The Carleton Ravens men’s lacrosse team saw their quest for a first ever Baggataway Cup fall just short earlier this month, with a 9-8 loss to the Brock Badgers in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) semifinals.
But there may be a silver lining for head coach Noah Goddard and company.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, the strong showing could help the men achieve the much-coveted status as one of Carleton’s “varsity” sports teams.
The team is currently operated as a “university club,” and as such, does not receive full funding from the school in order to cover their annual expenses.
However, with this year’s version of the team responsible for one of the best seasons in the 24-year history of the program, captain Tom Acton said he hopes the university will finally get behind the team financially.
The program has come a long way since its winless season in 2006, and Acton said he believes continued success is paramount to getting the school to jump on board.
“To be honest, four years ago we weren’t that good, but obviously we’re moving up and to show that to the school will help us get varsity status,” he said. “[The university] does not want to give [varsity status] to someone who is going to lose.”
Club president Steven Carswell said the program runs on an annual budget of $20,000, which covers everything from field time to travel arrangements for tournaments and away games.
Carleton currently chips in with approximately one-quarter of that amount, in addition to providing the necessary home-field facilities, with corporate sponsorship also lending a helping hand.
To make up the difference, each player is on the hook for $300 per season, an amount Carswell said he believes will deter many from even considering a spot with the club.
“There are lots of lacrosse players on campus who just can’t afford that commitment; it is a [big] commitment,” he said. “So we feel if we can get our funding to where the players pay nothing, we can attract better talent and be competitive every single year.”
Carswell also believes that the team can make a positive contribution to the school from more than just an athletic perspective.
Some of which, he said, are already being seen.
“Last year we brought in eight or nine students to the school just for the purpose of playing on our team, so we feel like it’s more of an investment than a cost,” he said. “If we can prove that to the university maybe through a couple years, they’ll start making more steps towards that full funding.”
Both Acton and Carswell said they hope the team gains the all-important status within the next two years.