Only five student athletes from Yavapai County are in its 2020-2021 program; far from minimal goal of 25% discussed in April 2020; plans to achieve minimum goal unclear
Yavapai Community College spent a significant amount of time during Tuesday’s Governing Board meeting justifying the existence of its expanding athletic department and the low number of students from the County who participate in its program. Using College figures, only 14% of its current athletes are from the County. The program, which now has four teams, will expand to seven teams over the next few years with the addition of a women’s soccer team this fall and a men and women’s basketball team (date not yet announced).
Athletic Director Brad Clifford reported to the Board that in 2020-202, only five of the student athletes are from Yavapai County. Thirty recruits are from Arizona, 33 from outside Arizona but in the United States, and four came from countries outside the United States.
One explanation given by Mr. Clifford for the low number of County students in the program is that “the best student-athletes in Yavapai County want to leave the county to pursue their athletic endeavors.” He did not discuss whether lowering recruiting standards would generate more athletes from the County.
Mr. Clifford also said that “the department’s policy is to recruit within the County first.” However, “due to sheer numbers,” he said, “most recruiting is done outside of Yavapai County.” (See his slide.) He did not explain what he meant by the phrase “due to sheer numbers.”
In April 2020, Vice President Clint Ewell told the Governing Board that it was his understanding that the College would seek to increase County student athletic involvement by at least twenty-five percent. Chair McCasland affirmed Mr. Ewell’s statement. (The video clip is below.) The BLOG recalls no discussion at Tuesday ‘s presentation to the Governing Board regarding how that goal would be achieved.
