1. Brenda White & Lendsey Thomson NAIA Legislative Services
Play in the Game
Brenda White & Lendsey Thomson
NAIA Legislative Services

2. Season of Competition

3. Athletic Eligibility: Season of Competition
Bylaw Article V, Section B, Item 18
Students are allowed 4 seasons of competition per sport
A student is charged one season of competition for any participation in an exhibition or intercollegiate contest.
“One pitch, one play, one second”
Intercollegiate competition
Varsity and non-varsity (JV and/or freshman)
Transfer students’ SOC are determined by previous association
Non-collegiate competition (elite-level)
Participation in leagues or experiences that meet the evaluative criteria for determining a chargeable league.
PSAY – No SOC charged during 12 month “grace period” after high school graduation date.

4. Season of Competition: Exceptions
Exception 1: Prep School
An individual who trains or who competes as a member of a non- collegiate postsecondary education team will not be charged a season of competition.
Exception 2: PSAY
The date of a student’s 18th birthday will be used as the date of high school graduation if:
The date of high school graduation cannot be ascertained; or
The student earned a high school equivalency through the GED or other exam(s) without otherwise graduating high school.

5. Season of Competition: Exceptions
Exception 3: Unattached
While enrolled as a full time collegiate student at an NAIA institution, a student will not be charged a season of competition based on participation as an unattached student-athlete. A student is considered to be competing as an unattached student-athlete if the following seven criteria are met:
A coach or representative of the athletics department does not enter the student(s) in the event;
The institution or its representative does not provide meals or housing to the student(s) with regard to the event;
The student(s) does not wear an institutional uniform nor use the institution’s name in the event;
Student(s) competing “unattached” are not covered by institutional athletic insurance;
Student(s) are made aware that they are not covered by institutional athletic insurance;
All competition and participation must conform to NAIA amateur status regulations; and
Student(s) are academically and athletically eligible for intercollegiate competition, in accordance with all applicable NAIA, conference and institutional eligibility regulations
Also see bylaw proposals 18-B-10, 18-B-11, and 18-B-12

6. What happens if you don’t meet unattached?

8. Competitive Experience Review
Season of Competition definition requires a student to be charged a season of competition for participating in elite-level, non- intercollegiate competition.
The rule applies for each student beginning the first day of the thirteenth month following a student’s high school graduation.
How do you review this? By using the form!
The form can be found under the Legislative Forms Page - here.

10. Elite-Level Competition: Team & Individual
A student-athlete can be charged for elite-level competition in 2 ways: team competition and individual competition.
Competition as a member of a team must meet any two or more of the criteria listed on the evaluative criteria form.
Competition as an individual is considered to be elite-level competition if it meets any one of the criteria listed on the evaluative criteria form.
The evaluative criteria can be found on the following page:

11. Directory of Competition
The Directory of Competition within PlayNAIA Manager allows institutions to see if a league/event is chargeable as elite-level competition.
NOTE: The Directory is not exhaustive and only contains those leagues evaluated by the Eligibility Center.

12. 12- month window

13. Athletic Eligibility: Non-Collegiate Competition
12-Month Window
In general, a student cannot be charged two seasons of
competition in a single 12-month period.
Exception: Mid-year transfer
In-progress Season: participation after May 15th
Non-collegiate participation after May 15th (summer or fall) may be charged with participation occurring in the subsequent academic year.

14. Seasons of Competition: 12-Month Window
Academic
1st SOC
1st SOC
Athletic
1st
season
HS Grad.
Fall 2015
Sp. 2016
Sm. 2016

15. Seasons of Competition: 12-Month Window
Identified Fall Semester
Break in Enrollment
Identified Both Semesters
Academic
1st SOC
2nd SOC
2nd SOC
Non-Collegiate
Athletic
1st
season
HS Grad.
Fall 2014
Sp. 2015
Sm. 2015
Fall 2015
Sm. 2016
Sp. 2016

16. Seasons of Competition: Participation after May 15th
Identified Fall Semester
Academic
Break in Enrollment
1st SOC
1st SOC
Athletic ?
1st
season
HS Grad.
Fall 2014
Sm. 2015
Fall 2015

17. Transfers

18. Transfers: Residency Bylaw Article V, Section B, Item 18 Residency
A Transfer is a student who becomes identified with an NAIA institution after having been previously identified with another institution.
Residency
A student with prior participation at a 4-year institution must sit a 16-week residency period prior to NAIA participation.
Exceptions:
The student’s most recent intercollegiate participation was at 2-year institution
The student did not participate at the most recent 4-year institution
The student has a 2.0 GPA and written release from AD
Bylaw Article V, Section G, Item 1

19. Transfers: Permission to Contact
Bylaw Article II, Section D
Permission to Contact
Must notify within 10 days following first contact, if contacted by a student-athlete who is enrolled at another institution of higher learning.
Cannot respond to contact by student-athlete until notification has taken place.
A coach or representative of a member institution shall not initiate contact with an enrolled student-athlete (or drawn equipment).
Exceptions:
If a student has graduated and earned a baccalaureate degree
If a student enrolled at a two-year institution after completion of their academic year in which they finish their first SOC.

