NORTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Lehigh Carbon Community College's intercollegiate athletics program could be salvaged this fall.
The college is reviewing a contract for an athletic trainer, but nothing has been approved yet, Linda Baker, executive director of college relations, told LehighValleyNews.com on Wednesday.
LCCC officials previously said the college would need to hire an athletic trainer by July 15 to keep the intercollegiate athletics program running through the end of the 2024-25 school year.
If not, LCCC would expedite its plans to move to "a comprehensive intramurals program" as early as this upcoming school year.
The shift would "reduce the budgetary pressures of intercollegiate competitions," and allow more students to participate in sports, Baker said.
"An athletic trainer will ensure the safety of our athletes, focusing on injury prevention and care."Linda Baker, executive director of college relations at LCCC
"An athletic trainer will ensure the safety of our athletes, focusing on injury prevention and care," Baker last told LehighValleyNews.com in a statement.
Of the roughly 6,500 students who attend the college, around 110 participate in the eight intercollegiate sports offered, according to LCCC's athletics sports team rosters.
The website's intramural sports page says the college already offers two intramural sports: open gym basketball on Mondays and Wednesdays and open gym volleyball on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
It's a disappointment and shock to some, but "typical" to Chris Weber who worked as the college's head volleyball coach in 2018.
"It's been my impression that the support of the administration has always been lacking towards athletics."Chris Weber, former head volleyball coach at LCCC
Also an LCCC alum, Weber said his participation in men's club volleyball in the 90s impacted his academic years greatly, but added "It's been my impression that the support of the administration has always been lacking toward athletics."
In his time as volleyball coach, Weber said he attempted to fundraise for the college, and despite raising upward of $5,000, he said it felt like the administration "always put up a lot of barriers toward being able to establish things."
"Administration has never really been supportive of athletics," he said. "But now they're doing the math going 'Oh, we don't get that many full-time students so why do we need this big expenditure if we're going to cater to part-time students?'"
Most students who attend LCCC are registered part-time, making up 69.2% of the student body (4,317), with 1,922 (30.8%) full-time students, according to institutional student data from the college in 2022.
"Because over the years they could've catered like Northampton [Community College] did — they put in dorms to help full-time students," Weber said. "But LCCC has always lagged behind Northampton and refused to do the things that would've created more of a pull for full-time students."
