The NCAA News - News and FeaturesFebruary 17, 1997
Guidelines for identifying emerging sports developed
Guidelines for identifying new emerging sports in the Association were developed by the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics at its January 30-31 meeting in St. Louis.
The guidelines now go to the NCAA Council for consideration at its meeting in April. These guidelines must be approved before the committee on women's athletics can consider any new emerging sports.
The committee also recommended that once such a sport has been established as a championship sport, the sport has "emerged" and should no longer be considered an emerging sport, such as rowing.
Further, the women's committee recommended that a designated emerging sport be given 10 years to become a championship sport, unless it can be shown that steady growth has occurred during the 10-year period even without creation of a championship.
When the NCAA membership adopted legislation in 1994 to identify emerging sports for women as a means to provide increased opportunities to female student-athletes, the Committee on Women's Athletics was asked to forward recommendations regarding selection, retention and elimination of emerging sports.
Under the guidelines, the committee will use the following criteria -- with the Council's approval -- in evaluating the viability of a sport as an emerging sport:
The sport must have potential to become an NCAA championship sport.
Twenty or more varsity teams and/or competitive club teams in that sport currently exist on college campuses.
Other data exist that demonstrate support for the sport. Those data could include collegiate recreation and intramural sponsorship; high-school sport sponsorship; nonscholastic competitive programs; and support from associations and organizations, such as the U.S. Olympic Committee, coaches associations, professional sports organizations or conference interest in sports sponsorship.
A demonstrated understanding that once identified as an emerging sport, all NCAA institutions wanting to sponsor the sport at the varsity level must abide by all applicable NCAA regulations, including limits on playing and practice seasons, recruiting, and student-athlete eligibility.
Once the guidelines are in effect, the committee will consider only a written request submitted by 10 member institutions indicating support for classifying the sport as an emerging sport.
Signatures of the presidents and athletics directors of the institutions submitting the request must accompany the request, as well as documentation that the sport meets the listed criteria.
Other highlights
Committee on Women's Athletics
January 30-31/St. Louis
Expanded the Woman of the Year program to include recognition of a woman of the year from each NCAA institution. The campus winner will be in the pool from which a state winner is selected. The change is intended to expand the number of schools that participate.
Commended the Division I Board of Directors for continued commitment to gender and ethnic diversity (see Division I Management Council story).
Discussed a proposed partnership between the NCAA and the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) focusing on campus violence. The committee expressed support for the NCAA providing matching funds for a program of grants that would be awarded to institutions or consortiums of institutions to develop violence-prevention education program for all students. The U.S. Department of Education would match any NCAA contribution.
Participated in a workshop on homophobia and discrimination in women's athletics presented by Pat Griffin, associate professor of social justice at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Discussion focused on educating coaches and athletics administrators; identifying ethical codes for administrators, athletes, coaches and other staff; and adopting athletics department antidiscrimination and antiharassment policies.
Expressed concern regarding whether marketing efforts by Host Communications, Inc., commit proportionate resources to marketing women's sports, and asked that women's representatives be included in strategic planning of women's sports marketing. The committee recommends that a process for monitoring be created.
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