New Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Resolving Problems

Purpose and Goal

Over the course of only two meetings during Thursday club hours, the newly formed Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has already raised many issues that concern the various athletes at Yeshiva University. The committee, created by the new athletic director Richard Zerneck, consists of two representatives from each team and meets on a monthly basis in an attempt to open lines of communication between students, coaches, and athletic administrators.

"Such a structure," says Zerneck, "allows every team not only to express their needs to me, but also to have them heard by a department that could do something about it. In order to improve the overall wellness of the YU sports program, I must know in advance what changes the players have in mind, the type of information that can only be provided by those continuously in contact with their teammates."

Furthermore, although Zerneck pledged that he will work to equate the treatment of all YU teams, he reminded his advisory staff, "that is not to suggest, however, that the basketball team will be given less attention as a result."

Members

Thus far, the following selected players have attended the meetings: from the basketball team, Joel Jacobson and David Neiss; volleyball, David Waknin and Andrew Harary; tennis, Shai Samet and Zvi Zilbershteyn; wrestling, Daniel Thurm; golf, Kenny Sicklick and Ami Robinson; and fencing, Hadar Weiss and committee secretary Avraham Goldberg.

Issues Discussed

First, the players were assured that the photographs and awards display adjacent to the basketball gym would be updated with current team pictures and trophies. In fact, the two old tennis team shots have already been replaced with more recent team pictures.

Additionally, Zerneck guaranteed the volleyball team's exclusive use of the gym on Wednesday nights, as well as the acquisition of new uniforms, sneakers, net stands, and water coolers present at all practices and games.

With regard to health, Zerneck informed the students that in addition to requiring the YU athletic supervisors to be fully trained in CPR and first aid, Lorenzo Gonzalez, the newly hired physical trainer will be present at all basketball (men and women), wrestling, and volleyball home games.

In terms of publicizing YU sports events, Dyland Braverman from Public Relations will act as sports information director on a part-time basis. "If Braverman's assistance sparks an increase in fan support from YU and Stern," commented Zerneck, "then, in turn, the necessary intercampus transportation to and from games will be provided." Zerneck also applied this case-by-case policy to those athletes who have had difficulties attaining excused absences from those classes that conflict with game-time.

Some of the bigger and loftier requests asked for the relocation of the fencing and wrestling team to different rooms, but, in the meantime, the least that could be accomplished is to maintain the cleanliness and safety of their facilities as well as sufficient storage space for their equipment. More specifically, the fencing and basketball teams suggested that their slippery floors be wet-mopped more frequently.

On the down side, the request to give student-athletes priority in course registration and in weight room usage was declined for good reason. After Zerneck conferred with Dean Nulman, the two agreed that is was not fair to give such privileges to athletes and not to other YU extracurricular participants.

As for the rest of the student body, Zerneck did not leave out the possibility of creating a new team (such as a crew team) if sufficient interest exists for a particular sport.