Why can't Boston College build a track?
Boston College was once a chersihed institution. There was pride among the Catholics within the City of Boston and surrounding metropolitan area. It was where many Catholic parents sought to send their children for a Catholic college education. Over time it transformed from a liberal Arts College to a University with schools of Education, Nursing, Business and a Law School.
"Ever to Excel", Boston College became the primary logical destination, a "commuter school" for the hardworking catholic children of hardworking catholic parents in the Boston area.
In the late 1960's, early 1970's local distance runners on scholarship and attending Boston College were the catalysts behind the formation and great success of the Greater Boston Track club.
However runners on scholarship attending Boston College were often marginalized by the University. In 1968, the BC Track team adopted the mantra that they would succeed despite the University's disdain, poor facilities and coaching.
The Team challenged the ethics of the University and the BC Athletic Department and refused en-masse to compete in the 1968 New York Athletic Club's Track and Field competitions at Madison Square Gardens because the NYAC excluded blacks and Jews from its membership and from its' facilities in NYC.
If you ask, why is there no track, no athletic scholarships for Male Track and field athletes, why was the track removed? I would suggest that the disdain for male track and field athletes increased as the athletes disdain for the University also increased.
At that time Distance Runners attending Boston College on track scholarships were prohibited from holding part time jobs while in season and the season started in September and ended in June. They were prohibited from competing in local road races or any AAU sanctioned events. Only NCAA events were authorized.
Many of the distance athletes received partial scholarships, tuition only, one meal a day and books, no room and board and many lived locally and commuted to the University.
The coaching was part-time and indifferent. Practices were mandatory,late in the afternoon and ended in the early evening. Practices were held out door regardless of the weather primarily on the 473 yard tartan track surrounding the football field within Alumni Stadium.
In the Wintertime a banked wooden 176 yard track was erected on the football field in Alumni Stadium. The wooden track was a practice facility for the meets at Boston and Madison Square Gardens. It became an adventure to run on it after an icy heavy rain or snowfall.
My point in telling this story is to illustrate how Boston College has squandered its' opportuity to have a top 25 male cross country or track team.
Boston in the 60's, 70s, 80s and 90s became and was a mecca of the distance running and marathon world. Many of the nations best high school distance runners were graduates of the Boston metropolitan area high schools.
No University has a more prestigious perch on the world famous Boston Marathon course than Boston College, yet Boston College threatened the loss of an athletes scholarship if they competed in the Boston Marathon.
Why does Boston College not have a track facility? That queston remains a mystery to me even to this day. I remember the football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis and soccer (club) preparing for their seasons and in their off seasons coming to the track to run laps. Time on the track seemed to bring a spirit of equanamity and friendships developed among the athletes as each sport practiced and shared the track.
Curiously many of the perceptions and barriers thawed as we all ran in the cold and the heat together. We all shared the same small weight room too. But the track team never really shared in the same pie. My belief was that the AD resented our 1968 protest of the NYAC Games and the following year the Track Team Locker room was relocated from Roberts Center to the frigid visitors locker room in McHugh Forum ( Ice Hockey Arena).
My takeaway from those days and my best answer for why BC does not have scholarships for male track athletes or a track facility is...as a team.... as a group... male track athletes are different. We are less compliant with excessive dictatorial authoritarianism. We are not warm and fuzzy guys. We value people based on what they can do on the track. And now many years later, I feel the same way. Don't tell me....show me.... If you say you are better... prove it...I'm here ready to compete... shut up and show me what you got....
Well that old attitude just doesn't square very well with the new Boston College... My takeaway after listening and reading about the change in Boston College over the years is that the common mindset goes something like this..... Oh Yeah... no question... here at Boston College we believe that everyone is equal.... no question... but us here at BC... well we're just a little more equal...no question... we're sure you all understand ... right?
Yeah.... I understand...no question.... that's why there is no track at Boston College...it's just not cool.....never was and never will be. The University is stone quiet on the idea......