Opinion: CMS Athletics Works Like Life in Greece

Camille Forte CM ’23 writes that competitiveness is at the heart of the CMS community. It shouldn’t be — and people should care. (Chris Nardi The Student Life)

After 11 years, there will be no practice tomorrow. I am no longer a “competitive” athlete. I’m no longer part of a CMS — and I’m relieved.

Yesterday, CMS Athletic Director Erica Jasper sent a mail To all CMS athletes. The Office of the Dean of Students at Harvey Mudd College and Claremont McKenna College found that the entire Claremont Mudd Scripps men’s soccer team violated Hayes in accordance with the student code of conduct, resulting in the Fall canceled the rest of the season.

While the results of the season suspension are good enough for the fall (and really the only option), it is doubtful whether CMS Athletic will show any structural change by spring. As a former member of CMS Women’s Track and Cross Country, I testify that her CMS falls short of its publicity declaration of producing “Scholars – Leaders – Athletes.”

Over the past three years, the culture of the CMS team has taken its toll on the CMC community. CMS players weren’t the only ones who got emails about the Hayes case — CMC students got emails as well.Kasumi fatal accidents every year, and other problematic behavior all the time. As a campus that boasts that her third of students are athletes, we need to know when an attack on community values occurs.

My CMS experience weighs heavily on me. CMC and 5C students need to understand the depth of cruelty their students experience. My coach and teammates, especially men, alienated me during his two-year tenure at CMS.

I have decided not to go back to CMS Cross Country this fall. Instead of asking why, the coach gave me an ultimatum. If he didn’t compete in the fall, he was banned from training with his teammates in the spring. She never asked enough to know that her teammates were always suspicious of my running ability and that the Micros were attacking my identity. Diluted the sense of belonging to.

The weekend party was enough for our weekly team bonding. Peer pressure led to party invitations being scattered, and the team was asked in his party email: [we] I wanted to be remembered on Saturday’ or ‘if [we] In fact, I wanted to set myself up for the long run on Sunday.” Still drunk from Sunday morning practice, the senior handed the junior the keys to the van. Because of my work on campus, I had to skip parties and alcohol-related activities, which was seen as disapproving of the team.

As an NCAA Division III program, CMS does not award athletic scholarships. However, the coach recruits most of his CMC athletes. Working at CMC’s admissions process, I’ve seen student applications tagged as “athletes.” Student “look-ahead” recommendations and overnight visits by coaches are reflected in the athlete’s application. CMC’s recruiting pool is small. It is exclusive in nature. Let’s take a look at a roster dominated by whites and/or high earners.The highly visible uniformity of CMC athletes starts at recruitment.

CMC students must be transparent about their hiring goals and criteria. What kind of community do coaches nurture? Based on my experience, coaches are looking for teams to win – and that’s all they see.

During the relay warm-up last spring, a male track teammate refused to make room in the narrow hallway. They mocked my request and returned it. A white male teammate amused me for being sexist and disrespectful. “Typical for freshmen,” my head coach said of the behavior. I have requested that my teammates be banned from participating in next week’s competition. In return, you’ll get the mandated apology.

But my teammate stopped me and said, “Oh, he’s right,” “He didn’t mean it,” “Are you still mad?” My teammates embraced and championed the “boys will be boys” mentality. Four weeks later, I received an apology for mild gaslighting. The coach comforted me by saying, “At least we are fast.” Coaches and athletes perpetuate program success at the expense of mutual respect.

There is no excuse for these actions, but every two years (and always in between), new incident occurs and the CMS culture must be “reconstructed and repaired”. No, you have to restart the CMS.

Between Jasper’s email release and the publication of this article, CMC has continued to mitigate the severity of haze from our organizational consciousness. At 6:51 am today, the CMC tour guide received an email regarding handling fallout and preparing for his TSL criticism. Our community is second to public relations. A few hours later, I shared my concerns about this incident with my class. My professor said, “It’s nothing compared to the 80’s peer culture.” At every turn, CMC excuses these patterns of behavior. This is how we move forward, but not how we move forward.

Athletes, coaches, and administrators must consistently break complacent attitudes about peer pressure, harassment, and drinking. Athletes and coaches must think about the comfortable spaces he CMS creates for these actions. CMS should be adopted consciously. Mandate toxic masculinity training and bystander intervention. Educate coaches to prioritize trophies over athletes. If CMS fails to do this, it will continue to be “three schools, two mascots, one culture”: a white culture dominated by men and protected by privilege.

Guest writer Camille Forte CM ’23 is a history and government major from the City of Chicago. She is a former CMS athlete and has worked in a variety of her CMC institutions including admissions, residential life and career her services.

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Opinion: CMS Athletics Works Like Life in Greece — And That Culture Must Go

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