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Bradley to start new club sports for women

Da Coach

Da Coach

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President James Shadid has sent out this email letter campus-wide, and to others such as media, alumni, donors, and other supporters-
Website link with more information- https://www.bradley.edu/premier-club-sports/

Dear Alumni and Friends,
I am pleased to share exciting news that reflects our continued investment in the Premier Student Experience at Bradley.
Starting next academic year, we will begin to introduce new Premier Club Sports for women:
  • Women’s Ice Hockey (Fall 2026)
  • Women’s Flag Football (Spring 2027)
  • STUNT (Coming soon)
  • Women’s Soccer (Coming soon)
  • Women’s Wrestling (Coming soon)
These additions represent more than new teams. They represent new opportunities for leadership, teamwork, school spirit and community building.
Women’s ice hockey and women’s flag football are experiencing tremendous national growth, with flag football set to debut in the 2028 Olympic Games and recognized by the NCAA as an emerging sport. STUNT is rapidly expanding at the collegiate level, providing a structured competitive pathway for current STUNT and cheer athletes. Soccer remains one of the most widely played sports for young women across the country, with strong pipelines into collegiate competition.
This expansion of Premier Club Sports is made possible through the Nick and Nancy Owens Excellence Fund, established through a generous $1 million gift from Nick Owens ’67 and Nancy Owens. The fund honors their children, Nicholas Owens ’01 and Natalie Owens, and recognizes the dedication of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Chris Reynolds to advancing women’s athletics and women’s club sports at Bradley.
By investing in these programs, Bradley is responding to national momentum while strengthening our own vibrant campus community. Premier Club Sports allow students to compete at a high level while balancing academic excellence, a model that aligns directly with our commitment to developing well-rounded leaders.
At Bradley, we believe the student experience extends far beyond the classroom. Athletics help foster resilience, belonging, and pride. These new programs create additional pathways for our students to grow, compete and thrive.
I look forward to cheering on these new teams and seeing the energy they bring to our campus.
For more information and details about ice hockey and flag football tryouts, please visit bradley.edu/premierclubs.
Thank you for your continued support of Bradley and our students.
Sincerely,
James E. Shadid
President
Bradley University
 
With them starting all these club sports I would like to see them bring back PE as a major. I believe this would be a great opportunity for Bradley and would add students to their enrollment.
 
tomahawk chop said:
With them starting all these club sports I would like to see them bring back PE as a major. I believe this would be a great opportunity for Bradley and would add students to their enrollment.
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There are arguments both for and against having a PE major. It would involve starting a whole new curriculum, upgrading PE facilities, and hiring new teachers/professors. I suspect the cost/benefit ratio would likely not be beneficial for Bradley. I think the club sports program is being added as an incentive to draw in more students, and would serve a similar purpose.
And, I'm not sure there would be many new enrollees who would choose to come to Bradley to major in PE, considering they would face a tuition of over $40,000, plus other costs that would bring the total costs to over $60K per year for a major that is available at nearly every state school for less than half that cost.
It would probably help recruiting for several sports, especially basketball and maybe more now in this transfer-portal era. I have had two of our past coaches tell me that Bradley is hurt by not having a PE major, because transfer players from junior colleges and other 4-year schools often had credits in PE courses from their previous schools that would not transfer to Bradley and would be lost to them. Big schools use PE classes as the easy-A, or no-show classes for their football and basketball athletes with less-gifted academic skills.
 
Will if you are adding all these club sports I would think a PE program would be important to them. Bradley also has nursing programs that cost a lot more then they would at other schools or programs. I do not know everything about all the costs involved but I just think adding PE would help in a lot of areas.
 
molar50 said:
I agree. It should have been restored years ago. Physical health is important for mental health.
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I did a search and found that one point that would favor bringing back a PE curriculum is that in the last few years, job opportunities for PE grads has increased. With Americans more obese and unhealthy, and the increased focus on health by government agencies, opportunities for PE grads are better than they have been in a while.
The careers may not be the highest paying types of jobs, teaching, fitness and health industry, and even some government and tech companies are hiring more people with PE backgrounds.

The job market for physical education teachers in the United States - CareerExplorer

There are currently an estimated 16,300 physical education teachers in the United States. The physical education teacher job market is expected to grow by 3.1% between 2022 and 2032.
www.careerexplorer.com www.careerexplorer.com

Career Paths You Can Take with a Physical Education Degree

www.apu.edu www.apu.edu
 
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