CCSJ Athletics Keeps Growing

New for the 2009-2010 academic year at CCSJ are NAIA level sport's in wrestling for men and competitive dance for women. This will bring to 19 the total number of intercollegiate sports offered at CCSJ. Having grown up in Iowa City Iowa, I learned first hand about the excitement that a competitive wrestling team can bring to a collegiate institution. My alma mater, the University of Iowa, has produced 21 national championship NCAA wrestling teams. It was not unusual for Carver-Hawkeye arena to be packed with upwards of 17,000 screaming fans for big matches against such arch rivals as Iowa State and Oklahoma. We're looking forward to CCSJ's wrestling team creating a similar level of intensity on our home campus.

"It is our goal in the first year to bring in 20 wrestlers minimum (2 per weight class). There could be a good opportunity of exceeding this goal based on the response of having this program and the fact that we are the only NAIA school in Indiana to have the sport," states Peter Haring, CCSJ Athletics Director. The 20 wrestlers would give CCSJ two in each of the ten weight classes.

Competitive dance should also have an immediate impact this fall at CCSJ. "The first year target for dancing will be 12-15," states Haring. "That is average for those schools who offer competitive dance as a sport. The nice things about dance is that the roster could get up to 20-24 and there would not be a big conflict over participation time because they all would be actively dancing. Competitive dance will be a unique sport that will show our diversity as an athletic department. The team that will be organized will have the opportunity to add to the spirit and entertainment of our home sports while also getting the chance to train and compete for national recognition.”

With the new CCSJ Athletics-Community Center set to open in June of this year, the College will be set to confirm its title as the leader in intercollegiate sports in the Calumet region.