DEDICATED ATHLETES

To the Editors of The Crimson:

The article on David Matthews, the Director of Sports Information, which appeared in the Dump Truck issue of January 15, 1975, included several remarks demonstrating an ignorant and damaging attitude toward Radcliffe sports. While trying to describe the difficulty Matthews has in trying to get Boston sportswriters to cover Harvard-Radcliffe sports events, the reporter included a parenthetical remark: (Who cares, after all, about some fencing match or a Radcliffe field hockey game?) Athletes at Harvard-Radcliffe who compete on an inter-collegiate level have all made a committment of time and energy to their sport. It is not easy to be a serious athlete and a serious student--every Harvard-Radcliffe athlete cares about his sport. If his sport happens to be an unusual one, not played or followed by many other people, or not a real money-maker, it nevertheless does not warrant this sort of demeaning response. The best sort of sports reporting is not governed by what the fans think of sports, especially fans such as those who throng to the Harvard/Yale football game as much to be seen at the game as to see the game. The best sort of sports reporting reflects the athletes' involvement.

The Radcliffe/Yale field hockey match was not a "pre-game" activity for the football game as the article suggested. It was an athletic event of as much importance to the participants as any football game ever was. And, incidentally, to someone who knew about the season records of the two field hockey teams, the outcome of the Radcliffe/Yale game was a more surprising and therefore newsworthy success than the Harvard victory. The game demonstrated a great improvement in a team that had struggled against many odds during the season. The Radcliffe team tied the heavily favored Yale team in an exciting contest. It was a classic game, in which one team's mental attitude inspired them to match the level of a team of greater ability.

The article further stated, "Why should the University care if no reporters cover the basketball games or field hockey matches as long as players and fans have fun." The University should be very concerned over such slights. The college reporter should recognize the achievements of students in all areas. It is through such recognition that programs grow and improve. The purpose of sports reporting should not only be to attract athletic stars, sell tickets, and keep alumni interested, as Dave Matthews suggested. Furthermore, women's teams and men's teams receiving less coverage are not taken less seriously by the players than teams more in the public eye. The aim of the Radcliffe field hockey team is not to have fun. No competent sports reporter would believe this. Female athletes are as serious and dedicated as their male counterparts. The long hours, the sweat, the pain and the mental concentration that women's intercollegiate athletics now demand are not at all "fun," though very rewarding.

It is time for The Crimson sports reporters to realize that many women have made a serious committment to athletics here, in spite of the handicaps they face. In the future we hope The Crimson will recognize the efforts of all athletes and demonstrate a more informed attitude in its reporting. Diana Finch and Carlene Rhodes   Co-captains, Radcliffe Field Hockey