SACKVILLE, N.B. — Mount Allison University has been known as one of the top undergraduate universities in Canada since its founding in 1839, and research by Maclean’s magazine has driven home this point by naming it number one in Canada academically for nearly 25 years.
But the little university, situated on the edge of the marsh, has seldom been successful in reaching athletic excellence.
It has had its moments of glory at the senior varsity levels more often in rugby, and after 1954, in its football program. However, there have also been some “sweet moments” in hockey, basketball, soccer and swimming to name a few.
Decisions to maintain registration at a limit, combined with a restricted number of course offerings, have been handicaps in building the teams to match the academic excellence enjoyed for so long. A decision to zero in on academics in the early 1960s at the exclusion of much else also had a deteriorating effect on any hoped-for scoreboard success.
There are many who contend that a decision some 20 years ago to legalize athletic awards was the final straw. While it was generally suspected that some universities offered incentives there simply was a lack of funding here, and as late as 1988 the university’s financial situation was unhealthy.
Due to a lack of dollars and the decision to reach gender equity in its limited resources, a good many varsity programs were sent to the scrap heap – like field hockey, curling, golf and men’s hockey, although the latter caused a good deal of grief.
Then it was announced basketball was on the chopping block, but a group of alumni rallied and managed to keep the two teams, but no longer in the top-ranking AUS.
While all this was happening, some schools – primarily Laval – went the corporate route and, operated by a group of successful Quebec businessmen, have annual budgets in excess of $2 million. While the UNB Reds hockey team may not be in that bracket it would cause heads to turn if they knew the exact amount.
Mount Allison athletic director Pierre Arsenault knows all too well the situation the university finds itself in athletically. He has worked closely with alumni, the Fifth Quarter Club and other friendly organizations to find the money to finance the nine varsity programs.
Looking back over the past few months, he points out there have been three Mountie teams nationally ranked. This may be at the CCAA level, but it does offer some hope. These include badminton, women’s volleyball and men’s basketball.
He is also comfortable with the football program, noting the team played hugely during the second half of the season.
“We are happy with the coaching staff and especially with the manner the recruiting has been going, an indication we should have both a strong and young team in the years ahead."
While the women’s hockey team struggled during the first half, they paid the price of an injury to Abby Beale – a guiding force in the lineup. However, she has returned and recently the Mounties have showed promise.
He said there is a push on to raise funds to help the struggling soccer teams and his goal is to find the resources for all teams so they can be truly competitive in the strong AUS.
It is as simple as that – the university with the “deepest pockets” will more than likely find that scoreboard success that all strive for.
No doubt there have been some shining lights among the alumni headed by Moncton’s David Booth, who recently headed a $1 million endowment campaign. But if the Mountie program is to reach its potential and be in the mix on an annual basis, it will need more such people to step forward.
They only need to look at what the corporate model has done for schools like Laval to appreciate it requires more than filling seats in the stands to bring a winner.
Will it happen? It would seem Mountie fans have adopted the old Brooklyn Dodger cry “wait ‘til next year” and that simply isn’t good enough – they need to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
