National Collegiate Athletic Association |
CommentAugust 17, 1998
Guest editorial -- Insurance program is among NCAA's best
BY IRVIN A. CROSS
I know, because I am one of those people. I will always remember the night of September 21, 1996, because of what happened to Marcus Jackson, an all-American cornerback for Idaho State University. Marcus was more than a talented athlete, although he certainly was gifted in that regard. He was also a leader and was one of the most popular players on our team. Just before half time of a game against Western Montana, Marcus made what seemed to be a routine tackle on a screen pass. But in an instant, his life was changed forever. The knee of the Western Montana running back hit Marcus in the helmet, flexing his neck in a way that damaged his C4 and C5 vertebrae. He fell to the turf immediately, most of his body numb. In one way, Marcus was fortunate. He was trying to roll over, but because the accident happened directly in front of our bench, our athletic trainer, Phil Luckey, and our team physician, Dr. Mick Mickelson, were able to reach Marcus right away and immobilize his head and neck. Without a doubt, their prompt action prevented further damage to Marcus' spinal cord. In the hours and days after the injury, we were asked hundreds, if not thousands, of questions. For most of those questions, we did not have answers -- at least not at the moment. But we could tell people that Marcus' medical needs were being met through the NCAA's catastrophic-injury insurance program. After the accident, it became apparent what a serious situation we had on our hands. We knew exactly where to find the telephone contact number and other important information. Leslie McGovern, our associate trainer and insurance coordinator, made the initial call and from that point on, the process worked. Marcus' parents -- quite obviously distraught over their son's condition -- were put in touch with a case worker who was consistently sensitive and helpful. As much as possible, she was able to put the family at ease. This tale doesn't have a storybook ending. Marcus is still not able to walk, and he is confined to a wheelchair. However, he did return to school last year. But as bad as this is, it could have been worse. Without quick reaction of Phil Luckey and Dr. Mickelson, Marcus could have lost all use of his upper body in addition to the use of his legs. Without the catastrophic-injury plan, either the university or Marcus' family could have been exposed to serious financial damage. My belief in this program is so strong that I jumped at the opportunity to chair the NCAA's Catastrophic Insurance Review Committee. The new plan, which was approved in April by the NCAA Executive Committee, will provide protection for all NCAA member institutions for an annual cost of $7.4 million. The previous annual premium was $3.6 million, so the increase in cost is significant. But it is important to note that the claims experience in recent years made a higher premium necessary. The rate that we were able to acquire was the result of an extensive negotiation process. To keep the program as affordable as it is, it was necessary to raise the deductible for each institution from $25,000 to $50,000. That difference is a significant one. If NCAA members do not wish to self-insure this difference, I encourage them to negotiate benefits up to $50,000 with their current basic accident medical provider or to explore acquiring "gap" coverage that is available through Mutual of Omaha, the new catastrophic carrier. A publication describing the program and providing key information was mailed to the membership in late July. I urge you to keep this brochure and other information relating to catastrophic-injury insurance in a place where it can be found on a moment's notice. Take it from me, you never know when you might need it. Irvin A. Cross is director of athletics at Idaho State University. Letter to the Editor -- Preseason games produce major benefitsAfter reading the article "Subcommittee challenges Division I preseason football events" (June 22 issue of The NCAA News), I felt it necessary to state my amazement at the misleading and inaccurate statements in the article. In 1983, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics became the sponsor of a new preseason football game to be called the Kick-Off Classic. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) wholeheartedly supported NACDA in its effort and our Division I-A coaches who agreed to play in this event did so because they thought it would be win-win. In 1990, NACDA began the Pigskin Classic. In the 15 years that these preseason games have been held, NACDA has managed them successfully, and totally within all NCAA rules. The AFCA is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to protect and promote the game of football, as well as to ensure player safety and to provide opportunity for personal and professional growth of all football coaches. Through NACDA's and the AFCA's effort, millions of dollars have been returned to college football. For example, this last year the AFCA returned to football-playing institutions, on all levels, $165,000 in academic scholarships to be used at the discretion of the athletics director for any sport in the athletics department. Because of the two preseason games, the AFCA has been able to keep membership dues at a minimum and does not charge a convention fee for our professional development and awards convention held each year in January, with around 6,000 coaches in attendance. The dollar savings to colleges and universities that send their coaches to the convention averages between $400,000 and $500,000 a year. Because of the great work that NACDA has done in the management and promotion of these games, nearly $8 million in funding of postgraduate scholarships has been achieved in the last 15 years.
Grant Teaff Opinions -- Mixed reviews for 12th regular-season football teamReaction to a proposal to permit a 12th regular-season Division I-A football game in certain years:
Dusty Renfro, football player "I'd welcome it. You don't get to play a whole lot of college football games in your four or five years, so one more on the schedule every year wouldn't bother me a bit."
Spike Dykes, football coach "I don't know who came up with this deal. Why fix something that's not broken? That's what I don't understand."
