Introduction to Playing and Practice Seasons Brandy Hataway and Doug Healey Academic and Membership Affairs

Overview General information. In-season hour limitations and permissible activities. Out-of-season hour limitations and permissible activities. Safety exception. Preseason practice dates and calendars. Resources.

General Information

Guiding Principle The time required of student-athletes (SAs) for participation in intercollegiate athletics shall be regulated to minimize interference with their opportunities for acquiring a quality education in a manner consistent with that afforded to the general student-body. NCAA Constitution 2.14

Countable Athletically Related Activities Any required activity with an athletics purpose. At the direction of, or supervised by, a coach. Includes strength and conditioning coaches. NCAA Bylaw 17.02.1

Countable Athletically Related Activities Exclusions: Administrative meetings (e.g., compliance forms). Activities incidental to participation (e.g., injury rehabilitation, ankle taping). Bylaw 17.02.1

Monitoring Strategies Real Time Information After the Fact Information Random polling of SAs. Comment box. Observe practices. Exit interviews. Open forums. Practice logs. Educational meetings.

Voluntary Athletically Related Activities Not required to report back. Includes athletics department staff members. e.g., strength coach, trainer, manager. Initiated and requested by the SA. Attendance and participation not recorded. No penalty for not participating. No recognition or incentives for participating. Bylaw 17.02.13

Playing Season Time between first official practice and last practice session or date of competition. Only permissible to conduct practice and competition during the playing season. Same playing season for varsity and subvarsity teams. Bylaw 17.1.1

Segments of Playing Season Sports other than football and basketball. Not more than two distinct segments. Championship segment. Nonchampionship segment. Bylaw 17.1.2 Football and basketball. Start of preseason practice and end of regular playing season determined by NCAA legislation. Bylaws 17.3.1 and 17.9.1

Length of Playing Season Team sports = 132 days. Individual sports = 144 days. Women's rowing = 156 days. Indoor and outdoor track and field = 156 days. Bylaw 17._.1

General Regulations Makeup contests. NCAA or NAIA championship participation. Team sports. Individual sports. Post-NCAA championship participation. Conference championships. Non-NCAA postseason championships participation. Foreign tours. Bylaw 17.1.7

Declaration of Playing Season Institutions must declare the playing season for each sport. Kept on file in the athletics department. In writing. Prior to the beginning of playing season for that sport. Changes should be filed with the director of athletics' office. Bylaw 17.1.3

In-Season Daily and Weekly Hour Limitations

Definition of a Day/Week Day: a calendar day (i.e., midnight (12 a.m.) through 11:59 p.m.). Week: as any seven consecutive days. Institutions may define their week (e.g., Monday through Sunday, Saturday through Friday, etc.). Week defined by sport – not institution. Institutions may not change the seven-day period for the remainder of the segment. Bylaw 17.1.6.3

In-Season Hour Limitations Maximum of 20 hours per week. Maximum of four hours per day. Golf practice round exception. May exceed four hours but 20-hour limit still applicable. At tournament site day before tournament = three hours. Multisport SAs. Limited to four hours per day and 20 hours per week. Competition day = three hours. Includes any associated athletically related activities. Bylaws 17.1.6.1 and 17.1.6.3.2

In-Season Hour Limitations Practice after competition is prohibited Exception: between contests, rounds or events during a multiday or multi-event competition. Countable athletically related activities are prohibited between midnight and 5 a.m. Exceptions: Conference or NCAA championship. Contest that begins before but concludes after midnight. Promotional practice activity (e.g., first practice of season). Bylaw 17.1.6

In-Season Hour Limitations Must take one day off each week. Includes final exam periods. May use travel day as day off, provided no countable athletically related activities occur. Basketball exception. Bylaw 17.1.6

In-Season Hour Limitations: Exceptions Daily and weekly hour limitations do not apply during: Preseason practice before first day of class or competition, whichever is earlier. Institutional vacation periods. Daily and weekly hour limitations do apply during final exam periods. Bylaw 17.1.6.4

