U of A Swimming alumni to set up a “varsity-like” program

In October 2024, the University of Alberta announced it will be ending the swimming program. For the program to keep running next season, the U of A requested a $6 million endowment. The University of Alberta Swim Team Alumni Society (UASTAS) moved away from this effort. They turned to form a separate program.

“The primary thing that drove us away from that effort was [that] the university made it clear to us that the endowment would have to be controlled by the university,” Connor Bayne said. 

Bayne has been the president of UASTAS since 2022. He swam with the program between 2014 and 2019, holding a captain position in his last two years. 

He said that they quickly abandoned the effort to garner $6 million because the university did not guarantee that the funds would go toward maintaining and supporting the swim team in the long-term.

Instead, UASTAS is pursuing the formation of an independent program for varsity swimming in Edmonton. The Edmonton Keyano Swim Club has been subsidizing part of the U of A swim program since 2020. They will be governing this new varsity-like program. Athletes who join will be classified as club swimmers.

“If we can demonstrate to the university that we can fund and run a successful program, then if the university wants to approach us again … we’re open to a discussion as we’ve always been,” Bayne said. 

Bayne says the U of A has dismissed conversations

Bayne said that UASTAS has only participated in conversations with the university through a U of A senate member they met at U Sports. Otherwise, he said the university has been dismissive of their pleas.

“We felt that our meeting with [the member of the senate] was definitely the most receptive meeting that we’ve had in terms of anyone at the university. We finally felt like our thoughts, concerns and feedback were being heard.”

According to Bayne, UASTAS’ priority is the current athletes. They want to keep the team environment he knows the program to provide.

“I felt welcomed at the U of A, and it felt like much more of a family and a fit, it suited me, and that’s why I chose to come here,” Bayne said. 

This isn’t the first time the program has faced challenges. During the time Bayne swam with the program, the team went through four different head coaches. The university at the time did not advertise a coaching job and rather decided to promote assistant coaches. 

“For a long time, we felt that the swim team has kind of been a low priority for the university. But it wasn’t until now that it was actually demonstrated how low a priority we are for the university,” Bayne said. 

Bayne highlights that the team always pulls through during hard times

In Bayne’s first year, the swimming program’s long-term head coach resigned. That same year, the team won their first gold medal at U Sports since 1997. Similarly, this year at U Sports, the Golden Bears and Pandas placed fifth, set a school record, and Paul Birmingham was honoured as Coach of the Year.

“Despite the adversity that this team has faced in the past, they’ve always pulled through and still performed exceptionally,” Bayne said. 

The next steps for UASTAS involve administration behind setting up their new program, with the big challenge being funding. They informed current students about the program, but up until recently, they had primarily focused on their season performance.

“We’ve had informal discussions that the alumni are not going anywhere. Nobody can take away the friendships and memories they’ve made, but also the concept of a team,” Bayne said.

Bayne highlighted that in their communications with athletics, no one ever explicitly said that cutting the swimming program would solve long-term financial problems. When Bayne asked if they were the last to go, there was no definite answer either. 

“I’ve been in touch with some other alumni, and I’ve told them to keep their alumni close, to get a community together, and some funding. We don’t know what the future is going to hold,” Bayne said.