Mike Alden, athletics director "We need to look at something to give everybody an opportunity to play 12 games. Let's all either play 11 or play 12, but let's not have only a select number of teams being able to play 12."
Frank Solich, football coach "You're asking them (student-athletes) to make sacrifices, so somehow you wouldn't mind seeing some of that go back to them. What and how, I don't know."
Football grants-in-aid
Bill Benner, columnist "The NCAA Division I Management Council's decision to not trim Division I football grants-in-aid from the current 85 to the proposed 75 runs contrary to continuing court decisions mandating Title IX compliance. "Therefore, more trouble lies ahead for institutions still dragging their feet on compliance with a law that has been in place for more than two decades. "The decision won't affect football, because few athletics directors are bold enough to limit expenses on the program that generates the lion's share of athletic-department revenues. More than likely, Title IX compliance -- the equal distribution of resources for men and women in proportion to the male/female enrollment -- will continue to be at the cost of non-revenue-producing men's sports. "Also shot down was what seemed to be a good compromise: 75 football scholarships spread out over 95 players by using partial grants. Some partials go just for tuition, others just for room and/or board. The use of the partials in the so-called minor sports is common and would be one way to keep football's numbers up while bringing costs down. "The bottom line is that sooner or later, the issue of football and Title IX compliance must be addressed."
College students and excessive drinking
Graham B. Spanier, president "It would be naive and simplistic to assume that we could ever totally eliminate drinking by college students. My objective is not to eliminate alcohol but to change the norms of behavior at Penn State from excessive and underage drinking to new norms of academic and social responsibility. "We want our students to engage fully in their studies, particularly during the school week. We also want them to have healthy social and recreational opportunities. We want a civil and caring community at Penn State as well. "Many of those arrested (in a July 12 riot in State College, Pennsylvania) were not Penn State students, but the fact that any of our students were involved was extremely troubling to me personally and was a source of great disappointment to everyone in the Penn State community. "At Penn State, we are committed to doing everything in our power to reduce the glamour and attraction of heavy alcohol consumption. Perhaps recent events will serve as a wake-up call. "It is my hope that parents and civic leaders across the commonwealth will join with us to better educate students about the dangers of binge drinking and to work to create new alternatives -- and new attitudes -- about social responsibility."
Summer basketball recruiting
Sonny Vaccaro, adidas executive "The hypocrisy starts at the top in college athletics. They can do what they want with the summer and recruiting, but to blame the ills of this on the shoe companies, then they must take a look at the coaches who are visiting here who are recipients of our money. . . .What you're saying is that the high-school kids can't benefit from the shoe company, but the coaches can. They're way off base."
Creatine
Gary Wadler, sports physician "I really do believe in the original International Olympic Committee language that defined doping to include 'any physiological substance taken in abnormal quantities for the sole purpose of gaining an unfair athletic advantage.' That language has been dropped because the IOC couldn't enforce it; they can't test for something like creatine that is naturally in your system. But to take it in abnormal quantities to get an edge goes to the issue of cheating.... "As a scientist and a doctor, I'd be doing a disservice if I say you'll drop dead from taking creatine. I have to be honest and say we don't know if there are side effects. But companies are playing to a basic human desire in marketing these things approved by the FDA as 'supplements,' that desire to find the fountain of youth. They're saying, 'Hey! It's safe!' So we're fighting a lot of forces here: The money, the opportunity, the seduction..."
Jamie LaBelle, sports trainer "Kids see the pros using creatine, so they think it's all right for them. I'm saying: What happened to hard work? What happened to eating foods that everybody knows are good for you? Everybody keeps looking for the magic pill. Hey, let's start with a good breakfast."
Bob Reese, former trainer "Ballplayers would say that kind of thing all the time with different stuff they'd take: This stuff is OK; it's 'natural.' Oh, yeah? So is opium. So is hemlock... "I tell anyone who asks me about its safety, 'We don't know.' I tell them to be careful, that they're probably not going to get into trouble if they follow the directions. Maybe there is no down side. There's still an epidemic of steroid use among high schoolers, and if you're asking me, 'Would I rather have them on creatine than steroids?' the answer is 'Absolutely.' But this is not a black-and-white issue, and experience has taught me: It's never as good as it seems on first blush." "Creatine is largely immune to that stigma, and I expect more and more people to say, 'Compared to steroids, this stuff is benign.' It may be that one possible upside to creatine is that it might get some kids off steroids because, if they can get the same benefit from something cheaper and less risky, one assumes they're going to do it."
Bob Hoberman, author "It really comes down to a choice between making winning the No. 1 priority or making the integrity of sport the No. 1 priority. It has become very, very difficult to keep your integrity and be a winner in some sports because of this trend that has been going on for several decades. "The big event was steroids, and the question is whether there ever will be a significant backlash against the medicalization of being an athlete. Not least important, the medicalization of the young athlete."
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But I believe that those who have the greatest appreciation for what this tremendous program does are those who have directly experienced the tragedy of a catastrophic injury.