National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

September 1, 1997

Division III survey: Contest-limitation changes not desired

Results of a survey conducted this spring of Division III institutions regarding contest limits showed only one-third of the respondents in favor of amending current contest limitation legislation.

On that basis, the Division III Presidents Council at its meeting August 12 agreed not to sponsor legislation to amend the limits in basketball and football as proposed last year.

During the 1997 NCAA Convention, the Division III Steering Committee of the NCAA Council and the Division III subcommittee of the NCAA Presidents Commission opposed two maximum contest limitation
proposals submitted by the Ohio Athletic Conference.

The legislation proposed changing the contest limits in Division III basketball to 50 halves of basketball rather than 25 games and in football to 20 halves rather than 10 games.

The sponsors felt that student-athletes who participate on the subvarsity level could participate in more varsity competition if half games were counted instead of whole games. Under the proposed legislation, players could participate at the end of a lopsided varsity game and not be charged for participation in an entire game.

Opposition to 1997 Convention Proposal Nos. 76 (Division III basketball) and 77 (Division III football) was based on three factors:

  • Perceived administrative difficulties in monitoring the participation of student-athletes (such as counting participation in halves of contests);

  • Concern that the proposals could permit student-athletes to participate in an excessive number of contests; and

  • Failure of the proposals to address similar issues related to contest limits in other sports.

    The sponsors subsequently agreed to withdraw the proposals and refer them to the new Management Council.

    A subcommittee of the Management Council created to review the issue in April recommended a survey of all Division III conferences and independent institutions to determine whether widespread concern existed among Division III institutions that junior varsity athletes were being adversely affected by existing contest limitations.

    Survey results were reviewed in July by the Management Council. Based on those results, the Management Council recommended that the Presidents Council not sponsor legislation for the 1998 Convention.

    The Management Council noted that:

  • Sufficient support did not exist among the membership to move forward with the issue (as only one-third of the respondents expressed an interest in pursuing the issue).

  • It appears to be primarily a football and basketball concern but would affect other Division III sports.

  • The sponsors of the proposals retain their ability to sponsor relevant legislation at future Conventions.

    The issue was placed before the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee but the committee took no position.

    Of 138 surveys distributed, 58 surveys representing 98 institutions were returned. Nine conferences responded.

    The conferences said most of their members did not believe the current contest limitations adversely affected student-athletes who participate at the subvarsity level.

    Responses indicated that few subvarsity players move up to varsity; that subvarsity teams were used for skill development and to increase participation opportunities for student-athletes whose skills were not sufficiently developed to compete at the varsity level; and that keeping track of halves played would be difficult.

    On the other side, respondents said that junior varsity athletes would have more motivation and more opportunities to develop their skills by participating in varsity competition. Respondents said there are times when a coach could get a player into a varsity game for a few moments now but often doesn't because he or she doesn't want to waste one of the contests allowed.