In these troubled economic times, when college and universities are cutting back athletic programs like last year’s fashions, it might seem odd that Peninsula College look into adding a sports team.

But that may be exactly the case, thanks to some disparity in turnout.

Rick Ross, athletic director at Peninsula, said the Pirates could add a women’s sport in the next couple of years if the turnout rates for the sports they do offer remain static.

The federal Title IX law states that schools must provide equal opportunity for male and female students-athletes.

At first glance, that doesn’t seem like a problem at Peninsula College. After all, P.C.
S male student-athletes have soccer in the fall, the women have softball in the spring and both have basketball each winter.

The problem, Ross said. Is that the men’s soccer squad boasts more than 20 players at times — 25 on last year’s season-ending roster — while the softball squad barely had enough players to field a team at times. Peninsula’s softballers even had to forfeit a doubleheader this year when injuries to two Pirates left them with eight available players.

The college may have to add more opportunities for women student-athletes, particularly if the women in P.C.’s student population aren’t interested in playing softball.

Ross said there are two likely sports for the school. One is women’s soccer, and it’s probably the strongest candidate, considering that the prep and youth programs are strong on the Olympic Peninsula.

But the most attractive thing about women’s soccer is that NWAACC schools schedule doubleheaders with their men’s soccer teams. That means no added transportation costs for Peninsula or their opponents.

A drawback to adding a women’s soccer team is the sizable cost for player room and board during out-of-town tournaments.

Another strong possibility is adding a volleyball team, Ross said. The college already has a quality gymnasium for home contests. But adding volleyball would add considerable transportation costs to the P.C. athletic department budget.

Other women sports in the NWAACC include cross country, golf, tennis and track & field.

It hasn’t been a particularly good few months for collegiate sports opportunities in Washington state. Western Washington University cut its football program in January while the University of Washington cut its men’s and women’s swimming programs on May 1.

In Port Angeles? I can hardly believe it but yes, the future is brighter.