By Ryan Wilson, Editor
SPRINGFIELD – Lincoln Land Community College’s soccer program just dodged another attempt by the Board of Trustees to cut the sport.
The Board of Trustees had a 4-3 vote on Feb. 25 to spare the soccer team from the budget axe. This is the second time in the past two years that the board has voted on this.
“We’re going to have soccer, and we’re going to make it work this time, OK?” said Craig Findley, the vice chair of the board. “Don’t just go home forget about this. Help us raise money. Help us get kids in your district to come.”
LLCC was questioning whether it is worth spending $108,000 to keep the soccer program alive every year. The board members said this is more of a concern than in January 2013, when they last considered cutting soccer. They said the college continues to receive less funding from the State of Illinois.
“Soccer is the cheapest sport,” said Ed Gower, who spoke at the board meeting. “One of the reasons it’s the cheapest sport to play (is because) you need the ball and a couple of goals.”
It cost $10,990 on game day for the soccer team, the lowest of all LLCC sports by nearly $6,000, according to a 2014 report on lincolnlandloggers.com. This cost includes meals, equipment, transportation and lodging.
“I just want to keep (the soccer program) going, keep building,” said head soccer coach Shawn Dunas. “If it’s a budgetary thing, cut my pay and use it to pay the expense you need. To be honest, I’m not really concerned about not getting paid at all. It’s more about these guys having an opportunity to play in this community.”
The Loggers’ assistant coach, Tim Gonulsen, echoed Dunas.
“If it’s a money issue, I would do it (coach the team) for half the cost, as well, if not, even at a volunteer level,” said Gonulsen, who played on Lincoln Land’s soccer team with Dunas during the 1995 and 1996 seasons. “I enjoy helping my friend coach soccer, and I think it’s a great opportunity for the students.”
Head coaches at Lincoln Land earn an average of $12,551 per year, while assistant coaches earn $6,354, according to the 2014 report on lincolnlandloggers.com.
Lincoln Land President Charlotte Warren said the assistant coaches at the school are paid based on the amount of time they spend with their team.
Dunas said the team held a “Soccer Marathon” this year to raise money.
“It (money) is not going to fall from the sky,” he said. “The guys have an understanding of that.”
He said the team plans to do more fundraisers in the future, including doing car washes or working at the State Fair. He also said business could place signs around the soccer field.
“We’re willing to do whatever it takes to fund this program,” Dunas said.
The Board said there is also the constant need of rebuilding the team every year. Six of the team’s 21 players will be returning next year.
Two players, Harry White and Memo Guerero, left 2 1⁄2 weeks into the season to play professionally. He said a couple of players left this year because they were not able to “keep up” their academics.
“There was a significant number of students who essentially walked out on the soccer program,” Findley said. “I don’t even have a problem with that, if you quit the team. I’ve known people who quit their teams. But I’m really not happy about the number of students who quit the semester and didn’t get the full-credit hours. … Because, frankly, they got a tuition waiver that there fellow students — taxpayers — pay for them to go to school. I think that is immature.”
The National Junior College Athletic Associate requires athletes to have at least a 2.0 GPA.
“I don’t care about the team’s performance,” Findley said. “I don’t care if the team went to nationals. I don’t care about any of that stuff. What I care about is if the students finish their semester of school and got credit hours and went above the GPA needed to stay in school.”
Dunas said his team had a 2.6 grade point average in his first semester with the team three semesters ago. That number dropped to 2.42 the next semester and 2.09 last semester.
“We’re not down to six because of failures,” he said. “We’re down to six because of other decisions, other choices. Some of those guys were sophomores and decided to go on.”
Nancy Cobetto is the academic adviser who works with all Lincoln Land athletes. Warren also said the athletes have their own “study tables.” The college will allow an athlete to have a 1.0 for one semester.
“They (athletes) get attention above and beyond academically than our regular student body,” Warren said.
The Board also expressed concern about the recruiting of the players. Soccer is the most diverse sport at Lincoln Land, as it has the highest number of black students. There have been some international players on the team in the past two years.
Several Board members said they would like to see more local talent on the team.
Dunas said he is recruiting all local players for next season.
Peter Christoflakos, the head coach at Sacred Heart-Griffin, where several Lincoln Land athletes have graduated from, said he has enjoyed watching these athletes grow up.
“They (the athletes) are good kids,” he said. “I’m begging you, just keep it here for them. Let’s give it a chance. Let’s do something. I’ll do whatever I can in my power. … I want to this program for our kids. It means the world to me.”
Ryan Wilson can be reached at lamp@llcc. edu or (217) 786-2311
Aracelis Lamorella • Oct 14, 2016 at 4:35 am
I seriously love your blog.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you create this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m hoping to create my own website and want to learn where you got this from or just what the theme is called. Thanks!