Men’s tennis a victim of budget cuts
Nearly 18 months ago, CU’s men’s tennis team was in the midst of its best season. They were ranked No. 23 in the nation and improving with every match. Then, out of nowhere, came the news that the team would be dismantled at the end of the season.
The team was alerted of what would happen in March 2006. With the financial difficulties that the CU athletic department was facing, the administration was forced to cut certain sports. Unfortunately, the tennis program made the list.
Karthik Raju, a junior business management major, came to CU from India not only to earn a degree, but also to pursue his love for tennis at a collegiate level.
“The team was doing so well. Everyone was getting along so well,” Raju said. “When Mike Bohn came onto the tennis court and told us what the situation was, it was a huge shock. All of us were just kind of staring at each other. All that hard work turned into nothing.”
The players weren’t the only ones caught off guard by the turn of events. The coaches of the team were just as broken up as the students.
“I got a call from the head coach saying we needed to talk in person,” said Albin Polonyi, the assistant coach of the team. “We were just sitting there dumbfounded. The program was doing well. Everything was improving. It was like a 2,000-pound bomb dropped on us.”
The department was in financial trouble, with having to buy out Gary Barnett’s contract and renovate Folsom Field, among other things.
“There’s really not much to say,” said Assistant Athletic Director David Plati. “We had to make budget cuts and some things had to go. It wasn’t only tennis. Wrestling was number eight and we had to cut that also.”
Saddened by the news, the team wondered if there was any way the program could stay on. Raju said that the school responded by saying they could stay “basically if we could raise a million dollars.”
Through fundraising and donations, the team was able to raise some money, but not nearly enough to keep the program on.
The feelings and emotions of the final season still linger with the team.
“Sports are a business. They did what they had to do, and I’m over it,” Polonyi said. “But it was a great thing. We had a team dinner a few months ago and watched a video from the season. It was bittersweet. I had to leave early cause my heart was kind of hurting.”
Today, Polonyi works as one of the key instructors for the junior program at the Harvest House in Boulder. The majority of the other players either graduated or transferred to other schools, even though the university said they would continue to honor their scholarships.
Raju remained here at CU. He is in the midst of earning a degree in business administration. Like his coach, Raju has gotten over the loss of the tennis program.
“I guess they did what they needed to do. I just hope that they can bring back the tennis program soon. The tennis community here is absolutely fantastic. Having a men’s team really gives back to not only the city of Boulder but to the whole state of Colorado,” Raju said. “It’s a great opportunity for kids like me.”
Lost, but not forgotten.
“I wouldn’t trade it for a lot of things. It was just a great story,” Polonyi said.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Derek Schimmel at derek.schimmel@colorado.edu.
