The club sailing team spent nearly $13,000 last year on boat maintenance, transportation, coach's salary, yacht club membership and competition fees. And yet, the University only provided $3,000 toward last year's expenditures, forcing the team to close the budget gap through alumni fundraising and $100 membership dues.
The team's financial plight is not uncommon: Princeton's budget for club sports must be stretched to fund 32 different teams, making it impossible for the University to fully cover any one squad's expenses. As a result, to keep their teams on the field, club athletes are often forced to pay out of their own pockets and devote hours to fundraising.
It's a situation that leaves many of the 893 students who competed on club sports teams last year — compared to 1,161 varsity athletes — feeling shortchanged.
"I definitely think that the University doesn't take the sport clubs as seriously as they could," said junior David Rosen, the club baseball team's president. "It seems like we get the short end of the stick, especially when there's so many sports club athletes, especially with the endowment we have."
But Department of Athletics officials respond that they are doing the best they can.
"I think that the needs are being met for the most part," Senior Associate Director of Athletics Inge Radice said, "understanding that we can always use more [funds]."
Radice also pointed out that the support the University gives club teams "goes beyond the dollar amount" they receive. Princeton allows club teams to use facilities such as Dillon Gym and the West Windsor fields free of charge.
Radice also noted that several varsity teams — men's water polo, men's volleyball and wrestling — don't even receive direct University funding.
The overall club sports budget has remained constant over the past five years, except for a two to three percent cost of living increase each year, according to Radice. She declined to disclose specific budget numbers.
Budget limitations
Many club teams say what they receive is simply not enough.
"Our budget limits what we can aspire to do," said senior Grant Edwards, the men's club basketball team president.
The 35-man team hopes to compete more this year to give everyone playing time, but the $500 it receives to cover uniforms and referees restricts the number of games it can schedule.
Similarly, the club baseball team receives just $900 from the University, even though their league charges $1,380 each year to compete. Rosen projected that this year's expenditures will approach $3,500, including travel, uniforms and equipment.
While teams appreciate whatever financial support they can get, several teams have asked the University for increased support beyond extra dollars.
The men's club lacrosse team has lobbied for more storage facilities, such a shed or lockers on West Windsor fields.
Senior Lawrence Azzaretti, the sailing team's treasurer, wants the administration to assist with transportation by allowing free use of University vans.
For senior Ruth Parr, the women's rugby team president, assistance with trip planning, paperwork and organization — which varsity teams receive — would be greatly appreciated.
"I end up doing a lot of rugby stuff when I'd rather be doing my homework," she said. "It's just a lot of extra stress we have."
Squads like the sailing and rugby teams, which do not have varsity counterparts, believe they are especially deserving of increased support. When the sailing team competes in a regatta, Azzaretti explained, it represents the University as the sailing team, not the 'club' team.
"It's important that Princeton recognizes that while some of its athletes are competing at a club level within the University, they are at a Varsity level in their collegiate league," he said.
Creative financing
Club sport teams submit a budget proposal each year describing all foreseeable expenses and requesting an amount from the Sport Club office. A council comprised of four club athletes and Sport Club coordinator Cristine McCarthy assesses the proposals in May. Teams may also apply for special funds to cover unusual expenses, like travel to championship events.
McCarthy said that limited funds are "given on a need basis," influenced by various factors including total expenditures, the size of the roster and fundraising efforts.
"If a team doesn't fundraise, that is looked upon as not helping yourself," McCarthy said.
The women's rugby team jumps at every opportunity it gets to fundraise, including cleaning up Jadwin Gym after basketball games, selling tickets at hockey games and being ball girls at soccer games. They also stage a phone-a-thon in the fall and waitress an event in the spring. Every team member is expected to do 20 hours of fundraising.
Money from each effort goes into the team's "Friends Account," which rolls over each year. University-granted funds are placed in the "Club Account" and must be used during the fiscal year.
The "Friends Accounts" are mainly filled by donations from alumni, upon which many club teams rely heavily. When the women's rugby team traveled to California last year to compete in the NCAA Final Four, alumni covered the flight and hotel costs for 30 players. Alumni also pay for the team's coach's salary.
Despite the kindness of alumni, most teams must still work to support themselves.
Many players, however, consider fundraising "a waste of time," according to Rosen. His club baseball team is especially dependent on fundraising because it receives little financial support from alumni, since the team was founded only four years ago.
"Everyone hates working the football games," he said, "but we have to do it if we want to play."
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