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C >.ach Caccese refutes budget rumors;
Calls accusations "...Positively wrong. "
by Michael Rose
Recently Penn State Hazleton
athletic director Dr. Tom Caccese has
been the subject of many rumors con
cerning the sports budgeting of the
athletic teams on campus. In the middle
of the controversy is the Hazleton
basketball team, which is coached by
Caccese. The rumors say that Caccese
has a conflict of interest in the budget
ing department because he serves as
basketball coach as well as athletic
director for the campus.
Some individuals felt that Caccese is to
blame for any budgeting problems.
While others were busy making accusa
tions, no one was getting the facts. I
decided to go out and try to get the
facts.
I had the chance to hold an informal
interview with Dr. Caccese about the
rumors in an attempt to clear the sports
department of any false accusations. At
the start, Caccese told me that coaches
get the opportunity to tell him what
they need for their teams at the
beginning and end of each season.
“Coaches have full responsibility for
their programs, especially in terms of
equipment and supplies,” Caccese sta
ted. According to Caccese, he has never
turned down any coach for equipment
or supplies for his or her program in his
17 years on campus.
There are seven varsity sports here at
the Hazleton campus. Dr. Caccese told
me that the budget per sport includes
transportation, game officials, meal
money, uniforms, and supplies. A popu
lar rumor states that the basketball
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team is said to get the best of these five
items, or at least more than any other
team gets. That, according to Caccese,
is "...positively wrong.”
Caccese says that the basketball team
appears to be getting more money from
the budget; however, he claims the
basketball team has more money
because of fund raisers held throughout
the year. Caccese cited a hoagie sale in
October and team advertising as some
sources of revenue.
Caccese told me that this year’s
advertising intake paid for half of the
cost of black “Air Jordans” sneakers
"If a coach feels
replacement uniforms
are needed, they are
never turned down."
• Coach Tom Caccese
for the team. Caccese told me that the
basketball team was able to purchase
the infamous sneakers for $BO.OO due to
a school discount rate at a local
business. He stated that advertising
covered $40.00 per pair of sneakers per
player, and that each player was
required to pay the remaining $40.00 if
they wanted those particular sneakers.
Caccese firmly stated that if
advertising was unable to produce
enough money for new sneakers, the
players would have had to supply their
own sneakers, just as other team
players must supply their own sneakers
and spikes for their sports. Overall,
Caccese stated that the black “Air
Jordans” worn by the basketball team
DID NOT come from the varsity sports
budget
Caccese also informed me that last
year’s fund raisers provided ankle
braces for five of this year’s returning
players. He stated that freshmen and
other newcomers do not possess ankle
braces this season because “there was
not enough money to purchase them
this year.”
Caccese stated, “All teams have the
opportunity to run fund raisers to
supplement their budget allotment” He
also mentioned that some teams have
run such fund raisers in the past
Another area of concern is uniforms.
Each team rotates on a 4-5 year cycle
for new uniforms. Caccese says “more
strenuous sports” such as “basketball,
baseball, soccer, and softball” may need
replacement uniforms before-their turn
in the cycle comes up.
Caccese denies any charges that the
basketball team is pampered uniform
wise. He states that any team with
uniforms in poor condition will receive
compensation through replacement
uniforms.
“If a coach feels replacement
uniforms are needed, they are never
turned down,” Caccese said.
Rumors are also being spread about
the warm-up outfits worn by the bas
ketball team. Caccese states that the
soccer and tennis teams also have
warm-ups, and he assured me that the
basketball team’s current warm-ups are
three years old. He also told me that
warm-ups are not supplied more often
because they do not wear out as
quickly as regular uniforms.
Dr. Caccese believes that Hazleton
runs the finest athletic program in the
Commonwealth campus system. He
believes that the Hazleton campus
possesses the finest sports facilities,
and he also reminds readers that the
Hazleton sports department is one of
the few that holds an annual banquet at
the end of each year, as well as other
honorable events.
At the end of our interview, Dr.
Caccese told me that he wished to
stress two points. First, as athletic
director, he operates within the budget
established by Dr. James Staudenmeier,
CEO for our campus. Second, he would
like to state that his office is always
open to anyone who has questions or
concerns regarding the athletic pro-
December, 1990