Because of the different repercussions and divergent uses of male practice players in each division, the Committee on Women’s Athletics referred the issue to each division’s governance structure to do more research and investigate possible solutions.

Division III is studying the issue most extensively, gathering information ranging from the practical applications of male practice players in Division III to the extent of administrative knowledge of the rules regarding the issue — all with an eye toward sketching a philosophical position.

Officials are soliciting Division III sports committees (particularly women’s basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball and ice hockey) and coaches associations. The division also conducted a breakout session on the topic at the Gender Equity and Issues Forum earlier this month and will do the same at the NCAA Regional Seminars. Information also was included in the monthly update from the governance/membership services groups distributed electronically to Division III athletics administrators and will be included in the May edition of the Division III newsletter.

Officials hope the most effective means of collecting information will be through the Division III virtual focus groups, an e-mail forum that communicates with eight different constituents from each Division III conference and the association of independent institutions.  Among constituents are faculty athletics representatives, athletics directors, senior woman administrators, presidents, commissioners, student-athlete advisory committee members and coaches.

Division leaders want to learn how and how often male practice players are used, how they are being recruited, whether administrators understand the NCAA rules about the use of male practice players, whether male assistant coaches practice with women’s teams and how individual institutions balance the use of male practice players with the principle of gender equity.

Bridget Belgiovine, NCAA director of Division III, said initial feedback indicates that male practice players are used only sporadically at Division III institutions — mostly during the preseason — and to serve as “scout teams” that prepare the women’s team for a particular contest.

Indications also are that the trend is most apparent in women’s basketball. Belgiovine said that in response to the principle of gender equity specifically, the membership has said that effective practice organization and coaching — including attention to providing activities for all student-athletes — is critical. Others indicated they would follow NCAA rules when they were instituted — indicating that they may be unaware of policies currently in place.

When asked about the issue, members of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee supported using male practice players. According to student-athletes, women’s basketball, volleyball and soccer teams are most likely to use male practice players and they are most often used in the preseason and in certain preparatory situations for specific opponents. In general, Belgiovine said, SAAC members don’t see a problem.

One issue some Division III coaches have raised is the “distraction factor.” The use of male practice players has on occasion caused the female student-athletes to lose focus. One athletics director on the survey responded that he had eliminated male practice players because of the disruption they caused during the women’s team practice.

Val Cushman, a CWA member and athletics director at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, led the group discussion about the issue at the Gender Equity and Issues Forum May 1-2 in Cleveland. The presentation focused on the rules pertaining to male practice players and raised some issues for consideration by participants.

Cushman said officials believe that because male practice players aren’t used as extensively in Division III as in other divisions, people might not know the rules. However, she said anecdotal information indicates that the number of institutions and the types of sports throughout Division III that use male practice players are on the rise.

Cushman said that once all the data are collected, Division III officials and the governance structure can begin deciphering what they mean and formulate opinions and legislation if necessary.

“Then we can figure out our collective feeling about whether it takes away opportunities for women, and in what ways does it enhance opportunity and what ways does it detract,” she said. “My guess is there are pros and cons.”

Division III officials will continue to research the use of male practice players through late June. The information will then be compiled and presented to the Management Council at its meeting in Dallas in July. If that presentation results in a desire for substantive change of bylaws regarding male practice players, the Council will then have the opportunity to sponsor legislation for consideration at the January 2007 NCAA Convention in Orlando.