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From: CALUSAROB@aol.com
To: CALUSAROB@aol.com; tboeh@csufresno.edu; johnw@csufresno.edu;
JArambula@co.fresno.ca.us; Mayor@fresno.gov
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2006 11:18:36 AM
Subject: California USA Wrestling's Letter to Fresno State
Leadership
Dear Mr. Thomas Boeth/Tom Boeh/Juan Arambula/Jim Costa/Arnold
Schwarzenegger/Allen Autry
This communication is in regards to your hasty decision to
cancel the wrestling program at Fresno State University in
lieu of reinstating men’s cross country program. This
is not to down play the importance of the cross country program,
and ultimately the track & field program, but to express
the significance of keeping the wrestling program.
The Fresno State Program has had a long tradition of excellence
in producing All Americans and Olympic Medalist's. Fresno
State has also been a mainstay where athletes, not just from
the Central Valley, can gain a quality education and participate
in a NCAA Division 1 program. I know that Shawn Charles has
had an outstanding recruiting class and was in the process
of setting new standards both athletically and academically.
To say that you are trying to meet industry standards as far
as financing sports, and then on the other hand, saying that
wrestling is not a broad based program-demonstrates to me
and others that you have not done your homework. On the high
school level, wrestling is the sixth most popular sport and
the NCAA D-1 Championships are sold out every year they are
held. I always have heard that the City of Fresno is the best
supporter of it’s sports across the United States. You
are telling myself and the community that this is not true,
and that you as the Athletic Director have not been able to
generate the interest and resources to maintain all sports
at the D-1 caliber.
You recent comments cite the rationale that there is no workout
facility and overall facilities to support these athletes
is shameful. Is that not the job of the Athletic Director
to support it’s sports or find ways to raise the quality
of programs for the athletes. Dropping programs seems to be
the easiest way for Athletic Directors, such as yourself,
to improve programs by eliminating opportunities because you
cannot develop methods to support existing programs.
To say that you are dropping a men’s sport for the old
reason of Title IX is not a very valid rationale. If this
was the case then you should be adding a women’s cross
country team and if that already exists then another women’s
sport to offset the alleged Title IX rationale. This is a
very poor rationale to use and this trend across the Unites
States is being reversed by proactive athletic directors who
see the value in wrestling and are willing to find alternatives
and resources than to cutting away without good reasons.
To drop a program because of the lack of academic achievement
is very much a concern. If I am not mistaken, Shawn Charles
was in the middle of addressing this concern because he believes
that education is the number one priority for his athletes.
He was recruiting athletes who were students/athletes not
just athletes. As in all new coaching situations, the process
takes time to rid programs of the non student/athletes. Why
did you not give him the time to set the program straight?
There are many unanswered questions and many reasons without
solid rationale for your actions regarding the wrestling program
at Fresno State University. Hard work and dedication by all
administrators for the student athletes is how programs prosper
and thrive. Do you also realize that you are sending a message
to other sports programs at Fresno State University that you
care for certain sports at the expense of others? What will
be the next sport you decide to drop? Common sense says other
head coaches are looking over their shoulders and asking themselves
will my sport be next? Will the rationale be the same weak
responses from you? I guess that is the way you like it anyway
since you probably believe fear is the best motivator.
Building programs and bringing blue chip athletes into Fresno
State University is based on trust and confidence that the
Administration stands behind all sports and will find ways
to succeed-no matter what.
You can rest assured that I will use all of the connections,
resources and the broad base of wrestling enthusiast to make
sure you realize the importance of keeping the wrestling program.
Your impromptu, poorly thought out, and mis-directed decision
seems to lack insight and scope of the impact you have made
on the student/athletes affected, on your community, wrestling
community and Fresno State University.
Sincerely;
Duane Morgan
2nd Vice President USA Wrestling
California USA Wrestling-State Chairman
Robert Valerio
California USA Wrestling
Secretary/Treasurer
5325 W. Clinton
Fresno,Ca. 93722
559-275-9478 Phone/FAX
calusarob@aol.com
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