College of the Redwoods is reinstating football in the fall of 2022 and adding women’s tennis to its slate of athletic programming for next year. CR will immediately begin the process of hiring both a football and tennis coach, with job postings out next week.

“Alumni, parents and community members have taken the time to convey their personal stories of how important athletics, in particular football, has been in their lives. For many students playing sports was what led them to higher education,” says CR President Keith Flamer. “Considering these and other factors, we have decided to reinstate the status of intercollegiate football in fall 2022 and offer women’s tennis. Offering these two sports will have lasting implications for our effort to build and sustain a diverse student body and build stronger relationships with our local community.”

The decision to reinstate the football program came after a funding commitment by the CR Foundation and an outside study that recommended steps to improve the football program. Those steps include prioritizing recruitment of local talent, emphasizing academic achievement and success, and fostering a stronger relationship between the CR athletics department, the community, and local High Schools.

The goal is to recruit 40-70 freshman per year to the football team, with at least half of those coming from Humboldt or Del Norte high schools. Total roster size, including redshirts and sophomores, will be in the 70-100 range.

Athletic Director Bob Brown says, “We may not achieve the local recruitment numbers we’re looking for right out of the gate, but that is where we are headed. This strategy has worked for both our men’s and women’s basketball teams and we have seen packed gymnasiums and playoff caliber teams come out of it.”

On the academic side, CR’s football and other athletics programs are committed to improving graduation and/or successful transfer rates to 80% +, with student athletes successfully completing two years of eligibility in their respective sports program and achieving cumulative team GPAs of 3.00 +.  All athletic programs will be focused on building community relationships and will be active in the community through volunteering opportunities and/or guest appearances.

Women’s tennis is being added to provide more educational and athletic opportunity for female students, and to stay in compliance with Title IX.

 “In the past, when we pursued Beach Volleyball it was on the premise that other programs in the Golden Valley Conference would also add the sport, but that never materialized,” Brown continues. “There is significant local area high school participation currently in women’s tennis as well as regional community college teams participating, so we are confident we can provide a great opportunity for these students and help grow our female participation in athletics.”

If your business, organization, or family is interested in supporting College of the Redwoods athletic programs please contact Marty Coelho, Executive Director of College Advancement, and the College of the Redwoods Foundation at marty-coelho@redwoods.edu.

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