Cal State Fullerton wrestling budget update from Coach Dan Hicks

As the budget crisis in California deepens, we are going to be effected in a substantial way at Cal State Fullerton. I was able to buy us the 2009-2010 season by coming up with individual donations, support from CAGWA kids association, monies projected from our team camp and 3 tournaments. The total we have to raise is $60,000 plus any overage on scholarships, travel and recruiting. So probably about $80,000 this year 2009-2010.

In order to insure 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, we have been asked to raise $200,000 in cash by May 1, 2010 and $200,000 in pledges by August 1, 2010.

I believe we would then be able to be on a year to year plan. That would be my hope.

The positive for us is that we have time ahead to raise a reasonable amount of money. Most wrestling programs that have been dropped had little warning and were given a huge dollar amount as a goal. Examples would be Oregon and Fresno State. Some have had to raise money for a woman's team as well.

I believe as a wrestling community we can work together to get this done. It will take individual donors, kids associations, attendance at camps that return the money to the program, monies from tournaments, corporate sponsors and attendance at duals.

At some point we must find a way to stop the bleeding.

An article came out today highlighting the predicament at ESPN.com.

Programs in precarious position
By Graham Watson of ESPN.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=4313320

I wanted to let you know before some may have stumbled onto the information. We are in the process of setting up a web page for donations and have already set camp dates for next summer between July 10-21 for coaches interested in getting behind our camps.

Feel free to call with questions:

Dan Hicks
657-278-2138
dhicks@fullerton.edu