The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- October 11, 1999

Legislative assistance

NCAA Bylaw 14.1.6.1

Requirement for Practice -- Male Student-Athletes Practicing with Women's Team

NCAA institutions should note that, in accordance with NCAA Bylaw 14.1.6.1, a student-athlete must be enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies leading to a baccalaureate or equivalent degree to be eligible to participate in organized practice sessions. The former NCAA Interpretations Committee determined that male student-athletes who practice with institution's women's teams on an occasional basis must meet the provisions set forth in Bylaw 14.1.6.1 and have eligibility remaining in accordance with NCAA Bylaws 14.2.1 and 14.2.2.

Further, the former Interpretations Committee determined that if male students practice on a regular basis with the institution's women's team (and vice versa), those male students must be certified in accordance with all applicable NCAA eligibility regulations (i.e., the individual must be enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies, have eligibility remaining under the five-year/10-semester rule, must sign a drug-testing consent form and must be included on the institution's squad list). In addition, the former Interpretations Committee also determined the following issues related to male student-athletes practicing with women's teams:

* It is permissible for an institution to provide apparel to male students for the purpose of practicing with the institution's women's team.

* It is not permissible for an institution to provide male students financial assistance (i.e., room and board, tuition and fees, and books) in return for practicing with the women's team.

* It is not permissible for an institution to provide male students room and board to remain on campus during the vacation period to participate in practice sessions with the women's team.

* It is not permissible for an institution to utilize male students who are nonqualifiers or partial qualifiers to participate in practice sessions with the women's team.

Additionally, institutions should note that in accordance with NCAA Bylaw 16.8.1.2, it is permissible to provide actual and necessary travel expenses (i.e., transportation, lodging, meals) to a student-athlete for participation in athletics competition, provided the student-athlete is representing the institution (competes in the uniform of the institution) and is eligible for collegiate competition in the applicable sport. Thus, it is not permissible to provide a male student (who is practicing with a women's team) to receive travel expenses to an away-from-home competition, inasmuch as such students will not be representing the women's team in the competition.

Finally, although it is permissible for a male student to serve as a team manager for a women's team, the individual's duties should be limited to those traditionally performed as managers. It is not permissible to place a male student in the position of a manager for the purpose of receiving expenses to practice with the women's team on away-from-home competitions. [References: NCAA Interpretations Committee December 5, 1991, October 22, 1992, and May 4, 1993, meetings.]

NCAA Bylaw 13.1.8.2

Contact at Practice or Competition Site

NCAA institutions should note that in accordance with NCAA Bylaw 13.1.8.2, recruiting contact may not be made with a prospect before any athletics competition in which the prospect is a participant during the day or days of competition, even if the prospect is on an official or unofficial visit. In Divisions I and II, such contact includes the passing of notes to a prospect by a third party on behalf of an institutional staff member. In all divisions, such contact shall be governed by the following:

* Contact shall not be made with the prospect at any site before the contest on the day or days of competition;

* Contact shall not be made with the prospect from the time the prospect reports on call (at the direction of the prospect's coach or comparable authority) and becomes involved in competition-related activity (i.e., traveling to an away-from-home game) to the end of the competition even if such competition-related activities are initiated before the day or days of competition;

* Contact shall not be made after the competition until the prospect is released by the appropriate institutional authority and departs the dressing and meeting facility; and

* Contact shall not be made with the prospect involved in competition that requires more than one day of participation (i.e., a basketball tournament) until after the prospect's final contest is completed and he or she is released by the appropriate institutional authority and leaves the dressing and meeting facility.

Further, please be advised that pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 13.1.8.2-(b), it is not necessary for a prospect to return home from an away-from-home contest in order for coaches to contact the prospect(s). It would be permissible for coaches to contact a prospect(s) at an away-from-home competition site if the competition has been completed, the prospect has departed the meeting and dressing facility, and the institutional authority (e.g., high-school coach) permits the prospect(s) to have contact with the collegiate coach during this time.

This material was provided by the NCAA membership 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 Kristen L. Davis or Lisa Roesler, membership services representatives, at the NCAA national office. This information is available on the College Sports Network.