20. Transfers: Suspensions
Bylaw Article V, Section D, Item 6 & Article V, Section F, Item 6
Transfer dismissed, suspended for any reason, including athletic dept. policy:
Student must sit 2 semesters/3 quarters of residency at NAIA school, OR
Fulfill terms/period of original suspension
Not required if:
Suspension was academic but student-athlete meets NAIA rules, and student has not played college sports for 1 calendar year from suspension.
Suspended for team rule or coach rule.

21. Transfers: Tricks of the Trade
When student-athlete’s transfer mid-year, they open themselves up to being charged a second SOC based on their previous participation.
Competitions before transfer:
Scrimmage = not chargeable
Exhibition = chargeable
Contest = chargeable
Exception: junior college grad who participated at the JC, transfers to NAIA school in same sport season and is otherwise eligible
Competitions after transfer
Student must be certified as eligible to participate in next SOC
Applies even for spring scrimmages where student won’t be charged a SOC

22. Amateurism Reinstatement

23. Amateurism Reinstatement
Article VII, Section B
Acts permitted by NAIA Amateur Code
Article VII, Section D
Acts that result in loss of amateur standing
Article VII, Section E
Reinstatement application procedures
A student who has lost amateur status in a sport shall be reinstated upon satisfying the following:
Ceasing to participate in violation of NAIA amateur-standing regulations;
Being charged a season of competition in that sport for every competition season in which the student competed in any manner as a professional or in which the student was in violation;
Fulfilling two consecutive semesters/three consecutive quarters of attendance at the NAIA institution which the student-athlete wishes to represent; and
Having review and final dispensation from the NCC once the criteria above have been satisfied.

24. Medical Hardships

25. Medical Hardships Bylaw Article V, Section M
A hardship request is a request for an exception to a season of competition.
They do not grant back a term of attendance.
Must involve an injury or illness which is beyond the control of the student and which incapacitates the student from competing further during the sport season as verified by the attending physician within the sport season in question.
Student shall not have participated in more contests or dates (not scrimmages) that are 20% of the frequency of play limits.
Cannot be for those incapacitated in the last regular-season competition or post-season competition.
Competition after being determined incapacitated shall nullify the hardship.
Medical hardships are only applicable for intercollegiate competition.

26. Case Studies

28. Assumptions:
Assume all needed supporting documentation for each student are included in the provided documentation.
Assume the students did not participate anywhere other than the leagues and intercollegiate competition listed.

29. Question 1 Concept: Transfer and Season of Competition
Neptune’s Timeline:
May 2016 – Graduates from high school.
September 30, 2016 – Receives an eligible determination and attends Treat College (NAIA institution) to compete in soccer.
August 5, 2016 – Competes in a soccer game for Treat College.
August 9, 2016 – Leaves Treat College and attends Bacon University (NCAA institution).
August 16, 2016 – Treat College fall term begins.
September 13, 2016 – Identifies and competes in soccer at Bacon University.
Spring 2017 term – Identifies at Bacon University.
Fall 2017 – Wishes to transfer to a new NAIA institution to compete in soccer.
How many seasons of competition will Neptune be charged in the sport of soccer?
Zero seasons of competition
One season of competition
Two seasons of competition

30. Answer 1 Answer: C. Two seasons of competition
Rationale: A student-athlete can be charged two seasons of competition for representing two different institutions in one academic year (Article V, Section F, Item 9). It is noted that the student-athlete would be charged a season of competition for competing at the NAIA institution before transferring. Additionally, the tracer from the NCAA institution says the student-athlete will be charged a season of competition. Therefore, the student-athlete will be charged two seasons of competition.

31. Question 2
Concept: Elite Level Competition, Season of Competition, and PSAY
Cooper’s Timeline:
April 30, 2015 – Graduated from high school in England.
June 1, 2015 through November 15, 2015 – Competes for the British Basketball League.
Winter/Spring 2016 – Working; does not compete.
May 2, 2016 through November 15, 2016 – Competes for the British Basketball League.
January 15, 2017 – Wishes to attend Buddy University (NAIA institution) to compete in basketball.
How many seasons of competition charged will he have before coming to Buddy University in the spring of 2017?
Zero seasons of competition
One season of competition
Two seasons of competition

32. Answer 2 Answer: B. One season of competition
Rationale: While Cooper participated in a chargeable league during the season and season, the participation was during his post secondary athletic year (PSAY), Article V, Section B, Item 18b, and therefore not charged as a season of competition. He will be charged a season of competition due to the fact that he BBL met the criteria of a chargeable league.

