Lehigh Swimming and Diving Release Statements Regarding Drinking Offenses

This kind of activity is not unprecedented on a college campus, nor is the levying of alcohol sanctions when students that are underage are identified as having consumed alcohol. It is somewhat unusual for students to be arrested on the more serious charges, however, clearly these charges are among the potential consequences for hosts of alcohol based social activities. In this case, the charges were levied and the story became quite widespread and visible as is increasingly likely when student-athletes are involved.

We are certainly grateful that nobody was hurt. However, we also are disappointed that the group of student-athletes at this party did not make better decisions, and that other teammates who were not there did not take steps to help ensure the safety and moderation of a social event they knew was occurring. We teach in all our programs the principles of teamwork, interdependence, and trust so our athletes really should be better at this than they demonstrated. Our entire department looks at this episode as a failure to achieve our mission—we aim to develop leaders who can and will promote good decision making, responsibility and rationality in all they encounter.

On the other hand, this experience has presented a wonderful teaching opportunity. It has allowed all our coaches and all our teams to revisit their individual and collective convictions about professed aspirations. These moments beg for us to ask and answer the questions: How badly do our teams want to be good? And how good do we really want to be?

Choices have consequences, for better or for worse. In this case, the choices made by this group of students were not wise. One set of consequences is applied on an individual level to each of the athletes involved. Those consequences involve loss of participation privileges because we believe that participating in college sports is something that should never be taken for granted. Another set of consequences will be felt by all who are members of the swimming and diving team. At this point they have lost the opportunity of a team training trip at the semester break. It remains to be seen whether this privilege can be "earned back" by the team. In the end, our primary intention is not to be punitive but instead to ensure that important life lessons are learned. These are bright and talented young people whom we expect will become leaders in their chosen life paths. As was true for many of us, the lessons of college are likely to be quite relevant in the years to come, and most especially those lessons that are learned painfully.

Now that the dust has settled a little, I want to express my thoughts about the events that occurred.

First and foremost, our swimmers and divers are good kids. They work hard in school and in the pool. They have represented Lehigh and Lehigh Athletics with dignity meet, after meet, after meet. I have and will always appreciate their dedication.

The events of last Wednesday evening can be summed up as a lack of responsible judgment by all. As Lehigh student athletes, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. But it is always important to remember that our student-athletes are human and make mistakes. We must be there to pick them up, teach them to recognize the affects of their mistakes and offer opportunities to adjust their behaviors to a successful future.

As a team, we will continue to seek support from campus counselors. As a team, we will work through the consequences and we will learn from past behavior. As a team, we will model what we want for our program. As a team, we will move forward to a great season.

"No matter the circumstances of a particular situation, when we bear the name of Lehigh swimming and diving, we must ALL be responsible for the consequences that result. Those involved and those who were not are united under the team, therefore, standing together to win a championship or when one of us trips and falls. Only at that moment, which we must pick ourselves up, do we become better people."