Feel free to post it, thank you for passing it on. Good luck. Honestly let me know if there is anything I or my team can do.

Grant Holicky

 "Support" <support@b-k-ind.com> wrote:

May I please post your note on our website?  - "Support"

 

I'll pass it on to all the team members and their parents.

Thank you for taking the time to write it.

-----Original Message-----
From: Grant Holicky 
Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2002 10:31 PM
To: support@b-k-ind.com
Subject: Dartmouth Swimming

Dear Dartmouth Student-Athletes,

I am writing to express my support for the Dartmouth Aquatics Program. I am currently a club swim coach in Boulder, CO and was a college swimmer at Washington and Lee University. Your story has become a serious and heated topic of discussion around our pool. We all feel for you and offer any support we can give.

As a former college swimmer I look back on my years at Washington and Lee with a fondness that has never been surpassed. My time there would not have been the same without my teammates, my coach and my sport. I also played water polo and the year after my graduation that program was cut. The situation was very similar. To us Alumni and to the current players, the reasons seemed weak and empty. the promise of a club program was not enough for us and for the kids that chose to attend the school to play. I personally feel that an important part of my school was lost that day. No more will W&L see crowds of 500 watch a water polo game in Virginia. No more will that small Division III school feel the pride of a Division I top twenty team. The institution is weakened because of it. It would be a shame to see a fine school like Dartmouth feel the same pain.

I speak from experience when i say that the Dartmouth will lose donation money because of this decision. Personally, I have not given money to Washington and Lee since the day my former team was cut. Furthermore I do not intend to. However, I would gladly give to help save any aquatics program at any other school.

It is unfortunate that Dartmouth feels that they no longer need student-swimmers at their school. Many of my swimmers that were interested in attending Ivy League schools have begun to look elsewhere for fear of losing their program after enrolling.

Good luck in your pursuit of academic and athletic excellence. Hopefully, your university will see the light and aid you.

Sincerely.

Grant Holicky
Head Coach-RallySport Aquatic Club Boulder, CO
Washington and Lee University '95
Swimming and Water Polo 91-95