Discussion of an article entitled "Running Numbers", from U.S. News & World Report, Sept. 22, 2003

Email Excerpt - Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 9:58 AM

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 ...data referees to "their percentile class rank". In truth, this is even more significant given the notoriously inaccurate tabulation of "graduation rates". 

 ..., here is the pertinent data.

Note that the sports in bold print are women's sports and regular print are men's.

Students at large: Men - 51%      Women - 54%

Football       21%

Baseball       30%

Softball        38%

Volleyball    46%

Basketball    26%

Basketball    37%

Hockey        26%

Hockey        38%

Swimming    28%

Swimming    41%

Track          34%

Track          38%

Soccer        35%

Soccer        50%

Tennis        46%

Tennis        47%

Sailing        53%

Sailing        53%

This is significant in that sailing, whose athletes rank higher than those in any other collegiate sport, is the only sport in which men and women rank equally. And, it is the only sport in which the athlete rank equally with the general student body. Further, at a time when the concept of the "student athlete" is in doubt, if they are to be found anywhere, it is in collegiate sailing.

Whether you are trying to promote your team as a varsity sport or as a club sport, this data should be of value in selling officialdom on the worth and value of our sport.

I've said all along that "sailing is not a sport for the stupid" and this tends to support that contention.

...I hope you will find this info of value. You can bet a copy of this was on my Athletic Director's desk right away.

Dan Winters

Christopher Newport University