REVISED REPORT OF THE

NCAA DIVISION III MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

PLAYING AND PRACTICE SEASONS SUBCOMMITTEE

1. ACTION ITEMS.

a. Proposal No. 39 (2-48) – Playing and Practice Seasons Model – Revised.

(1) Recommendation. Sponsor an amendment-to-amendment regarding Proposal No. 39 for the 2003 NCAA Convention. [Attachment]

(2) Rationale. Based on additional feedback received, the subcommittee has modified its proposed model to allow for greater institutional autonomy and discretion while maintaining its most significant components (i.e., length of overall playing seasons and related contest limits). The proposal’s goal of consistency is still achieved. However, the recommended changes will promote easier application of the proposed legislation and will alleviate confusion.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

b. Noncontroversial legislation – Track and Field – Safety Exception.

(1) Recommendation. Sponsor noncontroversial legislation to create a safety exception for the sport of track and field that would read: “A coach may be present during voluntary individual workouts in the institution's regular practice facility (without the workouts being considered as countable athletically related activities) when the student-athlete is engaged in field events. The coach may provide safety or skill instruction but cannot conduct the individual's workouts.”

(2) Rationale. Field events in track and field carry a risk inherent with the events. They involve either throwing projectiles that have the potential to injure people if not properly supervised; or they involve jumping over objects which can be dangerous if not properly supervised. Student-athletes who are serious about their sport often choose to practice these field event skills in the off-season. The lack of proper supervision puts the student-athletes at risk and the institutions at a liability risk. Based on a recommendation from the Division III Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Committee, this subcommittee supports the creation of a safety exception in the sport of track and field. This legislation has been adopted in Divisions I and II.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.

a. Recommendation from the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) – Athletically Related Activity Time Limitations. The subcommittee preliminarily discussed the issue of time limitations for athletically related activities. The subcommittee will continue to review this issue within the context of its discussions related to the future of Division III. The subcommittee also requested that the SAAC solicit feedback from other student-athletes regarding this issue and consider a specific weekly time limitation that would be appropriate.

b. Baseball contests – Number of Innings and the Definition of a Contest. The subcommittee discussed the issue of baseball innings and the definition of a baseball contest, in light of concerns from the membership regarding the excessive number of innings that are played during the nontraditional segment and vacation periods. The subcommittee is considering proposing changes that would define a contest as nine innings in baseball and seven innings in softball as it relates to student-athlete contest limitations. The subcommittee will also review the feasibility of establishing a similar contest definition, as it relates to institutional contest limitations.

Committee Chair: Steve Argo, Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

