Soccer a recruitment tool for Algoma

Call it students standing up for students.

After initially deciding that the soccer teams were going to be the victims of adjustments in their annual budgets, Algoma University’s teams will continue to be a part of Ontario University Athletics next season.

Thanks to Algoma’s student union, along with the board of governors, a new budget was approved by the school that allowed the soccer programs that were initially going to be cut, to move forward.

“The support from the student union and the board of governors was tremendous,” said Algoma Athletic Director Mark Kontulainen said. “If it wasn’t for them, the sport of soccer would have been lost.”

“They had to act quickly and we’re very appreciative that they came forward along with the board of governors,” Kontulainen added.

Soccer has the ability to become a major sports recruitment tool for the school.

“In terms of team compliment, it’s the largest number of student-athletes so it’s important that we kept the program,” said Kontulainen. “In terms of recruitment for the university, it has the potential to recruit the most student-athletes as a team. For us, it would have been a big loss in terms of the number of student-athletes that it attracts.”

The school is using what was a tough first season in Ontario University Athletic competition as a learning experience.

“Being in our first year in the OUA as a soccer program was a learning experience,” said Kontulainen. “Having the first year to see what the competition was like was important for the coaches.

“Now they can start piecing together a more competitive program,” Kontulainen added.

Kontulainen spoke of the work that would have needed to be done in order to add another sport to replace soccer.

“We put a lot of work in starting this program so to have to start from scratch in starting a new program, we would have had to go through what we did when we first entered the OUA,” Kontulainen said. “We would have to examine all of the other potential sports. Then there are things like considering gender equity. You have to make sure that you have a compliment of male and female athletes.”

The OUA requires schools to compete in six sports to remain in good standing with the association. The loss of soccer would have meant Algoma would have been required to add another sport in order to compete.

The school, whose probation after entering OUA competition was slated to be up on May 1, has now been extended for another year. Had the soccer programs not been reinstated, that period would have been extended for two more years.

“Probably the most important thing is that our commitment to the student-athletes and coaches on the soccer teams was saved and will continue as the program progresses over the next couple of years and into the future,” Kontulainen said.