National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA News Archive - 2010

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Feb 5, 2010 9:08:38 AM

The Division II Committee for Legislative Relief issued a blanket waiver Thursday regarding the first permissible practice dates for fall sports for schools that have existing contracts in the period affected by the recent passage of the Life in the Balance package.

The waiver allows schools to begin practice 21 days before the institution's first football game and 17 days before the first contest in cross country, field hockey, golf, soccer, tennis or women's volleyball if an institution has a signed contract before August 6, 2009, for contests scheduled to occur between August 26, 2010, and September 1, 2010. 

A blanket waiver became warranted when Division II delegates adopted Proposal No. 2010-5 at the NCAA Convention last month, which amends the first permissible contest date from the Thursday preceding August 30 to the Thursday preceding September 6. 

The proposal's effective date allows institutions to honor contracts signed before August 6, 2009, for contests or dates of competition occurring between August 26, 2010, and September 1, 2010. However, it does not include relief for practice before the first permissible date. 

The Committee for Legislative Relief also noted that student-athlete well-being would be compromised and institutions would be at a competitive disadvantage if institutions were not provided an opportunity to maintain the standard length of the preseason practice period. 

The waiver has been posted on the LSDBi home page under "Case Management/Waivers" and on the Division II Committee for Legislative Relief homepage under "Division II Blanket Waivers."