National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

March 3, 1997

Legislative assistance

1997 Column No. 9
NCAA Bylaw 17.11.6
Spring practice -- Divisions I and II football

NCAA Divisions I and II institutions should note that in accordance with Bylaws 17.11.6-(a) and 17.11.6-(b), it is permissible to engage in 15 postseason football practice sessions [including intrasquad scrimmages and the spring game permitted in Bylaw 17.11.5.2-(a)], provided they are conducted within a period of 29 consecutive calendar days, omitting vacation and examination days officially announced on the institution's calendar and days during which the institution is closed due to inclement weather. Further, in Division II only, no practices are permitted on Sundays.

In both Divisions I and II, practice sessions held during vacation days may not be of longer duration than those normally held when academic classes are in session. Only 10 of the 15 sessions may involve contact. An institution has the discretion to determine the practice activities that may occur during noncontact sessions (e.g., use of blocking dummies), provided no football gear or protective equipment other than head gear, shoulders pads, shoes, pants and porous lightweight jerseys are worn by the involved student-athletes. A student-athlete's participation in countable athletically related activities (see Bylaw 17.02.1.1) during the spring practice period shall be limited to a maximum of four hours per day and 20 hours per week.

NCAA Bylaws 14.6 and 30.2.1.1
High-school all-star games

NCAA institutions should note that in accordance with Bylaw 14.6, a student-athlete shall be denied the first year of intercollegiate athletics competition if, following completion of high-school eligibility in the student-athlete's sport and prior to the student-athlete's high-school graduation, the student-athlete competes in more than two all-star football contests or two all-star basketball contests. In this regard, pursuant to Bylaw 30.2.1.1, a high-school all-star contest is any contest in the sport of football or basketball that meets the following criteria:

1. The teams participating in the contest involve individuals who have completed their high-school eligibility in the sport and have not yet enrolled in and attended classes during a regular term at a collegiate institution.

2. The contest is scheduled and publicized in advance.

3. The competition is sponsored and promoted by an individual, organization or agency.

4. The individuals are selected for participation in the contest on an individual basis and have not yet competed together previously as members of a team that played regularly scheduled games in an organized recreation or interscholastic program.

Contests conducted under the criteria listed in Bylaw 30.2.1.1 shall not be considered all-star competition for purposes of Bylaw 14.6 if one or more of the following conditions are applicable:

1. The contest occurs within a framework of a regularly scheduled recreational program involving participants solely from the community in which the sponsor is located;

2. The competition is limited solely to participants from the community in which the sponsor is located and no revenue, including gate receipts, concessions, program sales or contributions, is generated from the contest;

3. The competition is scheduled within the framework of an established cultural exchange program involving other educational activities; or

4. The contest is scheduled in conjunction with developmental competition sponsored by the national governing body of amateur basketball (USA Basketball) or an active member thereof.

During its February 23, 1981, telephone conference, the NCAA officers (the group that was responsible at that time for issuing official interpretations between meetings of the NCAA Council), determined that all-star contests involving prospective student-athletes would be subject to the high-school all-star criteria even if other individuals whose eligibility is not affected (i.e., prospective student-athletes who have not exhausted their eligibility for high-school competition) are involved as participants. Accordingly, if a high-school basketball all-star contest involved some individuals who have completed their high-school eligibility and some individuals who have not completed their high-school eligibility, the participants who have exhausted high-school eligibility would be subject to the limitations set forth in Bylaw 14.6.

This material was provided by the legislative services staff as an aid to member institutions. If an institution has a question or comment regarding this column, such correspondence should be directed to Richard C. Perko, legislative assistant, at the NCAA national office. This information is available on the Collegiate Sports Network.