1. Division III Playing and Practice Seasons
Azure Davey
Jeff Myers

2. Overview
Purpose 1. Address NCAA Division III Bylaw 17 issues commonly received at the national office. 2. Clarification regarding new Bylaw 17 legislation. 3. Relation between Bylaw 17 contest maximums and Bylaw 20 contest minimums. How “Issues in a Hour”

3. Let’s Play “Issues in an Hour”

4. May We Play?
Out of Season
Out of Compliance
Building Watching
Last Chance…Meets
A Fine Line
JV Stud
Varsity Dud
I am allowed to do that?!
I have to do what?!

5. May We Play

6. Question
We have a May academic term. May we conduct our soccer nontraditional segment during that term?
No, if someone on the NCAA institutional helpline tells you “No.”
Yes, if you call back and someone else tells you “Yes.”
Maybe.

7. Answer
C) Maybe. If your institution recognizes the May academic term as part of the regular academic year, and other factors exist to support that it is part of the regular academic year then it would be permissible to conduct the nontraditional segment during that term.

8. Nontraditional Segment
NCAA Division III Proposal No and subsequent clarifications:
Split season sports – golf, rowing and tennis.
Five day limitation – when it applies.
Waiver provision.

9. Nontraditional Segment
Split season is defined as:
Fall start date – Preseason practice formula.
Fall end date – Five weekdays before the fall final exam period.
Spring start date – January 15.
Spring end date – end of NCAA championships.

10. Nontraditional Segment
Five weekday limitation:
Applies to any final exam period for a regular academic term.
New Waiver Provision.

11. Out of Season Out of Compliance

12. Question
College’s assistant men’s basketball coach/strength and conditioning coach/manager of facilities/laundry technician, wants to conduct Zumba fitness classes in the institution’s recreation center and have SAs attend. Which of the following is irrelevant: A) Determining how this class is being publicized. B) Determining who the class is open to. C) Determining if the maraca, like Zumba toning sticks, will be used.

13. Out of Season
The playing season is the only time that institutions may conduct athletically related activity.
Bylaw
To determine if these type of classes are permissible need to ask the first question “Why?”
And then make sure the class is:
Open to all;
Publicized in that manner; and
Not practice.
Educational Column 3/9/07

14. Out of Season Other Common Questions: Captain’s practices?
Bylaw (g);
Educational Column 3/9/07
Team building activities?
Conducting versus monitoring?
Official Interpretation 3/26/09;

15. Building Watching

16. Question
We have a swim coach that monitors the pool as her second duty. Are we following the rules?
No, may I explain the secondary violation filing process now?
Maybe, it depends on the job responsibilities and who has access to the pool.
Yes, the NCAA does not care who is using the pool while your coach watches.

17. Answer
B) Maybe. Proposal No was adopted and allows your coach to observe enrolled SAs and prospective SAs provided certain criteria are met. Bylaws and (f)

18. Observation of Recreational Activities
May observe PSAs during recreational activities provided:
Coach’s job description includes monitoring for safety and security;
Occurs while coach is performing duties; and
Occurs when the facility is open to all visiting prospectives generally.
Bylaw

19. Observation of Enrolled SAs
May observe SAs during nonorganized sport-specific activities provided:
Coach’s job description includes monitoring for safety and security;
Occurs while coach is performing duties; and
Occurs when the facility is open to all students.
Bylaw (f)

20. Last Chance…
Meets

21. Question
We want our SAs that are close to earning an NCAA qualifying time to compete in a last chance meet. Can we do this after our playing season weeks have expired?
Yes, the SAs have a reasonable chance of earning an NCAA qualifying time.
Maybe, how close are they…really?
No, competition outside declared playing season is not allowed.

22. Answer
C) No. Competition must be within the declared playing season weeks. The are a few exceptions related to competition, but none for last chance competition. Bylaw

23. General Playing Season Regulations
The few exceptions for competition outside the declared weeks:
Contest(s) that determine conference champion – must conclude by 6 p.m. on selection date. Must have unforeseen issue (e.g., natural disaster).
NCAA, NCCAA or NAIA championships – team.
Non-NCAA (or non-NAIA or non-NCCAA) postseason championships.
Foreign tour Bylaw

24. BONUS Question
What about Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) competition and timing?

25. Answer Competition must be included in declared weeks.
ITA Championships are typically scheduled such that they are outside the playing season. Therefore, may not coach SA between end of playing season and finals event. But…
Coach may coach at the national championships per (a) and

26. A Fine Line

27. Question
We have a golf team that competed with four team members. Do we count the contest? A) Yes, the contest counts for all NCAA requirements. B) Kind of, sort of. Counts for Bylaw 17, but could be problematic in other areas. C) Is this a trick question?

