WATCH: There is hope for a new era in the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns after the university split from long time Athletic Executive Director Sandy Slavin. Paul Kingsmith reports.
LETHBRIDGE – For the past year, a committee made up of members from both within and outside of the University of Lethbridge has been looking into every aspect of the sports and recreation department. The findings found big changes were needed. The first significant change saw school and long time executive director of the department, Sandy Slavin, agreed a new voice was needed to lead the turnaround.
“We decided mutually that the best move forward was to have a new leader that will be able to come in and provide the leadership that will be required to basically take the recommendations of the report and act on them,” said U of L President, Mike Mahon.
From a competitive point of view, the Pronghorns have fallen behind the pack. The track and field team still turns out national champions, and swimming has seen a resurgence. But, team sports have fallen off. Women’s rugby won three straight CIS titles from 2007-2009, but the success hasn’t been sustained. The team missed the Canada West playoffs for the first time last fall.
The six other varsity teams – men’s and women’s basketball, hockey and soccer – haven’t been close to any sort of sustained success. In the past ten seasons the six teams have combined for just ten post-season appearances. None have made the playoffs in back-to-back years, and none have progressed past the first round.
“The environment has just got more and more competitive,” said Mahon. “It’s a complicated world, sport at universities now, it’s an expensive world. So, as we think about how best to be successful as a university, we know we have to do some things differently.”
Changes could include, but aren’t limited to, how money is dispersed within the department to give Pronghorn teams the necessary tools to be competitive, and looking at how money comes in to the program.
“We have to connect much more aggressively with the community,” said Mahon. “We have to look at more marketing and promotion opportunities. We have to do more fundraising to support our teams.”
But competitive programs aren’t the only focus of the sports and recreation department. Mahon emphasizes facilities and programs need to also be in place for the rest of students on campus. He intends to take his time to find a new head for the department, who can focus on building that balance.
“We’ll have outstanding recreation services for our students, outstanding facilities for our students as well as our student-athletes, and outstanding sport programs,” said Mahon. “And that’s the vision that we have moving forward.”
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