2010 NCAA Convention

The Annual NCAA Convention will be held January 13-16, 2010 in Atlanta, GA. Why is this noteworthy? It is at this meeting that proposed NCAA rules and changes to current NCAA rules are voted on. Some of those changes have a direct impact on athletic trainers at the collegiate level. This is where the restrictions to spring football where put in, (15 practices opportunities, limited contact, etc.) mandatory one day off a week for athletes, no more than four hours per day of supervised activity, and more recently the ban of consecutive 2-a-days in the fall football. I always like to look over the proposals and see if there are any that will impact athletic trainers. Sometimes this can be negative, sometimes positive.

The NCAA classify schools as either Division I, II, or III. (as far as rules go) So rule changes in one division will not effect how the other divisions operate. Although some times the changes are association wide, especially when dealing with Health & Safety issues.

So with that introduction lets us review some of the changes up for votes:

Division II has a big package as part of their "Life in the Balance" proposal. As quote from the NCAA.org website:

"The four-proposal Life in the Balance package that Division II delegates will consider at the January 16 business session in Atlanta addresses what a recent Knight Commission survey of presidents cited as a primary concern: the inability to moderate athletics."

These proposals also provide athletic departments an opportunity to trim expenses. This is an additional benefit considering the economic times today.

Life in the Balance proposals for the 2010 Convention (Division II)

• Reduce contests in men’s and women’s soccer (from 20 to 18), field hockey (from 20 to 18), women’s volleyball (from 28 to 26), baseball (from 56 to 50), men’s and women’s basketball (from 27 to 26), men’s and women’s golf (from 24 dates to 21) and softball (by eliminating the tournament exception).
• Reduce the length of seasons in soccer, volleyball, field hockey and cross country by allowing student-athletes to report 17 days before the first permissible contest (which cannot be before the Thursday preceding September 6) or five days before the start of classes, whichever is earlier. Those dates are about a week later than current legislation.
• Football student-athletes could begin their preseason practice activities either 21 days before the first permissible contest date in Division II (which also couldn’t be before the Thursday preceding September 6) or seven days before the start of classes at the institution, whichever is earlier. The Division II Championships Committee approved a policy change (contingent on the adoption of the proposals) to move the football championship back one week to accommodate the later reporting dates.
• Establishes limitations on student-athlete participation in countable athletically related activities during the preseason practice period while classes are not in session. Only applicable to cross country, field hockey, soccer and women’s volleyball.
• Countable athletically related activities limited to six hours per day. (no changes to the football preseason practice period)
• Only five of six hours per day shall be devoted to physical activities like practice, weight training or conditioning.
• Any session with physical activities shall not last longer than three hours.
• Three continuous hours of recovery time is required between any sessions with physical activities. The three hours of recovery time cannot include meetings or any athletically related activity, but medical treatment and meals are okay during the recovery time.

• Establish a seven-day “dead period” from December 20-26 that prevents winter-sport student-athletes from participating in practices or games and precludes student-athletes in all sports from participating in voluntary workouts on campus during the same period unless those activities are conducted in facilities open to the general student body.

Below is a video presentation of the proposals from the Division II President's and Management Councils

Impact

This legislation, if passed, will have a positive impact on Division II Athletic Trainers. It basically starts fall practices a week later but does not extend the seasons except for football. Since practices start a week later it saves Universities money that they would spend on room and board and cuts the number of contests because of the later start. Cross country, field hockey, soccer and women’s volleyball cannot practice more than 5 hours a day and they need at least 3 hours between practice during fall camp. This will cut down on the number of three-a-day practices. There is also a dead period over Christmas for seven days. No practices or games. Great opportunity to take a vacation for a few days. Softball and Baseball also have a reduction in their games.

These changes are a win for the athletic trainer at the Division II level. There may be some jealousy at the college level. AT's may want to start out in the big time of Division I but after they burn out they can move to DII for a more balanced lifestyle.

Division I

Division I has a basketball proposal that reduces the season by 2 games but allows for a staggered start beginning October 1. It seems that there will be less games but the season got longer????

The proposal reads:

"A revised playing-and-practice-season model that reduces the number of regular-season games to 28 (or 26 plus a multiple-team event) and provides a “staggered” schedule for the start of team practice beginning October 1 (four of the eight allowable hours devoted to practice the first week, increasing to the current 20-hour week beginning October 15)."

I am not sure if you can view this a a positive or negative. You start earlier but with two less games you would at least have one less road trip. You may also have a little more time between games so more time to "get 'em healthy".

So there it is folks. That's why it is important to stay tuned to the NCAA legislation process. By staying informed you can at least make your opinion heard to your AD before the convention. This is especially true if the change would have a negative impact on you.