Micah D. Bremer
September 14th, 2019

              Athletic Scholarships: To Freeze or not to Freeze - That is the Question

      I heard them, but I didn’t listen. I saw them, but I didn’t realize. I felt the emotion of their words, but I didn’t feel the level of their pain. To see injustice done to another, and to do nothing, is one of this world’s greatest transgressions. It is with great sadness that I regret not speaking out sooner, for it required me to feel the impact upon myself before I did something. What follows is the vocalization of the silent cry of many, which is now being struggled to be suppressed by the few.

      For the first time in recent memory, the William and Mary Athletic Department has decided to enact a scholarship freeze on current student-athletes. Across a variety of sports, indefinitely, no coach will be permitted to increase the scholarships of recruited athletes or provide the ability to earn scholarships for athletic walk-ons. For many, recruits and walk-ons alike, the decision to commit, compete, and train for the College of William and Mary was based on the verbal guarantee by coaches to have the opportunity to earn increased athletic financial aid with increased athletic performance.

      Why was this freeze enacted? In the words of the Associate Athletic Director in an email sent to the donor parents of a student athlete (now a senior) on July 25th, “This year we were presented with circumstances that required modest reductions across the board. As a result, scholarship increases for returning student-athletes were restricted to written scholarship agreements only.” Another student, with a sibling now also starting their college education this year, contacted her head coach as early as June 25th hoping to receive help to afford school. She received this reply, “… we were informed by our administration late this spring that we (along with other sports) are currently unable to increase scholarships or put current student-athletes on athletic aid for the first time, as a result of a new departmental policy.” Of the many different financial reduction options available to the Athletic Department, it appears that the first unnecessary, unwanted expense to be reduced is the means for student-athletes to pay for their education.

      These silent pleas for help, among many others, were not heard by the Athletic Department. However, their voice was heard by others. On the morning of September 10th, an online petition was published titled, “REPEAL of William & Mary Athletic Department Policy of Freezing Athletic Scholarships”. Within hours, the petition had received 133 signatures, 17 shares, and over 780 views. Also within hours, the William and Mary Athletic Director had heard of this online petition. By 5:06pm of that same day, the Director had requested a meeting with the person who had created the petition. Minutes later, the Director, a deputy director, an assistant director, and a head coach (yes, this individual was a student athlete) had sat down in a large office to discuss “this petition”. During the course of this “meeting” the student was informed by the Director, “There is no policy [of freezing scholarships]. It’s just not true. So
now, we have a whole lot of people out there who have been told something which isn’t true. What would you do if you were me?”

      The silent cry of many was heard, and a single voice was raised in response – the voice of a single student. Apparently, according to the Director, this student was now disseminating misinformation. Many questions remain. Why would an athletic department contradict itself? Why would the Associate Director and a head coach say one thing, and the Director say another? Who are we, the students, to believe? Is there a scholarship freeze or isn’t there? Why was a meeting arranged so suddenly with this student and why were so many of the athletic department leadership present?

      Many donate to the College of William and Mary Athletic Department for the purpose of providing scholarships for athletes. Are these donors being informed that students aren’t receiving increases in athletic aid? New recruits are visiting William and Mary every week, are they being told that they will not have the opportunity to earn more athletic financial aid? Are athletic walk-ons being informed that they won’t be able to receive any form of athletic financial support in the future? I have heard their voice. I have seen their pain. I understand their struggle. I have seen injustice and will not fall for one of the world’s greatest transgressions. It has been said, “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” What would you do, if you were me?