Tennis reinstated after hiatus

Sounds of bouncing Wilson tennis balls were heard every day while the women's tennis team practices.

But the sounds was silence for a while, as the women's tennis team was put on hiatus indefinitely.

Recently the decision was overturned.

Interim Athletic Director Julie Kline informed both tennis teams of the athletic department decision days before their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship tournament. The women's tennis team ended the season 3-16, placing 6th in the SCIAC tournament.

“It was the right decision we believe,” Julie Kline said. “It wasn’t an easy one. Sometimes you gotta make decisions that are best for the entire athletic department.”

On April 20, athletes from both tennis programs walked the campus, asking for people to sign their petition. Jen Baca said she was happy with the response from the students and faculty.

Many members of both teams created petitions for people to sign.

Also the members created a Facebook group asking people to join.

Both teams will met with President Steve Morgan and Kline on April 21 to discuss the decision of the programs.

After both teams presented presentations, a committee was form to re-evaluate the decision. After meeting on May 5 the decision was overturned for the women’s team.
The men’s team is still on hiatus

Upon hearing about the suspension many members of the teams were angry and frustrated about the decision.

“I feel as though its unfair,” junior tennis player Jen Baca said. “It needed to be reevaluated and reinstated.”

“Everyone is in full support and doesn’t understand it all,” Baca said.

It was that support Baca said which led to the overturn decision.

Baca said the decision was out of the blue. At the time the decision interfered with the team’s play in the SCIAC championship tournament.

“People definitely care,” Baca said. “It clogged our minds. We kept focusing on that instead of the game.”

Kline said the department came together in January to discuss the athletic programs at La Verne. During continuous meetings, Kline said teams were evaluated based on the mission statement the department adopted.

“When I took over as athletic director, I was in charge of doing an overview of all programs,” Kline said.

Proper facilities seem to underline the decision. The University removed the John Blickenstaff Courts in 2007 to make a parking lot.

“It’s about having our own facilities for our own programs,” Kline said. “It’s about providing each program with full-time staffing.”

“And when you have facilities and full-time coaches and budgets to support those programs, you’ve able to provide your student athletes an experience that’s similar to our opponents,” Kline added.

However Baca said the Claremont Club, which the teams practices and plays, agreed next year to offer the courts for use for free.

La Verne’s budget is stated not to be the issue, Kline said.

Baca said she feared there is an underlying motive that is not explained.

“I don’t think it was a budget issue,” Baca said. “There was an underlying thing. There has to be something else they’re not telling us.”

“We want to be able to support our program to provide quality for our athletes,” Kline said.