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CLEVELAND, Ohio – Rep. Jim Jordan said he would like Congress to examine the growing pressure colleges face to fund non-revenue sports in the wake of Cleveland State’s aborted attempt to eliminate wrestling.
“Maybe it’s worthwhile to have some hearings on the subject so people understand what’s at stake, because all of sudden you wake up in Northeast Ohio one day and you read in The Plain Dealer that Cleveland State is dropping wrestling,” he said.
Jordan, an Ohio Republican from Troy and a former NCAA wrestling champion, was in Cleveland on Monday to meet with Cleveland-based Wrestlers in Business Network, which played a role in saving the CSU wrestling program.
In a phone interview with The Plain Dealer, Jordan expressed concern about the NCAA’s decision this year to expand the “cost of attendance” athletic scholarships at Division I schools, which some experts say could increase athletic department budgets between $1 million and $3 million. He suggested the House Oversight Committee, of which he is a member, could be a place to begin that discussion.
“I’ve talked to some of my colleagues on the Democrat side who had sons in non-revenue sports and a simple idea may be to start the educational process that is going to be required in light of the decision to pay athletes a little more,” Jordan said. “We’re looking at the impact of all this on the Olympic or so-called non-revenue sports.”
Jordan met earlier this year with the Action Coalition to Strengthen Olympic Sports (ACTSOS), a group of coaches associations that has joined forces to prevent non-revenue college sports from being eliminated.
“Going forward, one of the things we’re looking at trying to do is highlight the importance of the Olympic sports, not just wrestling, but all sports have in teaching character and the qualities that make a difference in young peoples lives. It’s part of education. I think lots of employers would agree with that,” he said.
Jordan, whose Fourth District stretches from Lorain County to Southwest Ohio, said the Cleveland State wrestling saga grabbed his attention from the start. CSU announced March 30 it would defund the wrestling program in 2016 to make room for a new men’s lacrosse team.
Jordan was stunned because he considers Northeast Ohio a national wrestling hotbed and because Cleveland is to host the 2018 NCAA wrestling championships. Jordan has been a regular at high school matches in the Cleveland area for years to watch his sons and nephews compete for St. Paris Graham, his alma mater, which is coached by his brother, Jeff.
The uproar over CSU’s decision gained national attention including, according to Jordan, some of his colleagues in the House of Representatives.
Cleveland State students passed a non-binding student referendum that supported a student fee to fund wrestling and a new women’s sport.
CSU reversed its decision April 15 and restored wrestling.
“I don’t know that there’s ever been that quick of a turnaround,” said Jordan, a 2014 inductee into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Jordan said WIBN and CSU alumni deserve credit for making that happen. He had lunch with them Monday to offer encouragement and support. He does not plan to meet with anyone at Cleveland State.
CSU officials have been meeting with WIBN, the National Wrestling Coaches Association and other wrestling supporters to find a viable, long-term funding model that includes community and alumni support.
“I think that’s something you’re going to see people focus on and maybe see more of,” Jordan said. “That’s going to be more important going forward for non-revenue sports.
“In this new world we’re heading into, you have to make sure your sport has a presence on the campus and make sure your sport is in a strong position going forward.
”This model that wrestling is starting I think is great – reaching out to everyone.”
Along with the Milkovich family from Maple Heights, the Jordan family is nationally renown in wrestling circles. The Jordans have collected more than 35 individual and team Ohio state high school championships. Jim and Jeff Jordan were among Ohio’s first four-time state champions at St. Paris Graham. Jim went on to win two NCAA titles at Wisconsin.
Jim Jordan’s sons, Ben and Isaac, were three-time state champions at Graham and All-Americans at Wisconsin, where Isaac has two years of eligibility remaining. Jeff’s sons, Bo and Micah, wrestle for Ohio State.
