By-Law 17

NCAA proposed by-law changes

Dr. Bren Stevens

2010 NCAA Convention Legislation

• Fall Sports:

• Cross County, Field hockey, Soccer, and Women’s Volleyball, to specify that an institution shall not commence practice sessions in the Championship Segment 17 days prior to the first permissible contest or date of competition.

Fall Sports (Continued)

• Practice Sessions: Cannot begin prior to 17 days or five days prior to the first day of classes. . .

• Whichever is earlier

Fall Sports-Football

• In football, to specify that a member institution shall not commence practice sessions in the Championship segment before 21 days prior to the first permissible contest or 7 days prior to the first day of classes, whichever is earlier.

Preseason Practice Period

• In the sports if Cross Country, Field Hockey, Soccer and Women’s Volleyball, to specify that during the preseason practice period prior to the first day of classes, a student-athletes countable athletically related activities are limited to six hours per day.

Six Hour Rule

• Of the permissible six hours of athletically related activities, only 5 of those hours may be devoted to physical activities.

• In addition, during this same period practice may not last longer than 3 hours.

• The S/A must be provided with at least 3 continuous hours of recovery time.

Football Preseason Activities

• In football, to specify that during preseason activities after the five-day acclimatization period, on those days in which more than one practice is permitted, S/A’s are limited to the same six hour rule and they too must grant a period of three hours of continuous recovery time between practices.

Golf and Tennis

• In golf and tennis, to specify that an institution that is a member of a conference that conducts its only conference championship or plays the majority of conference matches during the fall, shall not engage in its first date of competition prior to the Thursday preceding September 6th.

Fall Sports Competition Start Dates

• In cross country, field hockey, football, soccer and women’s volleyball, to specify that an institution shall not engage in its first contest date of competition with outside competition in the Championship segment before the Thursday preceding Sept. 6th.

Competition Dates-Proposed Reductions

• During the Championship Segment:

• Field Hockey reduced from 20-18

• Soccer reduced from 20-18

• Tennis/golf no reductions

• Volleyball reduced from 28-26

• Football no reductions

Scheduling

• Effective date is August 1, 2010. However contracts signed before August 6, 2009 for contest occurring between the Thursday preceding August 30 and the Wednesday preceding Sept. 6 will be honored.

Rationale for Proposed Changes

• Reduced costs for preseason meals and housing

• Reduced costs for travel

• Reduces missed class time

• Should contribute to improved academic performance

Football

• If bylaw 17 changes are passed it will be assumed that the Championship dates will be pushed back by one week, which will mean that DII and DIII championships will be held on the same weekend.

Winter Sports

• Sponsor legislation for the 2010 Convention to amend Bylaw 17 to specify that in basketball, swimming and diving, indoor track and field and wrestling, a S/A is prohibited from participating in any countable athletically related activities or voluntary athletically related activities on campus from Dec. 20-26.

Additional Information

• Swimming and diving, Indoor Track and Field and Wrestling have not at this time had any reductions made to their limits of competition dates.

• However, please note that these changes are only the beginning of expected changes that will be proposed from the Legislative and Championships Committees.

Rationale

• The seven-day period (Dec. 20-26) will allow S/A’s to travel home during the winter break, work or simply relax.

• In addition, institutional athletics personnel (coaches, facilities managers, ATC’s, SID’s, Administration) will be able to achieve work-life balance.

Basketball

• The President’s Council has mandated that both men’s and women’s basketball be reduced one playing date effective August, 2010.

• Reduced from 27 contests to 26.

Spring Sports

• Sponsor legislation for the 2010 Convention to amend Bylaw 17, as follows:

• Baseball-reduce the maximum number of contests from 56 to 50

• Golf-reduce the maximum number of dates of competitions from 24 to 21; and

Spring Sports (Continued)

• In softball, to eliminated the tournament dates legislation.

• Again, contracts signed prior to Aug. 6, 2009 for contests that exceed the number of contests or dates of competition in the 2010-2011 academic year will be honored.

Rationale

• May provide cost savings

• Reduce missed class time

• Should improve academic performance

• Fits with DII Strategic Plan

Proposed topics for 2011

• Committee’s will examine the number of allowable competition dates for other sports.

• Exemptions

• Non-Championship seasons

• TBD

NCAA II Football Championship

• This policy change is contingent on the approval of a legislative proposal to amend Bylaw 17 to specify that an institution shall not engage in its first contest with outside competition in the championship segment before the Thursday preceding Sept. 6th.

Football Championship

• According to the new policy, the start and end dates for the national championship will be one week later.

• For example in 2010, the first round would begin on Nov. 20th

• The Championship would end on Dec. 18th (16th Week)

Questions and Comments

• Please continue to have meaningful dialogue with your fellow coaches, administrators and students.

• Feel free to contact members of the Management Council, and Legislative and Championships Committees with your input.