davies both commented that their team isn’t even able to meet the costs of supplying proper equipment. “Lacrosse is a physical sport,” says Davies, “and we’ve got guys out there wearing their old youth hockey helmets. There are helmets that are proven to protect players better then the old ones, but our guys aren’t wearing them.”

Team captain Ian Parrag complained “the other teams all have matching uniforms… it looks a little unprofessional to have our team out there with different coloured gear.”

The reality is that U of T intercollegiate sports teams rely heavily on outside fundraising to meet the costs of operating a team, and as a result, not all athletes at U of T are hard done by. There are many varsity sports that have fundraised effectively to put their teams in cozy financial standing.

U of T has also made formidable efforts to create fundraising opportunities for its teams. Over the past four years the athletics department has pledged more than $2 million as part of the Varsity Blues Legacy Fund.

The Legacy Fund is a program started in 1995 through which the university promised to match all funds raised by individual teams. This spring, the fund reached its prescribed limit-a combined maximum of $2 million. For many of the more mature varsity teams, such as football, hockey, and track and field, the Legacy Fund allows the creation of a cozy little nest-egg that operates off the interest derived from the fund. This only helps supplement their yearly funding from the university.

Numbers released on April 30, 2003, show that over the past eight years, the football team earned $592,484 in fundraised pledges. The men’s hockey team made $298,411 from kindly supporters. And all of this money was matched through the Legacy Fund.

The fund is not without its flaws. The problem with the legacy fund is that it relies on the leadership of individual teams for their particular fundraising. Unlike hockey and football, teams with a university employed full-time coach, many varsity sports at U of T, such as rowing and mountain biking, rely on the goodwill and enthusiasm of volunteer coaches. Fundraising is not always included in the volunteer job description, and consequently many of the lesser known teams are unable to take advantage of the universitiy’s fund matching program.

Alumni, another source of financial backing for varsity sports, are not at hand for many teams. Once again, football and hockey are well-known for keeping a host of supportive alumni in the wings. “Teams without a strong alumni,” said Campbell, “are at a disadvantage.”

Given this acknowledgment, it seems that there should be measures taken at the administrative level to ensure, on behalf of all student-athletes, that varsity athletics operates proficiently and professionally. Given the time that these athletes give to represent their university amidst their demanding academic schedules, it only seems fair that U of T would offer them the support to match their varsity vigour. U of T’s athletes might be the last bastion of school spirit left at this institution of higher impersonality. They should all be given the support they deserve. And if not, for the sake of our school pride, let’s at least have them all wearing matching uniforms!