Calhoun College Suspends Athletics in 2018
Calhoun Athletics Suspended
By BOB LABBE
For the Record
MADISON- Having the wind taken from your sails or the carpet pulled from beneath your feet are exactly the feelings each of the current and soon-to-be student-athletes at Calhoun Community College are feeling after the Decatur based two-year school announced the closure of its athletics program, effective at the end of the 2017-2018 school year.
“While program closures are never easy, we want this transition to be as smooth as possible for everyone affected,” said Dr. Jim Klauber, president of Calhoun Community College, siting reductions in the college’s overall operating budget.
“This stinks, as coach (Mike) Burns put together a good team,” said Andrew Stemple, a recent graduate of Sparkman High who signed an athletic scholarship to play baseball at Calhoun. “I guess I’ll get it done in one.”
The decision to end athletics at the school included those in baseball, softball and golf. Stemple is one of three baseball players from Sparkman along with Carter Vickers and Jacob Foster, to sign with Calhoun this past spring. The golf program also picked up a commitment from the Senators in Brittni Sims. Austin Chandler of Bob Jones grabbed a scholarship offer from the Warhawks’ golf program. Current and perspective athletes will have their scholarships honored. Those wishing to transfer to a different school will be released from the commitment to the Calhoun athletic program.
For Stemple, who plays shortstop, said he was shocked at the announcement as he the remainder of the baseball team were informed by Coach Burns just a few days prior to the school releasing the details to the media. The 6-foot, 200-pound hitter has a bright and upbeat attitude towards the program. He said, “It’s one of those deals you can’t do anything about it, so I believe in looking on the bright side of things.”
For Vickers, a starting pitcher for the Senators this past season, he passed up a scholarship to play at UAB, so this news of the Calhoun suspension came hard for the 6-3, 180 flamethrower. “I definitely have second thoughts now as nobody wants to sign for two years than just one year,” said Vickers, who wants to study finance. “This has really got under my skin as Calhoun is the largest junior college in Alabama and I just don’t understand the decision.”
“I was really looking forward to playing two years with my Sparkman teammates as Coach Burns has really built a strong program and now I’ll just one my freshman year there,” said Foster, a 5-11, 195-pound outfielder. “If another scholarship comes up I’ll take it. If not, I’ll stay my two years of school at Calhoun. Both UAH and Marion Institute showed a lot of interest in me last season and it’s possible I’ll contact those schools.”
“The decision to suspend our athletics program was an extremely difficult one to reach, however, we felt this was in the best interest of the college as a whole,” added Klauber.
“I feel as though my dream has been cut in half,” said Vickers.
The Warhawks baseball field will be empty after the 2018 season as Calhoun College will suspend athletics at the end of the 2018 school year.
