Page 28 - Laker Connection Fall 2009

By Mason Barfield
Clayton State Athletics
Clayton State University began its journey of intercolle- giate athletics in 1987 when a group of students banded together under the guidance of Dean of Students Bo Bolan- der and Student Life Director Rob Tay- lor to solicit the addition of intercollegiate sports to the campus. Upon the endorsement of this idea by President Harry Downs, a committee of students, faculty, and staff met to deter- mine the proper course of action. A final plan was presented to the student body, and after several months of dis- cussion, a vote was solicited from the entire student body to determine whether they would support the idea of intercollegiate athletics, and pay a stu- dent fee to support the program. The vote produced a 78 percent approval for Clayton State to pursue the process of fielding an intercollegiate athletic pro-
gram.
In September of 1989, I was hired
as director of athletics and head basket- ball coach. The challenges were enor- mous in that the program would have to be built with only three, four-year de- gree offerings, a facility built for a com- munity college PE program that was being used for roller skating classes, and an enrollment smaller than any in the University System that Clayton State would compete against. In spite of these obstacles, Clayton State began the process of putting together an inter- collegiate athletic program, which in- cluded identifying schools colors, team logo, and a nickname, all of which were decided by a student- driven contest, as well as devel-
oping the existing facility to accommodate practice, games, training, and other needs.
The master plan for the development of the program called for the gradual addi- tion of sports over a five- year period, joining
the NAIA, and begin-
ning with men’s basket-
ball in 1990 and women’s
basketball in 1991. The first staff addi- tions included bringing Dottie Bum- balough to the athletic department from PE, Jeff Ozmont as assistant basketball coach, and Lynn Jarrett as women’s basketball coach. Mike Mead was hired as the sports information director and John Zubal was brought on as the ath- letic trainer. The first student-athlete signed to an athletics scholarship was
Current Clayton State mascot, Loch.
Clayton State’s first Men’s Basketball team.
24 THE LAKER CONNECTION
“Lakers” was first suggested because of the natural beauty of the Clayton State campus. A list of 104 team name suggestions was made by students, faculty and staff. In the end a student contest determined the team name as well as the logo and school colors.
The announcement for the very first Lakers basketball season, 1990-1991.
BEGINNING THE TRADIITION