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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1981)
Chris Voeiz, assistant athlatic director, says Oregon’s switch to the NCAA from the AIAW is motivated by money as well as better competition. “The NCAA was ■HHHnMl I II looming an ever-loving gold carrot in front of our face. We saw It as a way to nibble at the carrot." Oregon will compete In NCAA championships this season. AIAW headed for new acronym - R.I.P. By DONALD COULTER Ot th* Emarstd At the rate things are going, the AIAW probably won’t exist one year from today. The AIAW—Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women—has lost 20 percent of its membership (a drop from 961 schools to 772) since the end of NCM may gain control of women's sports the last school year Another 12 percent will not participate in AIAW national championships this year The defections are due to a new “old” kid on the block For the first time, the NCAA (Na MAKE THE HP-11C PART OF YOUR PROGRAM. 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HEWLETT PACKARD 13th & Kincaid Mon-Fri 8:15-5:30 BKSTORE Sat 10:00-5:30 Textbooks M6-3S20 • General Books M6-3S10 • Supplies 886-4331 tional Collegiate Athletic As sociation) is ottering national championships in women’s sports And they’re luring everybody who’s anybody in women's athletics away from the AIAW Prior to this year, the AIAW was the voice for women’s ath letics Formed in 1971, and rid ing the crest of Title IX legisla tion. it took women’s sports from the days of bobby socks and hoop skirts to the revenues of bigtime television contracts But all that changed on Jan 13, 1981 On that date, the NCAA executive council voted to offer national championships for women, starting with the 1981-82 academic year The consequences have proved disastrous for the AIAW Eighteen of last season s top 20 women's basketball teams have shifted to the NCAA Vir tually all West Coast schools, which comprise much of the best in women's athletics, will compete in NCAA champion ships this year Only 52 percent of Division I schools that were involved previously in AIAW championships will return this year The decisions behind these schools abandoning the AIAW for the NCAA are varied and complex Many coaches and athletic administrators were at tracted by the financial benefits and prestige offered by the NCAA Others wanted to escape the stringency of AIAW rules Most cite a combination of both these reasons Chris Voelz, Oregon's assis tant athletic director and head coach of the University s voll eyball team falls into this latter category Though Oregon has yet to join the NCAA governing body for women's athletics, it will participate in NCAA cham pionships this year Voelz says one of the reasons behind Oregon's switch was to save money In contrast to the AIAW, the NCAA will pay for traveling expenses to send teams to its national champion ship Oregon spent an average of $60,000 annually to send women's teams to AIAW cham pionships over the past few years The savings will be used to bolster other aspects of the women’s budget, she says "The NCAA was looming an ever-loving gold carrot in front of our faces," Voelz says "We saw it as a chance to nibble at the carrot '' In addition, Voelz says Ore gon was lured to the NCAA by the huge national shift in competition With many of the best women's teams in the Under New Management Let’s do it again Haircuts $5.00 1410 Orchard All day Wednesday, Nov. 4th Hair Faire 342-2165 country to participate in NCAA championships this year, the competition in the AIAW cham pionships will be watered down "There would be a chance for us to finish higher in the AlAW's—and maybe even win a championship," she says "But we don't want to be a big fish in a teeny pool ” Voelz is also disappointed with the AIAW s method of self regulation A completely volun teer organization, the AIAW has strict recruiting rules to protect the student-athlete, but often lacks the means to enforce those rules "The AIAW needs to be more realistic," she says "They have moved into big-time athletics, but there are flaws that exist with their policing system Tom Heinonen, head coach for women s cross-country and track teams at Oregon agrees with Voelz "The restrictive rules (in the AIAW) are there to benefit the athlete, but on the other hand, the rules are unen forced "Philosophically, it's fine But practically speaking, it's ab surd Schools cheat right and left " Heinonen's point illustrates a mapr qualm about the AIAW that many coaches and admin istrators share The organiza tion can not—or will not—come up with money for a full-time enforcement unit. Instead, it professes not to need one "You can't legislate morali ty," AIAW president Donna Lupiano said several years back, "but I think that women are different than men I don't think were doomed to repeating the men's mistakes." The AIAW hasn't suffered the scandals that men’s athletics have gone through, but the op portunities to cheat remain Al most everyone involved with intercollegiate sports feels that Continued on Page 7B
