Save College Swimming, Go For 5!

Reprinted from Swimming World Magazine:

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, May 6. ON January 25, 2010, Duquesne University announced the elimination of four (4) collegiate men’s athletic programs, including swimming, baseball, wrestling and golf. The University cited Title IX (gender equity), as well as a desire to allocate further funds to its core sports (basketball and football), as the reasons behind its decision. The unexpected announcement devastated both the men’s and women’s swim teams, along with many alumni and parents.

Unified by the cause to reinstate men’s swimming at Duquesne, and a desire to stop the growing deterioration of long standing collegiate sports, present swimmers, parents and alumni joined forces to develop the Go for 5! program. The Go for 5! program is under the direction of the Duquesne Swimming Alumni Association, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, and has been endorsed by USA Swimming, the College Sports Council, the College Swimming Coaches Association, U.S. Swimming and Olympic Gold medalist, Josh Davis.

“The Go for 5! program is not just about saving men’s swimming at Duquesne University, it’s about raising awareness regarding the valuable men’s and women’s athletic programs being cut nationally at a alarming rate due to unjustified fiscal and Title IX reasons!” states Nic Vitina, Director of the Duquesne Swimming Alumni Association. “We feel the international network of swimmers, and those who simply value athletics, will help support this initiative and our efforts to preserve sports such as swimming for the generations following us.”

Over the last 5 years, 46 Division I men’s teams have been cut for funding and alleged Title IX reasons. Once comprising over 65% of the Division I teams, men’s teams now only comprise 40% of member associations. Divisions II and III have also experienced cuts. If the loss of such programs continues, present and future Olympic sport athletes will have limited chances to pursue their sport beyond high school. Only the most elite swimmers will have an opportunity to live the collegiate student athlete experience, which will eventually lead to extinction of the sport.

The Go for 5! program is designed to address the ongoing loss of collegiate swimming programs by focusing on saving “ONE PROGRAM AT A TIME”; Lend financial and infrastructural support to at risk programs and/or those seeking reinstatement and Affect change at the University level by educating such institutions on the tremendous value associated with Olympic sports, such as swimming. It is time to take a stand and stop the needless and unjustified cuts being made.

Join us in our quest to save collegiate swimming by donating $5.00 or more to the cause at www.gofor5.org. Help us show the amazing impact as little as $5.00 can have on this pressing problem!

All donations are tax deductible.

Ways to support the cause:
1. Go to www.gofor5.org and make a tax deductible donation
2. Send a donation to:
Go For 5!
c/o Duquesne Swimming Alumni Association
121 Pinehurst Lane
Gibsonia, PA 15044
3. Join us on Facebook.
4. Spread the word.

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