The board of trustees at the two-year college, located in Arkansas City, Kan. south of Wichita, approved the feasibility study to decide if adding wrestling to the school's programs would be viable, the Ark City News reported.
The study, which will be conducted by college administrators, will also look at academics and activities as well as athletic programs already in place. The board plans to have the study completed sometime in the fall.
In response to a fellow trustee's concerns about spending money in light of declining enrollment, Trustee Jolynn Foster said the purpose of the feasibility study was to address those concerns, adding, "If we were going to get into another program I think wrestling would probably be the cheapest to add."
Trustee Bob Juden said he supported the study and that adding wrestling to the college's programs would bring in more Arkansas City students.
"Look around the room," Juden said, taking note of the crowd of Ark City High School wrestlers in attendance at the meeting. "If you can get these men to come to Cowley, that would be great."
Trustee Jim Ramirez told the board many community colleges and faith-based schools are looking to add wrestling to their athletics programs. Ramirez also told the board the Ark City Take Down Club does have money earmarked to help Cowley start the wrestling program.
He said he would have representatives from that group speak with college administration while they are conducting the study.
Cowley Community College got its start in 1922 as the Arkansas City Junior College. For the first 30 years of its existence, the school was located in the basement of the Arkansas City High School. The school gained its own campus in 1950, and was renamed Cowley County Community College and Vocational-Technical School in 1965. According to the school's website, Cowley has approximately 5,000 students.
Cowley is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, track and field, golf, soccer, tennis, and spirit squad. Women's sports include softball, basketball, cross country, track and field, volleyball, tennis, soccer, spirit squad, and dance line. Cowley's teams are the Tigers.
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