Athletics Department now fit to move forward

I have attended this university for two years now and have witnessed the Athletics Department experience many changes. I can consider myself well acquainted with the department, since I was once part of the women's basketball intercollegiate team.

I first arrived to school in August of 2005. I became aware that the women's soccer team had been assigned a new head coach, Anna Girdwood. The other intercollegiate teams remained with their previous coaches.

The athletic director then was Steven Garripa.

Most of the intercollegiate teams ended with successful seasons under the NAIA Red River Athletic Conference (there were some exceptions); however, the shock was yet to come.

At the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year, drastic changes had taken place within the department of athletics. The school was now part of the NCAA Division II Heartland Conference.

We had our previous athletic director, Garripa, resign; and Rafael Romo took the position temporarily.

The women's basketball coach, Mark Garcia, also resigned and Coach Daryl Vincent from Texas A&M Kingsville took over. The volleyball team was assigned a new head coach, Wendy McManus; the baseball program was finally established under the coaching of Mark Jackson.

The men's basketball coach had also left to coach at his alumni school and the team was then taken over by Curtis Condie, who at the end of this year, surprisingly resigned and the position is now available.

The school was, however, capable of hiring a new athletic director, Debbie Snell, whose work history seems to be plenty, thus making her well-qualified for the position.

So, where is the athletics program heading now?

I believe that the athletic program can only move forward due to the previous inconsistencies the school had in regards to maintaining a coaching staff. I believe that some of the coaches that are now here are looking forward to expanding the athletic program of this university by recruiting from all over the country, thus making TAMIU known world-wide.

If we are able to keep a consistent coaching staff throughout the years, the university will become more credible and its system will be able to attract more athletes.

The arrival of Snell as an athletic director should improve the program due to her experience in creating successful athletic programs, such as the one she created while at her previous job at Division I school, Campbell University.

Her goals for the athletic department seem to be a good guide to a successful university. Winning Conference Championships, which is one of Snell's goals, will enable the athletic program to grow and create a more inviting atmosphere for athletes to come and for the student body as a whole (more fans).

Furthermore, I believe that bringing softball in the fall of 2007 will also create a university open to more competition. Having almost every sport on the chart will enable the school to become more diverse and grow in terms of population.

Being part of the NCAA Division II Heartland Conference allows the athletics program to attract more athletes, better-qualified coaches, and a larger amount of fans.

This new division is like a clean slate in which the university has the opportunity to enhance the program and only look forward.

The previous experiences with other coaches and division can now be forgotten and the new athletic director, coaches, and athletes have the opportunity to move forward by taking advantage of the new division we are in, and creating a program that sets the standard for future programs and an example for other universities to admire and follow.