REPORT OF THE
NCAA DIVISION III
MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
PLAYING AND PRACTICE
SEASONS SUBCOMMITTEE
1. ACTION ITEMS.
a. Current Safety Exceptions in Division
III Sports.
(1)
Recommendation. Recommend that the Presidents Council sponsor
legislation to remove the safety exceptions for the sports of fencing,
gymnastics, rifle, rowing, skiing and swimming and diving that currently appear
in NCAA Bylaw 17.
(2)
Rationale. Use of the safety exception has become a way
to extend the playing and practice season in the sports that currently have a
safety exception. The NCAA Division III
Management Council Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee determined that,
inasmuch as student-athlete?s engagement in out of season athletically related
activities should be discouraged, the safety exception should be
eliminated. The subcommittee determined
that institutions should be committed to the 21-week playing season, and that
there should not be coaching instruction given to student-athletes outside of
the playing and practice season.
Further, elimination of the safety exception is consistent with the
Division III philosophy, in that each sport should be treated in a consistent
manner with regard to total playing season.
The subcommittee notes that if this legislation is adopted,
student-athlete voluntary workouts at institutional facilities would not be
precluded, but would become subject to the same facilities access and supervision
policies applicable to all students.
(3) Budget Impact. None.
b. Preseason Football Acclimatization
Model ? 2004 NCAA Convention Legislation.
(1)
Recommendation. Sponsor legislation to establish a Division
III football preseason model that includes the following components:
(a)
Prior to participation in any preseason
practice activities, all prospects and student-athletes shall be required to
undergo a medial examination administered by a physician.
(b)
Preseason practice shall begin with a
five-day acclimatization period for both first time participants (e.g.,
freshman and transfers) as well as continuing student-athletes.
(c)
Sundays shall not be excluded from
counting during the five-day acclimatization period.
(d)
Student-athletes may engage in no more
than one on-field practice per day during this five-day period. First time football participants and continuing
student-athletes shall not be required to practice separately during the
five-day acclimatization period.
(e)
During the first two days of the
acclimatization period, helmets shall be the only piece of protective equipment
student-athletes may wear.
(f)
During the next two days of the
acclimatization period, helmets and shoulder pads shall be the only pieces of
protective equipment student-athletes may wear.
(g)
During the final day of the
acclimatization period, student-athletes may practice in full pads.
(h)
Institutions may not conduct
administrative activities (e.g., team pictures, equipment issue, academic
orientations, etc.) on any day prior to the start of the five-day
acclimatization period. [These
obligations should be fulfilled before/after practice during the five-day
acclimatization period.] Any necessary
conditioning, speed, strength or agility tests shall not be conducted prior to
the five-day acclimatization period.
(i)
All student-athletes, including walk-ons
who may arrive to preseason practice after the first day of practice, are
required to undergo a five-day acclimatization period (e.g., gradual increase
in the use of football equipment).
(j)
Subsequent to the five-day period,
institutions may begin practicing in full pads.
However, an institution may not conduct multiple on-filed practice
sessions (e.g., two-a-days or three-a-days) on consecutive days (e.g., two-one
two-one format).
(k)
Student-athletes shall not engage in more
than three hours of on-field practice activities on those days during which one
practice is permitted.
(l)
Student-athletes shall not engage in more
than five hours of on-field practice activities on those days during which more
than one practice is permitted.
(m)
On days that institutions conduct
multiple practice sessions, student-athletes must be provided with at least
three continuous hours of recovery time between the end of the first practice
and the start of the last practice that day.
During this time, student-athletes may not attend any meetings or engage
in other athletics activities (e.g., weight lifting); however, time spent
receiving treatment and eating meals may be included as part of recovery time.
Further,
the subcommittee will examine the appropriate number of preseason practice
opportunities and the method used to calculate preseason practice opportunities
for inclusion in the Division III football preseason practice model as proposed
legislation.
(2)
Rationale. Based on the medical data provided to the
subcommittee by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical
Aspects of Sports, the subcommittee believes that it is necessary to place
limitations on preseason football practices to ensure the health and safety of
football student-athletes in the preseason practice period specifically related
to heat acclimatization and adequate recovery time. The recommendations are consistent with
legislative actions taken by Divisions I and II. The subcommittee will continue to examine the
current method of calculating preseason practice opportunities with the goal of
not altering the date that football student-athletes return to campus for preseason
practice.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
c.
Preseason Football Acclimatization
Model ? Intent Based Modification - 2003 Season.
(1)
Recommendation. Modify NCAA Bylaw 17.11.2.2 to adopted the following
heat acclimatization process for preseason football practice, effective immediately:
(a)
Preseason practice shall begin with a
five-day acclimatization period for both first time participants (e.g.,
freshman and transfers) as well as continuing student-athletes.
(b)
Sundays shall not be excluded from
counting during the five-day acclimatization period.
(c)
Student-athletes may engage in no more
than one on-field practice per day during this period. First time football participants and
continuing student-athletes shall not be required to practice separately during
the five day acclimatization period.
(d)
During the first two days of the
acclimatization period, helmets shall be the only piece of protective equipment
student-athletes may wear.
(e)
During the next two days of the
acclimatization period, helmets and shoulder pads shall be the only pieces of
protective equipment student-athletes may wear.
(f)
During the final day of the
acclimatization period, student-athletes may practice in full pads.
Further,
walk-through sessions shall be incorporated in the preseason practice
period. A walk through shall not be
considered an on-field activity provided protective equipment is not worn,
equipment related to football (e.g., footballs, blocking sleds) is not used and
conditioning activities do not occur.
Walk-through sessions shall be limited to one hour and there shall be a
minimum of three hours between an on-field practice session and a walk-through
session. Finally, the walk-through
sessions shall only occur on days with a single on-field activity session.
(2)
Rationale. The subcommittee believes immediate
implementation of this portion of the preseason football model is advisable to
promote for the health and safety of football student-athletes. The items included in this recommendation are
consistent with the intent behind the heat acclimatization concept in existing
Bylaw 17.11.2.2 and can provide immediate protection for student-athletes. This recommendation is based on the medical
data provided to the subcommittee by the Committee on Competitive Safeguards
and Medical Aspects of Sports. This
implementation is consistent with actions in Divisions I and II.
(3)
Budget Impact. None.
2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.
Playing
and Practice Seasons ? The Future of Division III. The subcommittee
reviewed the results of the future of Division III survey and will further
analyze those results to incorporate into future playing and practice season
models.