YALE ATHLETIC REFORM NOT PRACTICABLE YET

Yale's new intra-College athletic policy which was to have dispensed with all paid coaches and emphasized games in all sports between the new Colleges will not be put into effect for several years, and even then may not be put through if it is found undesirable. The announcement, which comes after many criticisms including a statement of disapproval from Head Coach Malcolm Stevens last June, was made by Malcolm Farmer, director of athletics, yesterday.

The reform, which was projected last winter, called for a decisive cut in all schedules, limited the varsity football season to five games with traditional rivals only, confined all training tables to the College dining halls, and barred all pre-season practice. According to Mr. Farmer, the board of athletic control only discussed the project when it was submitted, and decided that as they were not willing to adopt all of the recommendations, they would vote merely to receive the report only as a guide for the future. The corporation also accepted the report, but did not vote its adoption. Assurance was given, moreover, that the authorities in favor of the reforms will not attempt to force changes into effect prematurely, and that if the changes are made it will be "only when and if they may become practicable, it being quite probable that several years will elapse before the complete athletic policy is set."

Describing the policy Yale intends to follow in respect to the new proposals, Mr. Farmer states as follows: "As to the matter of coaching: It is hoped that suitable non-paid coaches for house teams may be found. For university teams we shall endeavor to have the best men we can secure. We want coaches who will instruct the boys in the best there is in sport, giving them every opportunity to develop and to come in contact with those experiences and situations which occur in competitions with teams of other universities, and which are lacking in intra-College competition."

Continuing, Mr. Farmer states that Yale will continue to strive for winning teams, and that no team should be handicapped by want of proper training. In order to obtain the best results in the building of character, Yale, moreover, will be willing to pay the men who furnish this instruction as well as the building up of good sportsmanship, and hopes eventually to have them members of the regular university staff.

"The question of pre-season practice has for some time been a source of discussion," Mr. Farmer goes on. "In the case of football it is a matter of agreement with Harvard and Princeton that the training of teams shall not begin at the university or elsewhere prior to September 15 in each year. The university health director will not consent to have teams play games with other university teams without a reasonable period of training beforehand."

Coach Stevens, who was one of the chief objectors to the plan, declared that with two or three weeks less practice before the season, and no easier trial games, Yale would be outclassed physically and otherwise when it faced the strong teams of its traditional rivals later in the season. Going on to defend the professional coaching under the old system, Mr. Stevens maintained that the paid coach has to know his job, and that so far they have proved satisfactory. Taking up the defense of the players themselves, and how they would be affected by the reduction of games, he declared that the students have always felt the games to be the most pleasure of the season, and accordingly ought themselves to decide how many should be played