The NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee submits the following report from its June 26, 2007 meeting:

1. ACTION ITEMS.

a. NCAA Bylaw 30.7.7 – Foreign Tours - Practice.

(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet sponsor legislation to specify that an institution be prohibited from conducting practice prior to departure for a foreign tour if the practice will occur during the week of the institution’s final examination period and/or the preceding week outside of the institution’s declared playing season

(2) Rationale. The intent of NCAA Bylaw 17.1.5.2 is to provide additional time for student-athletes to focus and prepare for their exams. Since institutions have discretion in scheduling foreign tours, the subcommittee agreed that the prohibition of practice during the week of an institution’s final examination period and/or the preceding week outside the institution’s declared playing season should also apply to practice prior to a foreign tour. The subcommittee also noted 10 days of practice would still be permitted provided the practice does not occur during the institution’s final examination period or the preceding week outside of the institution’s declared playing season.

(3) Effective Date. Immediate.

(4) Estimated Budget Impact. None.

(5) Student-Athlete Impact. Student-athletes may have increased time to prepare for their final examinations.

b. NCAA Bylaw 17.10.3 - First Contest Date – Field Hockey.

(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet sponsor noncontroversial legislation to specify that, effective for the 2008 season, the first permissible contest date in field hockey would be the Friday prior to the 11^th weekend prior to the start of the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championships, except that an alumni contest may be played the weekend prior to the first scheduled contest.

(2) Rationale. Throughout the playing season, institutions have the flexibility of scheduling contests on Fridays and Sundays, which provides additional recovery time for student-athletes between contests. This change would make the first weekend consistent with the rest of the season. Further, the subcommittee noted that the proposal only moves the first contest date back by one day and would have a minimal academic impact. The subcommittee noted that the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Committee support of this proposal.

(3) Effective Date. August 1, 2008.

(4) Estimated Budget Impact. Student-athletes may be required to return for the first preseason practice one day earlier.

(5) Student-Athlete Impact. Student-athletes may be required to return for the first preseason practice one day earlier.

c. NCAA Bylaw 11.7.1.1.3 – Personnel – Coaching Limitations – Replacement of Coach.

(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet recommend an immediate effective date for its proposal that would permit an institution to replace, on a temporary or limited basis, a coach who takes a leave of absence to participate on or coach the national team or Olympic team of another nation.

(2) Rationale. The subcommittee noted that the cabinet previously supported this proposal with an effective date of August 1, 2008. If adopted with an immediate effective date, the proposal would permit coaches to be able to engage in the addressed events as soon as possible and could avoid the need for an institution to submit a request for relief from the current rule.

2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.

a. Discussion of Wrestling Dates of Competition. The subcommittee reviewed a recommendation from the Wrestling Committee that would permit an institution to substitute dual meets contested on two consecutive days in place of two-day meets. The subcommittee unanimously supported the wrestling committee’s recommendation and agreed with the sponsor’s rationale.

b. Discussion of Limitations on the Number of Off-Campus Recruiters in Women’s Basketball. The subcommittee reviewed a recommendation from the Women’s Basketball Issues Committee that would increase from three to four, the number of coaches who may evaluate prospective student-athletes off-campus at any one time at nonscholastic events during the academic year. The subcommittee took no position on the recommendation, noting that the increase in the number of off-campus recruiters would be limited to two weekends during the academic year and there would not be an increase in the number of recruiting person days. However, the subcommittee also noted that an increase in the number of off-campus recruiters may encourage more recruiting emphasis on nonscholastic events.

c. Discussion of Individual Skill Instruction in Women’s Basketball. The subcommittee reviewed a recommendation from the Women’s Basketball Issues Committee that would permit participation by more than one group of four student-athletes in permissible skill instruction in the same facility or in different facilities at the same time, provided there is no co-mingling between the groups of student-athletes outside the institution’s declared playing season, from the institution’s first day of classes of the academic year or September 15, whichever occurs earlier, to one week prior to the beginning of the institution’s final examination period at the conclusion of the academic year. The subcommittee took no position on the recommendation noting that it does provide increased flexibility for scheduling skill instruction for coaches and student-athletes outside the playing season. However, the subcommittee also noted the potential difficulty in monitoring the proposed arrangement as well as the potential for coaches to engage in impermissible out-of-season activities due to the close proximity of student-athletes participating in skill instruction at the same time.

The subcommittee also discussed the potential for this recommendation to apply to all sports, except football. The subcommittee noted similar concerns, but agreed that it may be beneficial for the membership to discuss the concept.

d. Discussion of First On-Court Practice in Women’s Basketball. The subcommittee reviewed a recommendation from the Women’s Basketball Issues Committee that would permit the first on-court practice session to occur not prior to 5 p.m. on the Friday nearest October 15. The subcommittee unanimously supported the recommendation and agreed with the sponsor’s rationale.

e. Discussion of the impact of the elimination of the event certification program in sports other than football and basketball. The subcommittee discussed the potential for individual events that have been certified in the past to obtain sponsorship of legislation to provide an annual exemption for the event in the future. The subcommittee engaged in a discussion about what criteria it may use to review individual requests for annual exemptions. The subcommittee directed the staff to develop criteria to be used in such a review and to develop other options similar to the current basketball legislation related to qualifying multiple-team events for its review at its September in-person meeting.

f. Update on educational efforts regarding basketball qualifying regular-season multiple team events. The staff provided an update on their educational efforts regarding qualifying regular-season multiple team events that included a March 26, 2007 educational column, March 26 NCAA news article, information provided to basketball coaches at the 2007 Final Four, and presentations at the 2007 NCAA Regional Rules Seminars.