Column: BSC sports are improving — and deserving of support

BIG BLUE
BLUEFIELD STATE COLLEGE

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia  — The times, they are a-changing.

For those too young to know, those are lyrics from a popular Bob Dylan song of the 1960s. The phrase can also be used to describe the basketball programs at Bluefield State College.

J.J. Oliver is in his third year as head coach of the Lady Blues and has assembled a roster that is not only complete, but competing, proven by the early success of the team this year.

In his two previous seasons there have been at most nine players on the roster, and many times the Lady Blues began games with six, or seven players in uniform.

This year all the seats on the bench are full and it is commonplace to see Oliver use a 10-lady rotation during the games, which so far has been a success for the Lady Blues.

Bluefield State defeated WVIAC foe Alderson-Broaddus this past week to improve to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in conference play. Furthermore, the BSC women are riding a four-game winning streak.

Coaching at Bluefield State is a difficult task, unique when compared to all the other schools in the WVIAC. Unlike Concord, West Virginia State, Glenville State, or any school in the conference, BSC does not have on-campus housing. It is the only commuter school in the conference.

As such, coaches face difficulty when it comes to recruting because they do not have, nor can they offer housing, or even a meal plan for students. In past years we have seen many athletes, both men and women play one year at BSC and depart. Retention has been a major problem for especially the basketball programs.

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