After years of gathering information about the number and length of overtimes, the NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee has proposed a change for the divisional championships groups to review.

The rules committee, during its annual meeting February 5-7 in Indianapolis, forwarded an overtime proposal stipulating that after the two 45-minute halves, if a winner has not been determined, two 10-minute sudden-victory overtimes will be played. If the game remains tied, penalty kicks will be used to determine a winner for all regular-season and postseason play, not just for tournament advancement as in the past. Any student-athlete on the roster would be eligible to take the penalty kicks.

The proposed change would eliminate ties, a bane to much of the sports world but not necessarily to soccer.

But ties also have been problematic in situations where a winner must be decided in order to determine advancement. Some people also believe ties muddle the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), which the Division I soccer committees have used for several years to help determine championship fields.

Since 1991, penalty kicks have been used to determine advancement, but the tie has stood as the official result. The rules committee's proposed change would use penalty kicks, if necessary, to declare a winner in all games.

The committee based the need for the change on student-athletes' physical and mental well-being. The committee believes that shortening the overtime periods to two 10-minute sudden-victory segments reduces potential injuries and lessens fatigue. The committee cited research that shows the majority of altercations and yellow and red cards occur during overtime.

The group also thinks that implementing a consistent overtime schedule throughout the season will foster uniformity in collegiate soccer, thus allowing television and other media to have a better sense of game time, which could lead to more media coverage. The committee also believes the change fits with a culture that values determining a winner, and that fans will react more favorably when a clear winner emerges at the conclusion of each game.

Rules committee Chair Phil Pincince, who is the women's soccer coach at Brown University, said the committee believes the proposed overtime change "is for the betterment of the game, in line with the charge of the committee to act as stewards of the game."

"Although the committee realizes this change may cause some anxiety," Pincince said, "the group in the end thought that student-athlete welfare and the best interests of soccer were the two most important considerations."

The proposal still must be approved through the governance process in all three divisions.

In addition, as with all rules changes, the soccer rules committee can rescind a rule the following year if the results of the change are not in line with what the committee intended.

Other rules changes

The committee approved several other rules changes that will become effective for the 2002 season, including a change regarding substitution in which one re-entry will be allowed in each half, instead of only in the second half. There still will be no re-entry in overtime, however.

Also regarding substitution, the committee determined that during corner kicks, the offensive team will have the opportunity to substitute. If offensive team does substitute, the defensive team will be allowed to substitute as well.

The committee also conducted its annual review of the card accumulation system and penalties for yellow and red cards, as well as markings on the field and goal nets. Though no changes were made in those areas, the committee agreed to include those items on next year's rules survey.

In other action, the committee continued its work on establishing a rules interpretations Web page that will be a link from NCAA Online. the Rules interpretation requests still must go through the committee's secretary-rules editor, C. Cliff McCrath, who also is the head men's soccer coach at Seattle Pacific University.

"Posting interpretations on the Web site will not only make the interpretation process more efficient, it will heighten the awareness to what the issues are and result in greater insights for all soccer constituencies," McCrath said.

Other highlights

Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee
February 5-7/Indianapolis

Discussed the concept of federated rules and reminded the soccer community that NCAA Bylaw 21.3.1.5.1 mandates uniform playing rules for all divisions.

Commended outgoing chair Phil Pincince for his service, and voted Nelson Bobb, athletics director at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, as chair beginning in September 2002.

Agreed to adopt the lightening policy guidelines from the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook.

Voted to keep as a point of emphasis that shinguards shall be professionally manufactured, age- and size-appropriate, and not altered to decrease protection.

* Voted to include shirtpulling as a point of emphasis.

Altered the pregame schedule to allow more time for teams to clear the field before the introductions and the playing of the National Anthem.