Playing and Practice Seasons Ryan Hall and Abbie Renaker Academic and Membership Affairs

Learning Objectives  Recall application of NCAA Division I playing and practice season legislation.  Demonstrate an increased level of comfort educating colleagues, PSAs and SAs about playing and practice season legislation.  Learn monitoring strategies to ensure institution is following playing and practice season legislation.  Apply enhanced knowledge of legislation to future playing and practice seasons activities.

Overview  Pre-game meal - New legislation/recent interpretations.  Team warm-up - Start of practice.  Game time - Playing season.  Seventh inning stretch - Time limits and countable athletically related activity (CARA).  Extra innings - Countable contests.  Team cool-down - Documentation and best practices.

NCAA Division I Proposal No B Playing and Practice Season - Start Time  Eliminates the 5 p.m. start time for first permissible practice date.  Effective Date - August 1, 2012.

Proposal No Playing and Practice Seasons - Topy Cup  May commence practice sessions five days before the practice round of the event and may participate in competition before the legislated date for the first date of competition if selected to participate in the Topy Cup.  Effective Date - August 1, 2012.

Contact and Conditioning  Your football coach has indicated during off-season workouts this year he wants to add two new drills:  The first is a new type of aerobic exercise that may resemble a combination of mixed martial arts and wrestling; but there is limited physical contact; and  The second is “training with those resistance sleds them crazy cross-fit people use.”  Are both new drills permissible? Any red flags?

Contact and Conditioning  Mixed martial arts/wrestling exercise.  Contact-related drills or activities (e.g., wrestling, combative activities, blocking drills) are prohibited.  Resistance sleds.  Training or resistance sleds are permissible, provided such equipment is not related to the sport (e.g., blocking sleds in football). Official Interpretation - March 23, 2012.

Contact and Conditioning Blocking SledResistance Sled

Preseason Publicized Off-Campus Practice Activities  For the first two weeks of August preseason camp, your football team will practice at an abandoned military base 90 miles from campus.  Yesterday, the head football coach stopped by to let you know your hated in-state rival is conducting preseason practice one town over from the base. This is the first time they will practice at this site and they have already started publicizing the events.  Coach doesn’t understand why they can publicize practice and “we” can’t, but he tells you, “If they are, we are! Get it done!”

Preseason Publicized Off-Campus Practice Activities How disappointed will Coach be?  Your Institution.  Assuming you have normally held preseason practice at the abandoned base, you may publicize preseason events at that location.  Official Interpretation - May 27, 2011.

Preseason Publicized Off-Campus Practice Activities  Hated Rival.  An institution may designate a new off-campus site it will normally use for preseason practice activities if the institution can demonstrate that it will normally be conducting preseason practice activities at that site in subsequent years (e.g., a multiyear contract).  Educational Column – February 22, 2011.

Required Field or Facility Preparation  When you show up to work Monday morning, the first voice message you have is from the parent of one of your baseball SAs.  The irate father cannot believe that his son is required to rake the field, clear the bases and put the tarp on after every game; even mid-week games that end late at night.  The father says he knows this is resulting in much more than 20 hours of countable activity per week for his son and if nothing is done, he’ll be calling the NCAA immediately.

Required Field or Facility Preparation  Are you concerned about your team’s CARA logs?  Field or facility preparation or maintenance that is performed by a SA, related to practice or competition and required, supervised or monitored by a coaching staff member is not a CARA.  Official Interpretation - December 21, 2011.

Big Time University Softball Team

Flag No. 1 - Start of Practice Information Provided:  Practice will begin on the first day of class for the 2012 fall term. Documents to Review:  Academic calendar.  Practice schedule.  Game schedule.

Big Time University Academic Calendar 2012 Fall Term Key Dates:  August 29, Classes begin.  September 3, Vacation period.  September 8, First contest.  November 22-23, Vacation period.  December 7, Last day of classes.  December 10-14, Final exams.  December 24-25, Vacation period.

