Steve Sumarah should be focused on finding an extra piece or two to get his Saint Mary’s Huskies football team to the Vanier Cup.

But increasingly, like many of his compatriots in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport community, the coach has one eye on the bottom line.

Canadian universities have suffered mightily in the current economic slump. The AUS hasn’t escaped unscathed, with University of Prince Edward Island withdrawing its women’s volleyball team from conference play earlier this month.

Sumarah’s budget is unchanged from a year ago and the Huskies will be front and centre when the new football season starts in September.

However, what Sumarah gets from the university’s administration is only part of the lifeblood of a successful varsity program. Saint Mary’s sports teams run a major auction in the winter and a golf tournament in the summer as part of their fundraising — and that’s where the slump is apparent.

"There are a lot of people who are being a little cautious of where they want to put their dollars," said Sumarah. "When you’re out looking for sponsors or people to buy tables . . . I think people are still doing that, but they aren’t doing as many."

The Huskies summer golf event, named for former athletic director Larry Uteck, funds three major athletic scholarships each year. But charity golf tournaments are one of the easiest corporate cuts in a bad economy.

He said everybody is chasing the same diminishing pot. "We’re working harder to stay the same," Sumarah said.

Acadia men’s hockey coach Darren Burns said his experience has been similar to Sumarah’s. Supporters of his team in the Annapolis Valley remain as generous as possible, but he’s come across the occasional past patron unable to afford a ticket to the team’s sport celebrity dinner in June, he said.

"There’s no question there are challenges around us," said Burns. "Fundraising is a huge part of it for us here at Acadia and we have to dig in and dig deep. That’s the reality of it."

Any troubles this year could be the thin edge of the wedge. Universities fear a downturn in enrolments, given high tuitions and rising unemployment, which could impact future budgets.

AUS members had to make commitments to remain in their respective sports last fall. That means changes, if more are forthcoming, would be more likely for 2010-2011.

Some other universities have chipped away at sports programs to trim costs. Calgary dropped funding for its women’s field hockey and men’s soccer in April. Windsor nipped at the fringes in March by eliminating support for men’s rugby, men’s and women’s curling, men’s and women’s golf and women’s fastball. Simon Fraser’s athletic department lost three per cent of its budget.

Cape Breton athletic director John Ryan said his school is helped by only having five varsity teams.

He said the funding he gets from university coffers, which will be virtually unchanged in 2009-10, covers the basics, but maintaining corporate sponsorships in the community funds athletic scholarships. Those allow Capers teams to be nationally competitive.

He can’t complain about his budget when many Canadian universities are looking for savings.

"I think the status quo in today’s market would be like an increase," he said.

Leo MacPherson, St. Francis Xavier’s athletic director, said he expects the same money from his bosses when the envelope lands on his desk, but he said "nobody is immune" from a downturn.

Even with prudent management there will be heavy pressure on fundraising, he said. "The biggest economic challenge we face is in the fundraising, sponsorship and donations area."

Atlantic University Sport had a good year in 2008-09 despite a weaker economy.

"In fact, even without the Final 8 (men’s basketball tournament), we probably had one of the best years we’ve ever had," said AUS executive director Phil Currie.

The AUS held its own in terms of attendance at its sport championships and added to its roster of corporate sponsors and partners. It announced a six-figure agreement during the year with Subway.

( mmosher@herald.ca)

This page last modified Sunday, 07-Nov-2010 16:43:22 AST