Administrative interest and support for varsity
athletics was non-existent in the early history of South Dakota
State College. This situation was not unique at South Dakota State
but very similar to the attitude that existed at other land-grant
colleges. College administrators looked upon competitive athletics
as frivolous, dangerous and unnecessary pursuits, which were totally
incompatible with the philosophy and objectives of higher
education. It was left to students interested in competitive
athletics to provide the leadership, organization and administration
of early athletic endeavors.
Football was organized in the fall of 1885 and like
baseball, track and field participation was of the intramural
nature. Early athletic endeavors usually found competition between
classes or divisions within the college.
Before the turn of the century, intercollegiate
athletic competition included a variety of sports and activities:
baseball, football, track and field, tennis, bicycle races and
oratorical contests were all popular. It is claimed that athletic
contests among colleges actually got started as the result of
oratorical contests. Contestants in state oratorical competition
decided that the value of their meet might be enhanced by the
inclusion of some form of physical endeavor.
One of the major obstacles in the development of
early athletics was the disregard of the necessity for hiring a
coach. Older students or an interested volunteer from the faculty
often coached early teams.
The year 1922 marked a new era for South Dakota State
athletic teams as the North Central Conference had been formed. Dr.
Harry Severin, Professor of Zoology at South Dakota State, played an
important role in the formation and administration of the conference
and served continuously for 40 years as conference secretary. The
first championship contested by the conference was won by South
Dakota State College.
South Dakota State University [SDSU] has been very
active in intercollegiate athletics since the 1920s. In addition to
a great deal of success in North Central conference participation,
SDSU has pioneered and promoted many new sports such as: wrestling,
gymnastics, field hockey, swimming, and a variety of outstanding
sports clubs.
Related Material:
Randklev, Keith Warren, Demographic
characteristics of donors to South Dakota State University athletics,
Thesis (M.S.)—Physical Education Dept., South Dakota State
University, 1982. [Archives: LB2385.R156 1982]
Schlender, James Elmer, A historical analysis of
the development of track and field at South Dakota State College
1889-1958, Thesis (M.Ed.)—Physical Education Dept., South Dakota
State University, 1958. [Archives: LB2385.Sch37 1958]
Schmeichel, Russel Lee, The historical development
of intercollegiate track and field athletics at South Dakota State
University, Thesis (M.S.)—Physical Education Dept., South Dakota
State University, 1971. [Archives: LB2385.Sch44 1971]
South Dakota State College of Agriculture and
Mechanic Arts, Alumni Athletic Committee, Alumni Athletic
Committee sportlite, Brookings, S.D, The College, 1947-1959.
[Archives: S537.S6 A338]
South Dakota State College of Agriculture and
Mechanic Arts, Editorial Dept., Sport stories, Brookings,
S.D., Editorial Dept., South Dakota State College, 1924-1973.
[Archives: S537.S6 S60317]
South Dakota State College of Agriculture and
Mechanic Arts, South Dakota State College 1961 factbook:
baseball, track, field, Brookings, S.D., The College, 1961?
[Archives: S537.S6 S6031]
South Dakota State College of Agriculture and
Mechanical Arts, Track and field at South Dakota State College
for 1963, Brookings, S.D., The College, 1963. [Archives: S537.S6
S6032 1963]
South Dakota State University, Athletic Task Force,
Athletic task force: a study of intercollegiate athletics at SDSU,
Brookings, S.D., The Task Force, 1975. [Archives: S537.S6 A73 1975]
South Dakota State University, Athletic, Intramural
and Recreation Committee, Final report: evaluation of SDSU
athletic programs for Athletic, Intramural and Recreation Committee,
Brookings, S.D., The Committee, 1976? [Archives: S537.S6 S6094 1976]
South Dakota State University, Health, Physical
Education and Recreation Dept. and the Jackrabbit Club, Rabbit
tracks, Brookings, S.D., HPER Dept., South Dakota State Univ.,
1991-. [Archives: 796.301915 R112]
South Dakota State University, Jackrabbit
basketball, Brookings, S.D., Jackrabbit Sports Information
Service, 1957-2000. [Archives: S537.S6
A38]
South Dakota State University, Jackrabbit football,
Brookings, S.D., Jackrabbit Sports Information Service, 1975-1999.
[Archives: S537.S6 A341]
South Dakota State University, Jackrabbit
volleyball, Brookings, S.D., Jackrabbit Sports Information
Service, 1999-. [Archives: S537.S6 A39]
South Dakota State University, Jackrabbit winter
sports, Brookings, S.D., South Dakota State University,
1968-1969. [Archives: S537.S6 A36 1968-1969]
South Dakota State University, SDS track,
Brookings, S.D., South Dakota State University, 1964. [Archives:
S537.S6 A35]
South Dakota State University, SDSU winter sports,
Brookings, S.D., South Dakota State University, 1969-1970.
[Archives: S537.S6 A36 1969-70]
South Dakota State University, SDSU women’s track
and field records and statistics, 1987, Brookings, S.D., South
Dakota State University, 1987. [Archives: S537.S6 A3622]
South Dakota State University, Track,
Brookings, S.D., South Dakota State University, 1965-1970.
[Archives: S537.S6 A35]
Williamson, Warren E., Intramural sports history,
South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D., Williamson,
1978. [Archives: G710.W56]
Zahorsky, Arthur Peter, A history of
intercollegiate athletics at South Dakota State College, Thesis
(M.S.)—Physical Education Dept., South Dakota State University,
1959. [Archives: LB2385.Z13 1959]