Start of Playing Season  Practice sessions may not begin before September 1 or the institution’s first day of classes whichever is later.  If first day of classes occurs after September 15, institution may begin practice on or after September 15. NCAA Bylaw Softball Figure 17-2 Other Sports

Flag No. 1 – Outcome  Softball team must change first date of practice to be September 1 or after.  Correct information regarding first permissible start date must be included in declaration of playing and practice season form.

August/September 2012 SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAY * Classes Begin Practice Begins Flag No. 1 – Outcome

Big Time University Softball Team

Flag No. 2 - Playing Season Information Provided:  Team has 45 days of practice and games scheduled for fall season.  Team has 87 days of practice and games scheduled for spring season.  Saturday to Friday - Definition of a week. Documents to Review:  Practice schedule.  Game schedule.

Big Time University Playing Season Academic Year Key Information:  September 1, First practice for fall.  February 26, First practice for spring.  June 6, Last contest (Women’s College World Series).  Non-championship Segment - 45 days beginning September 1.  Championship Segment - 87 days occurring February to June.

Playing Season  Period of time between the date of the institution's first practice session and last practice session or date of competition whichever occurs later.  Period of time permitted to conduct CARAs except for skill instruction.  Playing Season: Limited to 132 days. Bylaws and

Playing Season - General Regulations  NCAA championship participation in team sports  Practice and competition in an NCAA championship event is not considered part of the playing season.  If under consideration for championship, may continue to practice without counting in playing season.  If not selected, may practice or compete until the end of championship provided count days in playing season.  Conference championships.  Must be included in playing season. Bylaw

Playing Season Championship Segment: May exempt required days off, official vacation, holiday and final exam periods when no practice or competition occurs. Non-championship Segment (Softball Only): Conducted within a period of 45 consecutive days during September, October and November.  Practice and competition days must be included in 132-day season.  Conditioning and/or skill-related instruction do not count in 132-day season.  Any week in which practice or competition does not occur is considered outside the playing season. Bylaws and

Definition of a Day/Week Day: A calendar day [i.e., midnight (12 a.m.) through 11:59 p.m.]. Week: 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

Flag No. 2 - Outcome  Practice permissible September 1 - October 15,  Practice and competition days are the only days that must count in 132-day season.  Team is projected to use 25 days during the 2012 fall non-championship segment.  Correct information regarding non-championship segment dates must be included in declaration of playing and practice season form.

Flag No. 2 - Outcome

OCTOBER 2012 SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAY 1 Practice Skill Instruction Practice Conditioning Practice Game vs. Hansen University 7 Off 8 Practice Skill Instruction Practice Conditioning Practice Doubleheader Game vs. Alumni 14 Off 15 Last Practice Practice Skill Instruction Weight Training Conditioning Off 20 Weight Training Off 22 Conditioning Skill Instruction Weight Training Conditioning Off 27 Weight Training Off 29 Conditioning Skill Instruction Weight Training 3-5 Nine Countable Days during October Skill instruction, conditioning, required days off and official vacation periods are exempted.

Flag No. 2 - Outcome  Practice permissible February 1 - May 12,  Required days off, official vacation, holiday and final exam periods may be excluded from 132-day season when no practice or competition occurs.  Practice and competition associated with an NCAA championship is not part of the playing season.  Team is projected to use 87 days during the 2013 spring championship segment for a total of 112 days in playing season.  Correct information regarding championship segment dates must be included in declaration of playing and practice season form.

Flag No. 2 - Outcome MAY 2013 SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAY 1 Practice Practice Doubleheader Game vs. Lee College 4 Game vs. Sandberg University 5 Game vs. Sandberg University 6 Off 7 Practice Major University Conference Tournament 9 Major University Conference Tournament 10 Major University Conference Tournament 11 Major University Conference Tournament 12 Major University Conference Tournament 13 Off 14 Practice Practice NCAA Regionals 17 NCAA Regionals 18 NCAA Regionals 19 NCAA Regionals 20 Off 21 Practice Practice NCAA Super Regionals 24 NCAA Super Regionals 25 NCAA Super Regionals 26 NCAA Super Regionals 27 Off 28 Practice Practice Women's College World Series 31 Women's College World Series 11 countable days in May required days off are exempted. Practice and competition associated with NCAA championship does not count.

