To the Editor:
One of the happiest days of my life was when I received my acceptance letter to Brown.
Today was one of the saddest days of my life when I learned that the wrestling team will likely be dropped ("Athletics committee recommends axing four varsity teams," April 21).
As a scholar-athlete growing up in Kansas, it was my dream to excel both in the classroom and in the athletic arena. I was able to win a national wrestling championship and three state championships in high school. I was also only the third wrestler in the state of Kansas in the last 30 years to have the chance to wrestle in the Ivy League.
I fell in love with Brown for the diversity and richness of all that Brown offers, and of all the schools that recruited me heavily — including Princeton, Michigan and Stanford — I felt that Brown was the place for me. The coaches and athletes and the students that I met were amazing. To be able to discuss wrestling and chess and music and politics within a span of minutes was tantalizing. I couldn't wait to start my studies there.
Now, I'm confused. My dreams seem shattered. I don't know what I should do. Wrestling has provided me with insight and work habits that have carried over to my studies, and as a young athlete, my dream is to pursue collegiate wrestling as there is no real opportunity after college. There is just a fleeting moment of time to pursue my wrestling goals. In some ways, that is one of the beautiful things about that sport.
Brown has a reputation for the happiest students and for being open and caring and creating many opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds to excel in many areas to make a difference. By cutting athletic programs, Brown's actions are painful. They limit opportunities, they stifle dreams, they are exclusive and not inclusive. Also, the timing could not be worse. There are really few opportunities for the current and recruited athletes to look elsewhere. Scholarships have already been given out, transfer deadlines have passed. The message being sent is that Brown does not care about its student athletes and does not even take into account the timing of such decisions.
Please keep the teams for one more season. It would allow the athletes the chance to look for other opportunities, and I suspect that many of the recruits would end up staying at Brown despite their sport being dropped. Your timing and actions send the message that you don't care, that money is what drives your decisions, that individual opportunities for recruits and athletes mean nothing with regards to the timing of your decisions. That is not Brown. Or is it?
Zack Tanenbaum '15
