Mailbag: Eligibility Extension, No More Picks, Sub Zero Alumni Team

Can we fix the pick rule?

April 23, 2020 by Charlie Eisenhood in Opinion with 0 comments

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Q: In the discussion around eligibility extension, I’ve heard a lot of people talk about how this disproportionately helps those with the financial means to continue their schooling. I understand where this idea comes from, but I also think that it assumes the fact that people finish their undergraduate work in four years. Most of our perception is based on the elite programs, and most of those programs are at schools that are on the expensive side of things. So in those situations, maybe this makes sense.

In my experience, though, it is very common for people to take five or six or more years to finish their undergraduate degree because of a financial burden, not because of a financial luxury. Many students take fewer classes or have to take terms off because of financial issues, causing them to stay in school longer. These types of students don’t tend to go to Carleton, and probably aren’t POTY candidates at UNC because they aren’t able to commit fully to ultimate. Plenty of these players play, though, and hopefully some of them are able to play another year due to the eligibility extension.