(The Beacon)
By John McCarty, Staff Writer -- mccarty12@up.edu
For allegedly violating the Department of Recreational Service's policy and attending games under the influence of alcohol, a group of players known as the Colossal Squids has been barred from participating in the spring season of intramurals.
The ban came about as a result of policy violations that allegedly occurred during the last two spring seasons of intramurals and, as opposed to individual sanctions, forbids more than four members of the Colossal Squids from playing together as a group.
"We don't deal with many discipline problems, which is a good thing," Director of Recreational Services Brian Dezzani said. "However, it is our responsibility to maintain a safe play environment and this decision is a result of that."
Colossal Squids team captain and senior Cameron Keilty-Lucas think Rec. Services has based its decision on limited circumstantial evidence.
"The refs assumed we were intoxicated because we're kind of a wild team to begin with," Keilty-Lucas said. "It's all hearsay to be honest. There was no beer or alcohol on the field, they just said we smelled like alcohol."
According to Dezzani, the problem first came to his attention two years ago in the spring of 2009 when intramural officials reported their belief that members of the Colossal Squids attended a co-recreational soccer game under the influence of alcohol. The situation came to a head following the Squid's quarterfinals game during the 2010 spring soccer season.
"I got a report from the officials that they could smell alcohol on the breath of a lot of the players," Dezzani said. "Apparently, there was some discussion on whether to end the game or not and the officials allowed them to keep playing, which is not what I would want."
The Colossal Squids finished their quarterfinals game in the lead and, according to Keilty-Lucas, were informed by the officials that they had won.
"Later I got a call from Dezzani, he said we lost the game and that we needed to talk," Keilty-Lucas said. "We ended up being disqualified from the playoff game. We tried to fight it as best we could but Rec. Services is Rec. Services so they won that one."
When captains Keilty-Lucas and Riva met with Dezzani they denied the allegations.
"They told me one thing and the refs told me another," Dezzani said. "So we accumulated the information needed to make an informed decision. When I talk to every staff member and they all tell me the same thing we have to do something."
According to four-year member of the Colossal Squids and senior Aaron Davis, the Squids were allowed to participate in other intramurals this year including volleyball and softball.
"I definitely think the decision was sudden and a little ridiculous, I don't really think it's fair at all," Davis said. "It's sad that we can't play our senior year. It seems like Rec. Services was out to get us and we were kind of made an example of."
The decision to ban the Colossal Squids from playing as a team is a matter of safety and policy, according to Dezzani.
"It's our responsibility to maintain a safe play environment, if someone is unfit to play we don't want them playing," Dezzani said. "We're enforcing policy and doing something about it at the point that it needed to be done."
According to Davis, the Colossal Squids stood out from other teams because of their spirit for the game and their uniforms, which consist of pink tank tops and blue short shorts with the Colossal Squids logo on them. According to Dezzani, the Squids had a reputation for aggressive play.
"We don't go on the field and try to hurt people, we just want to have fun and try to win," Keilty-Lucas said. "It seems to me that (Rec. Services) is trying to make intramurals more serious than they are."
