Posted: 09/05/07

“Undefeated since 1974”
The return of the University of Vermont football team

Alex McIntire | photo editor
amcintire@smcvt.edu

Doug Deluca runs first-year tryouts for the UVM football club. (Alex McIntire, photo)

It’s been 33 years since the University of Vermont (UVM) celebrated its last National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) varsity football team. After its final season in 1974, the school could no longer support the team financially, making Vermont one of only two states in the country that doesn't claim a university football team (Alaska is the other).

Many students at UVM have come and gone, perhaps wishing for a team to support on Saturday afternoons.  Doug Deluca, a UVM sophomore, has gone beyond wishing and has acted, putting together the first UVM football team since the mid-70s.

The new team is not considered a varsity squad, nor is it affiliated with the NCAA. It is a club team competing in the semi-professional Northeast Independent Football League, which is made up of other club teams including one other college team from the University of Maine.

Deluca’s project, which began last September as a first-year, has blossomed into a fully functional football team that is already 1-0 this season, defeating the North Berkshire Kings 17-12 on Saturday, Aug. 25.

Let there be football

Deluca, originally from Westford, Conn., looked into playing football at the NCAA level, as the sport has been a major part of his life. He wanted to continue playing the sport he has loved since the seventh grade, he says.  However, finding a college that had a good business program was also a part of his college search, which eventually lead him to UVM. 

Having heard that college club teams existed elsewhere in the country, Deluca decided to try and start a club team at his new school.  Once he gained approval from the student government to start the team, there was no turning back.

“It took pretty much all of last year,” Deluca says.  “It started at the end of last September, once I was all settled in, and even still there are a lot of issues and things we’re still dealing with to get this team going.”

As the club slowly formed, coaches were found and games were scheduled. Deluca’s year of hard work and effort finally paid off.

“He’s one of the sharpest kids I’ve ever met," says the club’s head coach Darren Haynes. “He’s done almost all of the work, probably 90 percent of it.  And to be a freshman with a full course load, and take on now being the club president, player, and to have a job on campus is just unbelievable.”

Members of the UVM football club pose for a photo. (Alex McIntire, photo)

Financial issues

While having a football club is one step closer to having a NCAA team, there is no shortage of future steps required to take the team to the varsity level, UVM Athletic Director Bob Corran says.

The biggest issue in making the large step from club to varsity is money. Currently, the team’s budget from the Student Government Association is $12,000, according to Deluca.  The majority of their funds have come from donations, including one hefty donation of $18,000 from an unnamed alumnus, Deluca says. 

“We’ve gotten great support and obviously the donations won’t come forever,” Deluca says.  “But we’d like to become popular in the community and I’d really love to get well-known in the area and if we can get good attendance at the games that should definitely help us do well in the future.”

The $40,000 in total that the club has accumulated has been enough to purchase equipment, acquire facilities,and pay liability insurance, but according to Corran, the amount of money that it would take to turn varsity is unrealistic at this time.  He estimates that it would cost $30 to $40 million to get an NCAA team off of the ground. Because of Title-9, a federal stipulation prohibiting gender discrimination in school athletic departments, it would also mean having to add about 100 roster spots on women’s sports teams as well.

“From a financial standpoint, it’s really one of the least economically viable sports in the NCAA,” Corran says. “All and all, it’s just a mountain that is so high for us to even attempt to climb.”

Community reaction

Tim Snow donnes his UVM club football shirt. (Alex McIntire, photo)

Deluca and the club are aware that a future involving the NCAA is far away. He realizes the size of the investment involved and that the University is not prepared to take that kind of step, but that’s also not why the club was created. 

“I’d just like to stir up some excitement for (the team) and get kids excited,” Deluca says. “It’d be great just to have a good fan base and have people look forward to going to a game on Saturday night in the fall.”

Getting students on campus interested in the club was not a difficult task, Deluca says. A large turnout at interest meetings held last spring proved the club was a hit with students.  There have been enough people interested for the club that Deluca has had to hold tryouts.  The Northeast Independent Football League the club plays in only allows 35 players to dress.  Because of this rule and the lack of equipment, the club has to keep their numbers down to between 40 and 50 players, Deluca says.  

Around the UVM campus, Deluca says, there has been a solid response.

“We’ve been getting a good reaction,” he says.  “I think a lot of people want to see football, whether it’s at the University of Vermont or just in Vermont.”

Corran says he agrees and values the efforts of Deluca and others involved.

“Any time there is an active student group or a competitive club, that only makes the quality of life on campus that much better,” he says. “It’s another opportunity for students to stay involved and another good thing for the campus.”

The UVM club football team will play its second game and first home game of the 2007 season at Burlington High School on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. against the Vermont Ravens.