28. Answer
B) Kind of, sort of. Your institution should be conducting a multifaceted review. Review from each of the following viewpoints:
Bylaw 17 (maximums – almost everything counts);
Bylaw 20 (minimums – have to check Bylaw ); and
Championships – check the sport rule book.

29. Countable Contests/Dates of Competition
Outside competition is countable toward your Bylaw 17 maximums.
Competition must be against four-year, varsity programs and meet the Bylaw threshold to be countable for Bylaw 20 minimums.
Championships defers to its specific sport rules book.

30. Bylaw 17 & 20 Chart TEAM SPORTS Baseball 25 40 Basketball 18
Minimum Contests
Maximum Contests 17
Championship
Baseball 25 40
Basketball 18
Field Hockey 12 20
Football 7 10
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse

31. Bylaw 17 & 20 Chart TEAM SPORTS Water Polo 13 21 W Rowing 8 20 Rugby
Minimum Contests
Maximum Contests 17
Championship
Water Polo 13 21
W Rowing 8 20
Rugby 10
Soccer
Softball 24 40
W Volleyball 22

32. Bylaw 17 & 20 Chart INDIVIDUAL SPORTS Bowling 8 5 26 Cross Country 9
Minimum Contests
Minimum Participants
Maximum Contests 17
Minimum
Contests
Championships
Minimum Participant
Bowling 8 5 26
Cross Country 9
Fencing 11
M Golf 6 20 7
W Golf
M Gymnastics 13
W Gymnastics

33. Bylaw 17 & 20 Chart INDIVIDUAL SPORTS Sport Minimum Contests 20.11.3.5
Minimum Participants
Maximum Contests 17
Minimum
Contests
Championships
Minimum Participant
Skiing 5 16
Squash 8 9 15
Swimming
Tennis 10 6 20
Indoor T&F 18
Outdoor T&F 12
Wrestling 7

34. JV Stud Varsity Dud

35. Question
On the one date of competition in the nontraditional segment we want to schedule our varsity baseball team for a doubleheader at home while our junior varsity would play a doubleheader away. Is this permissible? A) Yes, but only if our JV team isn’t any good. B) No.

36. Answer
B) No. During the nontraditional segment the limits for the one date of competition is one overall limit for the entire institution. Official Interpretation 4/13/06; Educational Column 1/6/07

37. Junior Varsity, Club Teams and Bylaw 17
Traditional segment = separate contests but same season.
Official Interpretation 8/22/90
Nontraditional segment = same contests and same season.
Student-athlete:
Maximum limitations apply to both.
50-50 rule.
Staff Interpretation 11/2/90

38. Junior Varsity, Club Teams and Bylaw 17
Does your institution also sponsor a varsity team in the same sport?
Do any of your student-athletes from that team participate on the club team?
If yes to both, then Bylaw 17 rules apply to the club team.
Official Interpretation 2/1/07

39. I am allowed to do that?!

40. Question
We want to have an alumni contest during preseason. May we have the contest before the first permissible contest date?
No, alumni contest is a contest and as a result, has to be after first permissible date.
Maybe, so long as the team grills out and provides the alumni free food.
Yes, if the alumni contest is exempted.

41. Answer
Yes. NCAA Division III Proposal No was adopted and allows for an exempted alumni contest to be held at ANY time during the playing season.
Bylaw 17._.3.1

42. Exempted Alumni Contest
Related Considerations:
Needs to be exempted. If not, it must be after the first permissible contest date.
It is a contest and thus, SAs could miss class for the contest.

43. BONUS Question
We have a football team that learns best by walking through plays. Can we conduct unlimited football walk-throughs during the five-day acclimatization period?
Yes, so long as the preseason heat index exceeds 100 degrees.
No, there are parameters on the football walk-throughs during this time period.
Maybe, if you prefer “acclimatization” to acclimation.”

44. BONUS Answer
B) No. Proposal No was adopted and allows an institution to conduct one one-hour walk-through session per day of the acclimatization period. This is not an unlimited allowance.

45. Football Walk-Through
May occur in addition to the three-hour on-field practice, but has parameters:
No protective equipment;
No conditioning activities; and
SAs must be provided at least three hours of continuous recovery time between sessions.
Bylaw (b)

46. I Have to do What?

47. Question
I want to use my volleyball student-athletes to demonstrate drills for a presentation at a high school coaches clinic. Is this permissible?
Yes, anytime of the year.
Yes, during the playing season.
C) Yes, so long as you can recite the preseason practice formula by heart.

48. Answer
B) Yes, during the playing season. If the activity is mandatory then it cannot be during the day off. Outside of season it is considered an athletically related activity.

49. Questions?