A student proposal for membership access to Kline Center facilities and fitness activities was submitted for approval. The student, Zack Hollander ’21, offered the Dickinson Athletic Club as an idea to bring together those within and outside of the Dickinson College community. 

Hollander explained that the Dickinson Athletic Club is modeled after a similar athletic club at the Millbrook Preparatory School in Millbrook, New York. According to his proposal, “the club [at Millbrook] supplied students, coaches and the athletic department with a constant income and, eventually, new facilities and expanded programs. It also widened the community and allowed the school to make connections to people who normally wouldn’t be reached.” 

Hollander’s proposal sees the Dickinson Athletic Club functioning as many sports clubs do. It would allow the extended members of the community to purchase a membership to use the athletic facilities, such as squash and tennis courts, the Kline Center gym, the sports fields and the group classes that Dickinson offers. Community members would also be allowed to take individual or group lessons, taught by both students and coaches, in the sports offered at Dickinson. Special events, ranging from tournaments to hosting professionals, could be organized with approval from the Athletic department. 

The proposal said that, through working for the Club by teaching lessons, student-athletes would “have the chance to learn how to coach and grow their program while learning and having the chance to make some money, an opportunity that some student-athletes [normally must] forfeit for their sport.” It also pointed out that it would give the Dickinson Athletic department the chance to gain funds and grow their programs, coaches would get paid based on the number of lessons that they gave along with getting the chance to grow their own individual sports programs, as well as give the College as a whole the opportunity “to integrate [into] the greater community.”

The proposal addressed certain concerns that could be involved in the creation of the Dickinson Athletic Club. Any risk of injury would be solved with a waiver given to individuals. To address the uncertainty about having outsiders on campus, the proposal said that there would only be certain times during which outside community members would have access to the facilities, as well as an ID to create a record of where they have been when scanning in and out of facilities, and the College would have the right to pull membership from individuals who made any student feel uncomfortable. The proposal also pointed out that “people can also just walk on campus and cause havoc without this program,” so the amount of risk remains unchanged. It explained that the risk of damage to athletic facilities would be helped by the price of membership, which would offset any wear and tear damages, as well as an orientation process to teach about the safety and proper usage of each athletic facility. “If a member damages the facility or equipment… a charge can be added to their account,” as would be mentioned within a membership contract, according to the proposal.

The proposal stated that there would be no startup cost to the Dickinson Athletic Club, as the College would “would only have to supply equipment if lessons are given. The equipment provided [would] be based on sport and the type of equipment used… for all other equipment and basic usage… the member [would] have to supply the proper equipment. The school can also rent out the gear that it has for a price as well as have a pro-shop so that members can purchase the proper gear.” 

Rachel O’Brien ’22 believed that “the new program will bring community members into the facilities and will help promote Squash and Tennis programs. It is a great opportunity to get the community more involved with student athletes… and can bring much needed funding into building the program.”

Director of Athletics Joel Quattrone did not respond to a request for comment by print time. 

In the meantime, Hollander ’21 said that the Squash team plans on “starting a Wednesday Round Robin. Basically, a time where anyone can come [to] us [in] the courts. Chris [Fernandez] or I will be there to give a few pointers and help out.” 

The proposal for the Dickinson Athletic Club has been submitted for this year’s Revolutionary Challenge.