Let me put it bluntly. Many of the athletic programs at Macalester are barely getting by. They can hardly put enough players on the court or the field to play a game. Lack of numbers affects women's basketball, tennis, softball and golf. I can't tell you how many times the referee asked me in the captain's meeting before basketball games this year, "Where's the rest of your team?"

The women's varsity basketball team ended the season playing with six players, five taped sprained ankles and no fouls to give. The women's varsity fastpitch softball team is gearing up for their season opening with twelve healthy players. They need ten to field a team. They have one pitcher and they consistently play double-headers. The women's varsity tennis team now has seven with the addition of one of the six basketball players. But because of other obligations from two of their players, the leftover team of five will not be making the usual spring break trip to South Carolina.

My teammate and friend, Sarah Crangle '04, helps fill out the roster for both the basketball and tennis teams. She isn't surprised about the cancellation of the spring break trip. She is more concerned with the larger problem it represents. "It's demoralizing to come off a 2-20 basketball season onto a tennis team that isn't competitive either. I expected a lot more when I came here."

These are sensitive issues with any of the combined 25 players on these teams, their coaching staffs and the athletic department. It's hard to practice, it's hard to compete and it's really hard to improve. Fingers are pointed on a regular basis. Admissions won't let athletes in. Coaches can't recruit. Athletes don't care enough. The Administration doesn't identify this as a priority. We'll go around in circles with that until we wear out the few resources we have.

I've played for three years here and each year it seems I add a sport. My basketball career ended last Saturday with five friends and two wins. I feel obligated to speak up.

Ending a season with two wins is troubling, but that isn't why I am writing. I am concerned that our athletic programs are getting progressively worse and I don't see that pattern changing without somebody calling attention to it. Soccer coach John Leaney lends more credibility to my argument than anyone else on this campus. He has developed the two most successful programs here, two programs that are among the best in all of Division III soccer. He is very aware that his colleagues are often on a completely different level.

"Sure it's a serious problem. The programs have gotten progressively worse since 1996 when the administration changed." Leaney said. According to him, athletics have suffered because of several factors.

"It's not just one thing, but if I had to pick one it's that the college has to decide they want 500 athletes on this campus." He estimates roughly that we have 380 compared to 500 at our peer schools, such as Carleton and Grinnell.

In order to get 500 athletes on this campus, we need to find ways to solve all the smaller contributing problems: recruiting, admittance, retention and just plain competitiveness. Over the next two weeks I'll be writing from my own perspective as an athlete who has been at the absolute bottom of the conference and who has competed at a national championship in a Macalester uniform.

If I were just writing to gripe about my two wins or blame coaches for not working hard enough or Admissions for not letting enough athletes in, it wouldn't be worth your time to read or worth my time to write. The lack of numbers in my basketball program is just one sign of a much bigger problem.

"If you look out your window, you are more likely to see a smoker on this campus than a jogger. We do not promote a healthy lifestyle," Leaney said. If nothing else, athletes just make this a more vibrant and healthy atmosphere. We bring positive recognition and energy. We are active and fit. We study hard and play hard. And we deserve to feel like we belong at this school.

My point is that there is something seriously wrong here. It affects an important part of our school and it needs attention from outside the athletic department. Somebody needs to be asking the right questions. Why are the rosters so small? Why do so many athletes go abroad and not finish their sports careers? Why are Carleton's programs getting better while ours are getting worse? Why doesn't anyone care?

I tried to ask President McPherson these questions after one of my basketball games, but he wasn't there. There's no way I will see him at a track meet either. In the meantime, look forward to input from the coaching staff, players, administration and especially the Carleton vs. Macalester statistical match-up. I'll give you a hint: Carleton is kicking our ass in every category, including athletics.