DUE WEST, SC-- The Erskine College Board of Trustees approved on Friday a recomendation of the Student Services Committee to begin a feasibility study to examine the possibility of football at Erskine. The process to begin the feasibility study began last February when Erskine President Randy Ruble appointed a twenty-member Athletics Committee, chaired by Alumni Board President Steve Southwell, to create a vision for Erskine Athletics. From that committee, a six-member sub-committee was created to look specifically at football at Erskine. The sub-committee led by Southwell then made a recomendation to the Board of Trustees thru the Student Services Committee to approve the beginning work on a feasibility study. The feasibility study will begin immediately, completing its work with an official report to the Board of Trustees next October (2008).
The six-member football sub-committee is comprised of Southwell, Dr. Richard Taylor, Flying Fleet Board Member Dr. Larry Nycum, Flying Fleet Board Chairman Phil Phillips, Board of Trustees member Scott Mitchell, and Director of Athletics Mark Peeler. The committee will pay for the expenses of the study. While each member of the committee has agreed to work on the study, Peeler will take on the responsibility of leading and directing the project. The feasibility study has created a stir on the small rural campus of Due West. Southwell hopes it leads to the creation of a football program in the near future.
"A football program would bring many positive changes and additions to the campus that will benefit the entire student body. The enhanced collegiate atmosphere will bring us new opportunities, new students, and a whole lot fun," stated Steve Southwell, who played baseball at Erskine while a student.
Mark Peeler indicated the feasibility study will involve looking at several schools who have recently added football to their athletics program. He and other committee members plan on spending time on those school's campuses over the next few months.
"There is an enormous amount of work to be done from this point to examine all the issues that will be involved with adding football at Erskine. This is a fact finding mission to determine costs and to determine what this addition will mean to the institution as a whole. The approval of this feasibility study is a step in the right direction, an endorsement of looking at a vision that may or may not be right for the institution, but at least opening the door to examine possibilities of growth. I just don't think we can sit still and be content where we are. I am not doing my job if we don't look at all the possible ways to grow," remarked Peeler, who is in his 4th year as athletics director and his ninth as men's basketball coach.
Erskine Athletics is already set to grow during Peeler's tenure as athletlics director. The Fleet will be adding women's lacrosse, men's and women's golf in 2008-2009 and then add women's volleyball in 2009-2010.