St. Clair College suspends varsity badminton, curling teams
Clovis McLaughlin has been the coach of the St. Clair College badminton team for the past 29 years — this upcoming season would have been his 30th. But after an abrupt chat with the school's athletic coordinator McLaughlin's career at the college was put on hold, and might even end.
St. Clair College announced it will be suspending its badminton and curling programs due to financial restraints.
"For them not to come to us … and try to make some kind of arrangement to salvage the program, that is wrong. That is very wrong," said McLaughlin, still wearing his St. Clair badminton jersey.
The retired Ford worker said he worked midnights for 15 years in order to coach the team. With no plan on quitting, he would have liked to sit down with the college to brainstorm ways to make his program more cost efficient.
For example, eliminating some yearly tournaments or cutting down on the amount of athletic clothes bought for the team.
"We have made our decision," said Ron Seguin, vice president of international relations, Training & Campus Development. "We have to rationalize where we can be competitive."
Seguin said both badminton and curling are tournament teams with no league play, so the school can enter a roster easily from year-to-year. He said the suspension will allow the school to brainstorm ideas for eliminating costs. Ideas like those mentioned by McLaughlin.
The school needs to "look at how we can compete better," said Seguin, adding that curling and badminton have troubles "in terms of recruitment."
A statement that doesn't sit well with McLaughlin.
"I have been cutting 20 to 30 kids every year because better players are coming in," he said, adding he prides himself on turning good athletes into great ones.
Athletes like Henry Andkilde, who is a provincially ranked player. The Saints' freshman said he would like to go to the Olympics one year but he might have to move out of town to achieve that dream.
"The league that there is available to me is not as active as a [college] league," said Andkilde, who will continue to train outside of school.
"There is no way that it is alright to cut one sport and keep all the rest."
Andkilde, who is on scholarship, will receive his money.
St. Clair College has agreed to honour all of the scholarships for the academic year.