33. Question 3 Concept: Amateur Reinstatement and Season of Competition
Kiko is a former professional baseball player who was on contract starting in June Kiko only competed in games from June 2015 through August Kiko was released from his contract in June 2016.
Kiko attends an NAIA institution, Paw College, for the spring 2017 and fall 2017 semesters. After sitting two semesters in residency at the NAIA institution, he was ready to request his amateur reinstatement and wants compete in Spring How many seasons of competition is Kiko charged?
One season of competition
Two seasons of competition
Three seasons of competition

34. Answer 3 Answer: B. Two seasons of competition
Rationale: From the amateurism guidelines (Article VIII, Section D, Item 2), the student-athlete violated amateurism guidelines by signing a contract with a professional team for the equivalent of two years. The reinstatement application procedure (Article VII, Section E) states that the student-athlete is charged a season of competition for each season under contract. Therefore, the student-athlete is charged two seasons of competition while under contract.

35. Question 4 Concept: Unattached Competition and Season of Competition
Hattie’s Timeline:
Fall 2013 term through Spring 2014 term – Identifies at Collar Tech (non-NAIA institution) and competes in tennis.
Fall 2014 term through Spring 2015 term – Competes unattached in tennis while at Collar Tech
Fall 2015 term – Wishes to compete in tennis at Leash College (NAIA institution)
During the Eligibility Center’s research process, they found Hattie competed in three elite-level tennis tournaments during the academic year. How do we assess the seasons of competition for Hattie?
Taking everything from Collar Tech at face value, including the unattached competition; meaning only one season charged.
We take the charged Collar Tech season at face value and then determine the unattached season per our evaluative criteria; meaning only two seasons charged.

36. Answer 4
Answer: B. We take the charged Collar Tech season at face value and then determine the unattached season per our evaluative criteria; meaning only two seasons charged.
Rationale: Per Article V, Section B, Item 18, seasons of competition charged by other athletic associations at face value. However, that does not discount the events the student-athlete participated as unattached. Per our current application of the bylaws, the unattached season must be evaluated under outside competitive experience.

37. Question 5 Concept: Suspension/Dismissal Residency
Salvy was a football player at an NCAA institution, Yarn University, and wants to play football at an NAIA institution. While at Yarn University, Salvy was dismissed from the team. He has met all other eligibility requirements of the NAIA. Per the tracer from Yarn University, it states Salvy was “not eligible to return” to the football team. Does this provide enough information for the requirements under Article V, Section D, Item 6 and Article V, Section F, Item 6 to apply (i.e. do we have enough information to say he does not need to sit residency)?
Yes because per the bylaw (V.D.6 & V.F.6) and tracer we have enough information to proceed.
No because we do not know what the extent of being “not eligible to return” means.

38. Answer 5
Answer: B. No because we do not know what the extent of being “not eligible to return” means.
Rationale: Need to understand to what extent is the student-athlete not able to return. The differences in institution/ athletic department policy and team policy would dictate suspension/dismissal residency requirement per Article V, Section D, Item 6.
After reaching out to the previous institution, it was found that the student-athlete was dismissed for not meeting a team policy. Therefore, through the casebook example “Suspension within Previous Athletic Department” under V.D.6, the student-athlete in violation of team rules is not considered violating institutional athletic department policy. In conclusion, the student-athlete does not have to sit residency for this dismissal.

39. Question 6 Concept: Medical Hardship & Charged for OCE
Baylee’s Timeline:
May 2016 – Graduated from high school.
Fall 2016 – Traveling the country; does not compete.
Spring 2017 – Identifies at Hound College but does not compete.
Summer 2017 – Competes in the Huston Club Sports Conference League for volleyball (May 20 – July 30).
Fall 2017 – Competes for Hound College (NAIA institution) but gets injured after two games – granted medical hardship.
Spring 2018 through Summer 2018 – Recovering from injury and does not compete.
Fall 2018 – Wishes to compete in volleyball for Hound College.
How many seasons of competition does she have charged?
Zero seasons of competition charged
One season of competition charged
Two seasons of competition charged

40. Answer 6 Answer: B. One season of competition charged
Rationale: The student-athlete is granted a medical hardship for her competition at the NAIA institution during the fall of Unfortunately, medical hardships are only applicable to seasons of competition charged for intercollegiate participation. Therefore, since the student-athlete competed in a chargeable league over the summer of 2017 and that season does not attach to any intercollegiate seasons of competition, it is a chargeable season in itself.