Andrew Rock, a University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, student-athlete, was a member of the U.S. Olympic gold medal 1,600-meter relay team in Athens. His Olympic success proves that with a coach's guidance and extensive practice, even Division III student-athletes can set and achieve lofty goals.

Unfortunately, the Division III membership recently voted to limit student-athletes in all Division III sports to a 19-week training season. Had restrictions like this been in place while Rock was dreaming of the Olympics, he would have had to make a difficult choice. He would have had to give up on his Olympic dream or on his goal to attend a Division III institution. Granted, Rock could have hired coaches and trained privately, but this would not have met the NCAA's goal of commitment to student-athletes. Is forcing a talented athlete to choose between a dream and a team a new principle being imposed upon our Division III student-athletes?

By limiting Division III athletics to 19 weeks of training, the Division III membership is making it impossible for its student-athletes to choose to succeed at the highest level. As a matter of fact, Andrew Rock could have reached this level only by training 19 weeks in indoor track and another 19 weeks in outdoor track. Unfortunately, track is the only NCAA sport that allows this option. Division III gymnasts, for instance, can train only for 19 weeks. The "safety exception" that allowed gymnasts to train safely outside of their prescribed season also was removed. Without that extra time to practice, gymnasts cannot safely train to a level as accomplished as Rock was able to attain. The NCAA has effectively placed a ceiling on the potential of Division III gymnasts.

The Division III membership will address this issue again at the 2005 Convention when it considers a proposal to restore the safety exception in gymnastics. The proposal from the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference would -- in gymnastics -- reverse the membership's vote at last year's Convention that prohibited coaches from providing safety or skill instruction during voluntary out-of-season workouts.

The sponsors of the proposal correctly point out that gymnastics student-athletes must use specialized equipment (such as rings, beams, bars and pommel horse) to develop skills in the sport, and that coaches are best equipped to provide competent "spotting" during workouts to maintain safety.

The Division III membership needs to reevaluate the recent legislative decisions that put more and more restrictions on training. One of the strengths of Division III is its student-athletes' ability to balance both school and sport. By voting to limit training to 19 weeks, in addition to being unsafe, the NCAA is telling our student-athletes that Division III offers limited opportunities to excel.

Students enter Division III athletics with the knowledge that school and sport should hold equal importance in their lives. These athletes are successful at balancing the scales and should continue to be allowed to train effectively while they study properly. Division III student-athletes should not be denied the opportunity to set lofty goals and to achieve great accomplishments. Division III student-athletes should have the opportunity to aspire to the highest level.

As a membership, Division III should be promoting legislation that supports our athletes and their goals. We need to look for reform that allows our student-athletes to succeed safely and at the level they choose.

Hats off to Andrew Rock, a student-athlete who dared to dream big and was able to train to a world-class level in his allotted time. I urge the Division III membership to support legislative changes that allow our athletes to train at high levels. I hate to see us discourage future Olympians like Andrew Rock from participating in Division III athletics.

Rick Suddaby is the gymnastics coach at Ithaca College.