What is D1? - Part 2

Last week I talked about some of the issues surrounding this notion of Division 1 athletics. You can go HERE to read Part 1 of this post. The basic notion that I am trying to get across is that being "D1" doesn't automatically make you better than everyone else in the different divisions, far from it. There are plenty of levels throughout all of D1 volleyball and some of the differences conference to conference and program to program can be pretty drastic.

"D1 has more money or better facilities"

This statement comes in many different forms. It's not even really a statement, it's more of an assumption. We are assuming that because a school is D1 that everything they have is better. It's simply not true. Not only do D2 schools like Angelo state and UCO (just to name a couple) have great facilities, but we haven't talked about what "better" really means. Plenty of D1 programs play in gyms that aren't nearly as nice as some of the high school gyms I've been to here in the Metroplex. What does better mean? Newer, updated, bigger? Tarleton State is a D1 program that has played in it's own gym for a number of years. It's small, but it's theirs. Also, it's packed and loud at every home game. Is that better than having 300 fans in a mostly empty arena? Maybe.

But what about money? Aren't D2 programs funded less than D1 schools? Maybe. Depends on the school. If you're looking only at the bottom line of how much money is pumped into a specific program, you're missing most of the context. Technically, most D1 volleyball programs are going to have more scholarship dollars than D2 schools. That has almost all do to with the scholarship limits between D1 and D2. D1 is allowed 12 scholarships max and D2 is allowed 8 scholarships max. Being at a private school with tuition at $50k+ your scholarship budget at a D2 school, might actually be larger than a D1 state school.

Funding Overall and Conference Travel

Also, you have to look at travel in general. Most D2 conferences are located more regionally. Travel time, mileage and potential hotel costs are simply going to be less than most D1 schools/conferences, simply for that fact alone. It's always possible that programs don't have enough money in their budget to pay for conference travel. Hopefully their aren't too many coaches that have to deal with that still.

What you really should look at instead of a school having "more money" or "better facilities" is "how they are funded." How much fundraising does the program need to do? Is their travel paid for? It terms of gear I feel like the majority of programs get what they need overall. Now, some programs are going to be able to give out more tshirts or an extra pair of shoes, things like that. But does the program have what they need? Are the athletes sleeping 3 to a bed when they travel? I made the decision that our athletes were going to be able to eat when they needed and when they were hungry. If that meant we took an extra run to Jimmy John's to feed them, then that's what we did. We just didn't go crazy at dinner meals though; no one was ordering the filet-mignon anyway, but we had a limit at dinner. Even though we were tight with a budget, I never wanted them to feel like they couldn't fuel themselves when we traveled.

Lots of D1 programs out there are skimping on things to stay within a budget. That includes things like recruiting. Why are only certain D1 schools at more qualifiers than others? That's because they don't have the budget to GO recruit athletes; they are limited to where they can go and watch athletes. That's a factor to think about. I see several D2 programs out there recruiting more than I see some D1 schools. So who is funded better in that regard?

My point with this is just that you can't only look at the bottom. There is way more context involved.

D2 is "less time"

This is notion that I try and squash. D1 and D2 volleyball are allowed the same amount of practice hours every week. I would argue that those schools at each level are basically using the same amount of time every week. Some schools are going to use more than others, but I don't think that there is any correlation in D2 schools practicing less, or having fewer logged hours during their Fall season. The Spring season for each level is a little different. So there is a time difference there in terms of how much practice you are doing overall. But I honestly don't think the difference is all that much in general; it just looks different on paper. I don't have any statistical info for that - maybe later.

My point here is that if you are thinking D2 is less competitive and so you're going to NOT work as hard or work less, then you're starting off with a false premise and aren't familiar with the competitive level at D2 and probably not really in a lot of D1 conferences either. D2 isn't a lesser conference; the structure of it is different from the beginning.

Comparing yourself to something you're not...

So this is always my pitch to D2 college coaches when this topic comes up.

"Stop comparing yourselves to the mid-major D1 level"

You aren't a D1 program. You're a D2 program; be accepting about who and what you are. Not because you're somehow "worse" than D1 programs, but because you simply aren't that thing. I also don't think it's a fair sell to athletes and doesn't make sense if you're trying to "steal" athletes away from D1 programs. If a college coach is telling me that we are "like a D1 mid-major" can we actually define what that means and what that looks like? I'm not sure we can, and it blurs the lines on this end more than it helps give clarity. Also, why would I take the "store brand" when I could have the "name brand"? What I mean is, if you're telling me that you're LIKE a D1 program, but you aren't, why wouldn't I take the real thing over a substitute? Do you want Adidas or do you want something that's "like Adidas"? I don't think you score any points when you make those comparisons and I think it just encourages the "D1 is better" narrative. Sell who and what you are. I think that's the message that athletes want to hear.

I hope this conversation has been helpful and I hope that this can be an ongoing conversation in terms of what D1 is and what it isn't.

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