NCAA DIVISION III MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

PLAYING AND PRACTICE SEASONS SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary of Recommendations

PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ACTION ITEM

ISSUE:		Preseason Practice Opportunities in Golf (Bylaw 17.12.2.1).
Subcommittee Recommendation:
	Sponsor legislation in golf to provide institutions that conduct the traditional segment during the fall with 16 practice opportunities before the first contest or September 1, whichever is later.
Management Council Recommendation:
	Sponsor the legislation for the 2004 NCAA Convention, as recommended.
Presidents Council Action:

ACTION ITEM – MANAGEMENT COUNCIL ONLY

1. ISSUE:		Start Dates for Fall Sports.
Subcommittee Recommendation:
	Grant an exception that in 2003-04 only, to determine the first permissible practice date, institutions may count back from the first scheduled contest, even when the first contest takes place during the weekend of August 29-31, 2003.
Management Council Action:
	Granted the exception, as recommended.
2. ISSUE:		Nontraditional Start Date for Volleyball.
Subcommittee Recommendation:
	Adopt an intent-based amendment to modify Bylaw 17.27.2-(b) to be consistent with Bylaw 17.1.9.2, and retain a February 1 start date for the nontraditional segment in volleyball, if the institution conducts its nontraditional segment in the spring.

Management Council Action:
	Agreed to adopt an intent-based amendment, as recommended.
3. ISSUE:		Editorial Revision to First Contest or Date of Competition.
Subcommittee Recommendation:
	Editorially revise Bylaw 17.3.3 (first contest or date of competition) to clarify that a member institution that conducts its traditional segment in the fall may not begin competition during its nontraditional segment until February 1 of the relevant academic year.
Management Council Action:
	Revised Bylaw 17.3.3, as recommended.
4. ISSUE:		Permissible Activities When Institution Provides Actual and Necessary Expenses.
Subcommittee Recommendation:
	Allow institutional coaches to engage in coaching activities at the particular event when a student-athlete participates in established national championships (including junior national championships) or Olympic, Pan American, World Championships, World Cup and World University qualifying competition per Bylaw 16.8.1.3.
Management Council Action:
	Approved the interpretation, as recommended.
5. ISSUE:		Contest Exemptions in Bowling.
Subcommittee Recommendation:
	Modify Bylaw 17.6.5.3 to add the NCAA Championship and delete the National Governing Body championship from the list of exempted contests for bowling.
Management Council Action:
	Approved the modification, as recommended.

ITEMS OF INFORMATION

1. ISSUE:		Review Preseason Football Model.
Subcommittee Action:
	The subcommittee reviewed the legislative proposal that established the preseason conditioning guidelines for football. Because this was adopted as noncontroversial legislation, it will be included in an appendix of the Official Notice at the 2004 NCAA Convention and will be subject to ratification by the membership. The subcommittee was comfortable with the language used in the proposal.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information, noting that communication of the changes was effective for this issue.
2. ISSUE:		Membership Feedback Regarding Elimination of the Safety Exception.
Subcommittee Action:
	The subcommittee reviewed correspondence from members of the gymnastics community emphasizing that the sport of gymnastics has special needs in regards to training and safety instruction. The subcommittee remains in support of eliminating the safety exception for all sports.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.