Missed Class Time SAs may not miss class to attend practice. Regular academic term, mini term or summer term. Exceptions – practice in conjunction with: Away-from-home contest. Conference or NCAA championship. Practice activities after reporting for home contest. Associated pregame activities necessary for the contest. May 22, 1991, staff interpretation. Bylaw 17.1.6.6.1

Missed Class Time Exceptions: On-campus practice prior to departing to away-from- home contest. Practice activities must occur on day of departure. February 20, 1991, staff interpretation. Home contest at site (other than the institution’s regular home facility) located outside institution’s locale. February 10, 1999, staff interpretation. Bylaw 17.1.6.6.1

Case Study 1 Men’s basketball team loses home game to its in-state rival, 101-69. Game ends at 9:30 p.m. Coach wants to have practice and conditioning after the fans and media have cleared the arena. Is this permissible? No. Countable athletically related activities (CARA) after competition is prohibited unless between contests, rounds or events during multi-day or multi-event competition. Bylaw 17.1.6.3.2.1 What if the players report back to the arena at 12:01 a.m.? No. CARA is prohibited between midnight and 5 a.m. unless: (1) Conference/NCAA championship, (2) Competition begins before but concludes after 12 a.m.; or (3) Promotional practice activity. Bylaw 17.1.6.6.2

Case Study 2 Volleyball team is leaving for away-from-home contest at 3 p.m. Coach wants to have practice from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. before the team departs. Can SAs miss class to attend practice? Yes. May miss class to attend on-campus practice prior to departing to away-from-home contest. February 20, 1991, staff interpretation

Out of Season Daily and Weekly Hour Limitations

Out-of-Season Hour Limitations Limited to eight hours per week. Required two days off per week. Countable athletically related activities prohibited one week prior to final exams through conclusion of each SA’s exams. Bylaws 17.1.6.2 and 17.1.6.5

Out-of-Season Hour Limitations Permissible activities: Weight training. Conditioning. Football film review. Maximum of two hours per week. Sports other than football - skill instruction. Bylaw 17.1.6.2

Out-of-Season Hour Limitations Conditioning drills – all sports: May simulate game activities provided: No offensive or defensive alignments are set up; and No equipment related to the sport is used. Exceptions: Ice hockey (skates for on-ice conditioning) and swimming and diving (e.g., starting blocks, kickboards and pull buoys). Bylaw 17.1.6.2.4

Out-of-Season Hour Limitations Skill instruction – sports other than football/baseball. No limit on number of SAs. September 15 - April 15. Limited to four SAs. First day of classes to September 15; and April 15 until week prior to final exams. At any one time in any facility. Bylaw 17.1.6.2.2

Out-of-Season Hour Limitations Skill instruction - baseball only. No limit on number of SAs. September 15 until one week prior to fall final exams. January 15 - April 15. Limited to four SAs . First day of classes until September 15. First day of classes for second term until January 15. For institutions that begin classes prior to January 15. April 16 until one week prior to final exam period. At any one time in any facility. Bylaw 17.1.6.2.3

Out-of-Season Hour Limitations – Skill Instruction – Publicity Skill-related instruction: Shall not be publicized; and Shall not be conducted in view of a general public audience. Bylaws 17.1.6.2.2 and 17.1.6.2.3

Out-of-Season Hour Limitations – Football Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Activities between last contest and January 1: Weight training, conditioning and film review. January 1 and the start of preseason practice: Eight weeks designated as SA discretionary time (on file). No required workouts and no recommendations to engage in strength and conditioning training. Strength and conditioning coach may monitor facility for health and safety purposes. Limited to eight hours per week, with not more than two hours spent on film review. Bylaws 17.1.6.2 and 17.9.6

Out-of-Season Hour Limitations – Football NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Last contest and the start of summer conditioning: Weight training, conditioning and film review. Limited to eight hours per week, with not more than two hours spent on film review. Bylaw 17.1.6.2 Summer conditioning (FBS/FCS). Nine consecutive weeks between end of year and first permissible reporting date. One week of SA discretionary time and eight weeks of nonmandatory weightlifting and conditioning. Spring practice (FBS/FCS). Bylaws 17.9.6.1, 17.9.6.2 and 17.9.6.4

Out-of-Season Vacation Periods CARA is prohibited outside the playing season during a vacation period. Includes summer vacation. Bylaw 17.1.6.2.1 In individual sports, coaches may participate in individual workout sessions with SAs from their team. SA must initiate/request the assistance.