Staff Liaisons: Mweni Ekpo, Leeland Zeller, Dan Dutcher, Bridget Belgiovine

SPORT	CURRENT COMPETITION START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED COMPETITION START DATES trad seg (2002-03 SELECTION DATE)	CURRENT PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	CURRENT CONTEST LIMITATIONS (PROPOSED LIMITS)	CURRENT SCRIMMAGES (PROPOSED SCRIMMAGES/DATES OF COMPETITION)
F A L L S P O R T S (13 week-traditional segment; 5-week nontraditional segment)
Cross Country	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday.	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 18)	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities before first DOC or September 1, whichever is later	No change	9 (9)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Field Hockey	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, except for an unlimited number of scrimmages may be conducted on one date and shall count as one CON	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 10)	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	No change	20+4 (18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Football	11 weeks before the first round of the DIII football championship	No change (November 17)	Date that permits 27 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	No change	10 (10)	One preseason exempt (1 preseason exempted)
Soccer	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, except for an unlimited number of scrimmages may be conducted on one date and shall count as one CON	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 10)	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	No change	20+4 (18+4)	Three preseason non-exempt (2 preseason exempted)
Volleyball (W)	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, except for an unlimited number of scrimmages may be conducted on one date and shall count as one DOC	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 10)	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate DOC	No change	22+4 (18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Water Polo (M)	First Saturday in September	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 30)	Date that permits 21 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	21(18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
W I N T E R S P O R T S (19-week season)
Basketball	Friday immediately before Thanksgiving.	No change (March 2)	October 15	19 consecutive weeks prior to selection date**	25 (25)	Two exempt (2 preseason exempted)
SPORT	CURRENT COMPETITION START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED COMPETITION START DATES trad seg (2002-03 SELECTION DATE)	CURRENT PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	CURRENT CONTEST LIMITATIONS (PROPOSED LIMITS)	CURRENT SCRIMMAGES (PROPOSED SCRIMMAGES/DATES OF COMPETITION)
Fencing	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (March 13)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	11 (11)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Gymnastics	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (April 1-M; March 31-W)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	13 (13)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Ice Hockey	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (March 9)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	25-M (25-M); 34-W (25-W)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Rifle	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (TBD)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	13 (13)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Skiing	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (February 25)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	16 (16)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Swimming and Diving	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (Feb. 28-W; March 7-M)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	16 (16)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Track and Field, Indoor	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (March 10)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	9 (9)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Wrestling	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (N/A)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	16 (16)	None (2 preseason exempted)
S P R I N G S P O R T S (14-week traditional segment; 5-week nontraditional segment)
Baseball	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (May 11)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 14 weeks prior to selection date**	40+5 (36+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)

SPORT	CURRENT COMPETITION START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED COMPETITION START DATES trad seg (2002-03 SELECTION DATE)	CURRENT PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	CURRENT CONTEST LIMITATIONS (PROPOSED LIMITS)	CURRENT SCRIMMAGES (PROPOSED SCRIMMAGES/DATES OF COMPETITION)
Golf	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term [September 1 or preceding Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, except for preseason scrimmages, if TS is in the fall]	No set date (May 1-M) No set date (May 5-W)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term [August 24, if TS is in the fall]	No set date. Season includes 14 weeks prior to selection date**	20 (20)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Lacrosse	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (May 4)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 14 weeks prior to selection date**	17 w/max of 4 in the NTS (18 +4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Rowing	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No change (May 13)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Institution may use more than 5 of 19 weeks during nontraditional segment.**	20 (20)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Softball	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (May 4)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	14 weeks prior to selection date**	40+5 (36+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Tennis	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term [September 1 or preceding Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, except for preseason scrimmages, if TS is in the fall]	No set date (May 5-W) No set date (April 28-M)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term [August 24, if TS is in the fall]	14 weeks prior to selection date**	20 (20)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Track and Field, Outdoor	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (May 19)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	14 weeks prior to selection date**	9 (9)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Volleyball (M)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (April 27)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	14 weeks prior to selection date**	28 (18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Water polo (W)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (April 28)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	14 weeks prior to selection date**	21 (18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)

Special Notes:

1. ** An institution may exclude full weeks that include a vacation, final-examination period or holiday period during which no practice or competition occurs.
2. In the sport of rowing, institutions may use more than five consecutive weeks in the nontraditional segment due to safety concerns. Institutions are still limited to a total playing and practice season of 19-weeks.
3. For emerging sports (archery, badminton, bowling, squash, synchronized swimming, and team handball), practice and competition start dates and contest limitations remain the same. However, each emerging sport receives the two preseason exempted scrimmage opportunities that are proposed for other sports.
4. In the sports of golf, tennis, and rowing, contest limitations remain the same in consideration of weather-related issues.
5. The proposed contest limitations for women’s ice hockey is consistent with 2003 Proposal No. 48 (Playing and Practice Seasons—Number of Contests—Ice Hockey) that decreases the women’s ice hockey contest limitations from 34 to 25.
6. Length of season limitation for combined indoor and outdoor track and field programs will initially be 26 weeks pursuant to 2003 Proposal No. 50. However, the Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee will continue to review this issue.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association

October 21, 2002 MUE/LZ:jw