NU lacrosse faces financial setbacks for Florida trip

By Gabriel M. Burkart
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

As the last slice of greasy, hot pizza left the hands of sophomore Nick Dolpp in Dodge Hall, an excited lacrosse player felt as though he and his team had gotten the job done.

"We tried to raise as much money as we could and thought that the rest would be covered by the school," said Dolpp, 19, from Williamsville, N.Y.

But this was not the case. Despite selling pizza in the dorms, working and cleaning for the N.U. football games, and working a variety of other jobs, the men's lacrosse team failed to raise enough money for plane tickets to Disney World in Florida this spring break. Instead, the team will be required to ride a bus for three days if they wish to go on the trip.

"I can't believe that we have to ride on a bus to Disney World. Our break is only, like, ten days, and we'll be spending six of it on a bus," said Dolpp. "We all worked hard to raise as much money as possible so we could have a fun time for spring break. Now we're going to have to spend most of our vacation on a crowded bus. Besides, buses make me sick."

Another lacrosse player who shares the same feelings is Jesse Roy, 19, from Middlebury, VT. The sophomore civil engineer major feels as though his team in not being fully taken care of.

"It definitely is a setback for our team, even though it's all just for fun. We had a lot of guys working hard raising this money. It just doesn't seem fair," said Roy.

Even with using buses, the total trip cost for each player will be $350. Still, the team feels as though they will still have a good time. The cost includes the bus fare, the hotel stay and a meal plan, as well as multi-pass for each player to use any ride at Disney World.

"I think it will be cool to go down to Disney World. I haven't been there since I was a kid. It will be weird to see all it again," said Aaron Sylvia, 20, a sophomore from Bristol, R.I. "Besides, $350 isn't that much for a spring break vacation. I know people that are paying, like, $900 to go somewhere.

Along with being able to go on any ride at Disney World and having hotel expenses and food expenses taken care of, the lacrosse team will be allowed to use the facilities at Disney World for a lacrosse tournament.

"Disney is allowing us to use their field to play at a lacrosse tournament against other teams in the U.S.," said Geoff Regan, a senior captain on the team. "I think it's cool of them to let us play at their field, and maybe we can represent Norwich by winning," said Regan, 23, from Avon, Conn.

Nick Atwood, 20, a sophomore English major from Middlebury, VT, is more concerned about going on Space Mountain than winning games.

"This is my spring break. I mean, don't get me wrong, I want to win, but I'm down here to have some fun. The last time I was on Space Mountain I was nine years old. It's going to be the first thing I do after I get off the bus. I've done the party scene for spring break, and this will be a cool change to all that," said Atwood. "It will be a fun time, if we can make it past the bus ride."

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