Out-of-Season Vacation Periods Department-wide strength and conditioning coaches may design and conduct specific workout programs for SAs, provided such workouts: Are voluntary; and Are conducted at the request of the SA. In FCS football, certified strength and conditioning coaches may also be countable coaches. Bylaw 17.1.6.2.1

Case Study 3 FBS football coach wants to focus on his team’s “football IQ” during the off-season. Coach plans to have his SAs spend four hours per week doing weight training and four hours per week watching film. Is this permissible? No – maximum of two hours per week out of season doing film review. Bylaw 17.1.6.2

Case Study 4 Men’s basketball team loses in the conference championship game March 12. Not selected for NCAA Tournament or NIT. Coach plans skill instruction before the NCAA championship game, which is scheduled for April 4. Is this permissible? Yes. Out-of-season skill instruction is permissible before conclusion of NCAA championship. Is the skill instruction limited to four SAs? No. No limit September 15 to April 15. Bylaw 17.1.6.2

Safety Exception

Safety Exception Coach may be present: During voluntary individual workouts. In the institution’s regular practice facility. Involving use of sport-specific equipment. Coach may provide safety or skill instruction but cannot conduct the individual’s workout. Bylaw 17._.7

Safety Exception - Applicable Sports Equestrian Skiing Fencing Swimming and Diving Gymnastics Track and Field (Field events, jumping hurdles and jumping elements of steeplechase). Rowing Water Polo Rifle Wrestling

Preseason Practice Dates and Calendars

Preseason Practice – Start Dates NCAA fall championship sports (other than football/volleyball): 21 practice units prior to first contest. Football: 40 practice units prior to first contest. Not more than 29 on-field practices. Women’s volleyball: 29 practice units prior to the first contest or September 1 (whichever is later). Men’s basketball: Not earlier than 5 p.m. of the Friday nearest to October 15 (e.g., October 14, 2011). Women’s basketball: Not earlier than 5 p.m. on the date that is 40 days prior to the first regular contest (no more than 30 days of countable athletically related activities ). All other sports: September 7 or the first day of classes (whichever is earlier).

Formula for Determining Preseason Practice One – each day beginning with the opening day of classes. One – during week of first scheduled contest, each day classes are not in session. Two – other days in the preseason practice period. Exclude Sundays. Bylaw 17.02.11

Men’s Water Polo - First Practice Date Date that permits 21 “practice units.” Before the first scheduled contest. Shall not occur prior to the first Saturday in September. Bylaw 17.26.2-(a)

Men’s Water Polo - First Practice Date August/September 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Classes Begin 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 First Contest 1

Men’s Water Polo - First Practice Date August/September 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Classes Begin (1) 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 First Contest 1

Men’s Water Polo - First Practice Date August/September 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 (2) 17 18 19 20 21 22 Classes Begin (1) 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 First Contest 1

Women’s Volleyball – First Date of Practice Date that permits 29 “practice units.” Before the first contest or September 1, whichever is later. If first competition is before September 1, use one practice unit for each day from September 1 – first scheduled competition. Then, use practice-unit formula. Bylaws 17.25.2 and 17.02.11

Women’s Volleyball- First Practice Date August/September 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Classes Begin 23 24 25 26 First Contest 27 28 29 30 31 1 1

Women’s Volleyball- First Practice Date August/September 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Classes Begin 23 24 25 26 (1) First Contest 27 28 29 30 31 1 1

Women’s Volleyball- First Practice Date August/September 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 (1) 20 21 22 Classes Begin 23 24 25 26 First Contest 27 28 29 30 31 1 1

Women’s Volleyball- First Practice Date August/September 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 (2) 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 (1) 20 21 22 Classes Begin 23 24 25 26 First Contest 27 28 29 30 31 1 1

Resources Compliance assistant. Academic and membership affairs. Interpretations phone line. Conference contact program. Coaches/peers.

Summary General information. In-season activities. Out-of-season activities. Safety exception. Preseason practice calendars. Resources.

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