Big Time University Softball Team

Flag No. 3 - Time Limits Information Provided:  Sunday will always be required day off for team in fall.  Monday will always be required day off for team in spring.  Players will meet individually with coaches to view video of hitting/pitching on day off.  Voluntary batting practice with captains available during week for relief of field maintenance responsibilities. Documents to Review:  Practice schedule.

Time Limits  Playing season: SA participation in CARA is limited to 20 hours a week and four hours a day.  Required one day off. Bylaws and

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.  Must be counted within weekly and daily limitations. Bylaw

Voluntary Athletically Related Activities  Not required to report back.  Includes athletics department staff members.  Initiated and requested by the SA.  Attendance and participation not recorded.  No penalty for not participating.  No recognition or incentives for participating. Bylaw

Flag No. 3 - Outcome  SAs watching film of hitting or pitching with coaching staff members is a CARA.  Incentivizing SAs to do additional batting practice with captains no longer makes activity voluntary.  Team must take one day off per week.

Flag No. 3 - Outcome OCTOBER 2012 SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAY 1 Practice Skill Instruction Practice Conditioning Practice Game vs. Hansen University 7 Off 8 Practice Skill Instruction Practice Conditioning Practice Doubleheader Game vs. Alumni 14 Off 15 Last Practice Practice Skill Instruction Weight Training Conditioning Off 20 Weight Training Off 22 Conditioning Skill Instruction Weight Training Conditioning Off 27 Weight Training Off 29 Conditioning Skill Instruction Weight Training 3-5 October 6-12: 16 Countable Hours (20 Hour Limit) October 13-19: 12 Countable Hours (20 Hour Limit) October 20-26: Eight Countable Hours (Eight Hour Limit)

Big Time University Softball Team

Flag No. 4 - Countable Contests Information Provided:  Seven contests scheduled during 2012 fall season.  Home Run Derby with baseball team.  30 conference contests during 2013 spring season.  26 non-conference contests during 2013 spring season.  Chinese University of Hong Kong.  Two alumni games scheduled. Documents to Review:  Game schedule.

Contest  A contest is any game, match, exhibition, scrimmage or joint practice session with another institution’s team regardless of formality in which competition in a sport occurs.  A countable contest is any contest by the member institution against an outside team in that sport. Bylaws and

Number of Contests  Limited to 56 contests (games and scrimmages) against outside competition during championship segment.  Limited to eight contests (games and scrimmages) against outside competition during non-championship segment.  Limit of three contests that may be played on one calendar day. Bylaws and Figure 17-1 Other Sports

Annual Exemptions Maximum number of softball contests may exclude:  Conference championship.  Conference playoff.  Season ending tournaments.  NCAA championship play- in competition.  Alumni game.  Foreign team.  Hawaii or Alaska.  Fundraising activity.  Celebrity sports activity.  U.S. National Team. Bylaw

Flag No. 4 - Outcome  Softball team must count one of the alumni contests.  Softball team may add another contest during the 2012 fall season if preferred or cancel alumni contest for fall.  Home Run Derby contest with baseball team is a contest exemption.  Contest against Chinese University of Hong Kong is exempted.  Correct information regarding number of contests must be included in declaration of playing and practice season form.

Big Time University Softball Team

Documentation Declaration of Playing Season:  Must declare playing season prior to the beginning of the playing season for that sport.  Must be done in writing.  Must be kept on file in the department of athletics.  Changes may be made provided in writing and kept on file with the athletics director. Bylaw

Documentation

Best Practices  Copy of declaration of playing season form attached to copy of institution’s academic calendar, and practice and game schedules.  “Drop-ins” to ensure practice times are accurate.  Interview SAs, coaches, athletics trainers and strength and conditioning coaches.  Provide calendar to SAs to sign off on hours.  Educate NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and SAs of playing and practice season rules.

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

Questions? Questions? ? Thanks for participating!