Beckett speaks on tradition, coaches and the AI

By Alexander Slater

Athletic Director Tom Beckett was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. He played professional baseball, spending five years in the San Francisco Giants system as an infielder. He then became involved in coaching baseball and basketball. Before coming to Yale two-and-a-half years ago, Beckett spent 11 years as the assistant athletic director at Stanford University.

The Yale Herald interviewed Director Beckett after he appeared at a Master's Tea in Calhoun College on Tues., Feb. 4., discussing various topics including Yale's tradition of varsity athletic excellence, the status of its club sports, what attracted him to Yale, and his views on the Academic Index.

On the subject of tradition, Beckett said it "plays a huge part in the recruitment process" because Yale's long and storied history conveys to prospective athletes "a sense of pride in Yale athletics." He noted that the added bonus for Yale athletes of "playing in front of big crowds" compared to other Ivy League schools was a direct "function of people knowing that there are great traditions here," and that attendance at sporting events is part of this tradition.

This rich history initially attracted Beckett to Yale. He explained that he found "the traditions of success at Yale...very appealing." He also highlighted the unique emphasis that Yale puts on academics as a factor in his decision. Being at a school that combines "dreams that are academically and athletically based in terms of pursuing excellence...being around very talented people...[who] are very dedicated to [these] two outstanding pursuits... pursuits [which] are not mutually exclusive" was a very appealing prospect.

With respect to sending "likely letters" to recruits in February, Beckett noted that "we are now in a competitive mode compared to what the rest of the [Ivy] League is doing." "likely letters" indicate to prospective student-athletes probable acceptance to Yale, and allow the University to attract students who might otherwise have signed a letter of intent to schools offering them scholarships. He stressed that "providing outstanding facilities, coaching, and a very aggressive national recruiting plan" were the main "factors [which] will help us build Yale into a very, very comptetitve Ivy League athletic program."

On the recent high-profile selection of Jack Siedlecki as the Bulldogs' head football coach, Beckett was very enthusiastic. He noted that Siedlecki has "built programs that have been very, very competitive in their respective leagues [at] institutions that are similar in their approach to what Yale does in terms of the very rigid academic standards that we have...and [our] financial need component."

He predicted great success for the new coach, praising "his offensive approach to the game [and his] style which is wide-open and exciting." In a final statement of confidence, Beckett said, "We have found an outstanding man." He also said the search for a new field hockey coach is "going very well," with interviews having been conducted this past week.

Responding to a query about club sports at Yale, Beckett explained that they are "a very vital part of the Yale experience for students who have an interest in competing...yet don't want to get into the varsity scene." Noting that athletics are part of the "undergraduate culture" at Yale, he felt that "it is very important for Yale to provide...the opportunity for [Yale students] to demonstrate their talent, and to do it in a way that is not just in a recreational situation, but is in a competitive environment."

Saving the most controversial for last, I asked Beckett about the Academic Index, the rigorous academic admissions criterion for Ivy League athletes, that has stirred recent debate. Being very open and blunt, Beckett said, "I don't understand it."

He explained that,"the Academic Index, in my view, is a program which hinders the University from doing what it has done for three centuries, and that is to pick students that they want to pick, as opposed to having...a league saying you can only take so many students in a certain area that have a numerical evaluation attached to their academic performance. I think that that is bizarre. An institution should be able to make its own decision."

With a tone of resignation he stated, "I am not in favor of it. But it's here."

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