By Jeremy Trail
A new, possibly revolutionary college activities program will replace the phased-out collegiate athletic programs of Ricks College, now BYU-Idaho.
Garth Hall, vice president of advancement at BYU-Idaho, and former athletic director, said he knows the decision to drop the athletics program came from a prophet of God.
Hall said he was responsible for creating the new concept and was expected to get the ball rolling for the change.
Although the future activities program is currently in the planning stage, a large portion of the new concept has been drafted. Hall said the formal campaign will be revealed to the public during February.
The program''s administrators believe other colleges throughout the nation will view the activities program at BYU-Idaho as an innovative alternative to expensive athletic programs, Hall said.
The money previously allocated to support the college''s athletic program and approximately 280 athletes will be distributed throughout the activities program.
'Student''s interests will determine most of the direction the program takes,' Hall said.
The new activities agenda will be organized into four divisions of activities encompassing all types of extra-curricular activity: fitness, performance, visual arts and social and enrichment programs. Intramural sports will remain intact, Hall said.
Football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, track and cross-country are the main sports included in the rough draft of the activities program. These sports will be conducted as closely as possible to match the competition level of collegiate athletics.
Inter-school competitions will be judged and controlled by professional referees, Hall said.
Administrators of the new plan have considered the possibility of football becoming a six or eight-man full contact game at BYU-Idaho, Hall said.
The major difference in the new athletic program is that former athletic rivals of Rick''s College will not be invited to the Viking''s stomping ground because the athletic teams will no longer travel to inter-collegiate athletic competition, Hall said.
Devin Shaum, director of activities and former alumni director, said the fitness division of the program will also include outdoors activities, which are expected to involve thousands of students.
BYU-Idaho has acquired nearly 120 acres of undeveloped land south of campus that will be used for cross-country running and cross-country skiing.
Two rivers cross the property and will provide opportunities for students to participate in canoeing, kayaking, fishing and other activities, Shaum said.
The change will not only affect the BYU-Idaho students but also much of the faculty and coaching staff.
Doug Stutz the head track coach will be one of the few coaches to continue in his position. Working in an administration position in addition to his coaching, Stutz said he does not have to reposition himself on the faculty or look elsewhere for work, unlike many of the other coaches.
Some coaches are not as positive as others when considering the up-and-coming activities program.
Ron Haun, the head football coach, said increased activities are needed, but not at the expense of student athletes who deserve the opportunity to participate at the collegiate level.