National Collegiate Athletic Association |
CommentFebruary 9, 1998
Student-athlete view -- Divisions II, III athletes react to Convention
BY ROBERT MORRISSEY The 1998 NCAA Convention was a fascinating and awe-inspiring experience, not to mention educational. From a student-athlete's perspective, I found it intriguing to discover the diversity that exists among the multitude of athletics programs and departments represented at the Convention.
First, let me say that a certain level of autonomy from the athletics department is imperative to foster the committee's growth. Increasingly, much to my dismay, student-athletes are rigidly hamstrung by instruction from their respective athletics staffs, thus hindering the development of the students' leadership qualities. Essentially, the committee should be a forum of student-athletes who strive for the opportunity to be proactive in their athletics department and their surrounding community. At Vassar College, the students run each meeting (one per week) and set our own long- and short-term agendas. It is safe to assume that for our athletics department staff, it is rewarding to observe the resourcefulness, determination and accomplishments of the student-athletes. The following is a list of ideas to consider:
Clearly, SAACs vary from institution to institution. Some are still developing while others are more firmly established. Despite this uneven development, campus SAACs are a great tool through which student-athletes may explore a career in athletics. More importantly, however, one must remember that SAACs are a resource for all student-athletes. It is the responsibility of all SAAC members to work to improve their committees so that their voice is heard. Robert Morrissey is a member of the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Division II
BY DARREN BEERS Now that the 1998 Convention is over and everyone has returned to his or her daily routine, it is time to reflect on the events that occurred in January.
It was nice to see the processes mentioned at the Division II student-athlete summit last summer in Denver put in motion. We should all be grateful to have had the opportunity to have played a role in the events that may at some point affect the Division II student-athlete. It also was exciting to see how people reacted to legislative proposals on the floor. When it came down to the issue of the Division II maximum equivalency limits for football or the topic of Pell Grants, it was helpful to hear so many arguments supporting or disagreeing with each proposal. Whether or not you agree with the way things were voted on, hopefully you left the Convention feeling as though all the events that took place were done to benefit those men and women who dedicate themselves to their sport and their education. The events outside of the business sessions also deserve recognition. The two dinners held in honor of outstanding student-athletes were something to marvel at. To hear the success stories of those men and women was an inspiration to everyone in attendance. The programs were somewhat overwhelming but extremely well-organized. To be in a room with such a distinguished group of student-athletes is an experience that everybody present will remember. Overall, the Convention was a great experience. Being involved with the legislative process and having casual conversations with the friends and colleagues whom we have met through the NCAA all are a part of what made the Convention a learning experience and a fun one. As we await the next meeting, it is important to continue to work hard for our schools and our conferences in order to make a lasting impact on those institutions and to be able to smile about our success stories the next time we get together. Darren Beers is a member of the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Comment -- Wrestling rules changes prompt, appropriate
BY JEFFREY W. KANE Cheers to the NCAA. The NCAA reacted to the deaths of three college wrestlers by instituting new rules on weight loss. For an organization that contains many faults, the decision was quickly made and much needed. Usually the NCAA is heard from only when bad situations arise in college athletics, such as players taking money, shaving points or gambling. Rarely is the NCAA commended for the good it does for college sports. This is one of those times. After the deaths of college students Jeff Reese (University of Michigan), Billy Saylor (Campbell University) and Joe LaRosa (University of Wisconsin, La Crosse), the NCAA could have done nothing, citing athletes and coaches as being responsible. Instead, NCAA wrestlers now face much stricter rules on how they can lose weight before a match. No longer will wrestlers go through grueling workouts just to make a certain weight class. Gone are the days of athletes sitting in hot rooms with rubber suits and no fluids available. When the NCAA rules committee meets in April, it will discuss more permanent rules. Until then, wrestlers will have a ... seven-pound leeway through the NCAA championships. College sports are here for the athletes to compete and demonstrate their ability. An athlete shouldn't have to put his or her life in danger for the sake of the chance to compete. Athletes and anyone else involved in college athletics, including the fans, must realize sports are just games, not life-and-death struggles. The NCAA took a major step in one college sport to prevent unnecessary deaths. Now it's time for the NCAA, the conferences, the coaching staffs and the players to do the same for all college athletics. Cheers to the NCAA. Jeffrey W. Kane is sports editor of The Ithacan, the student newspaper at Ithaca College. Opinions -- Kramer: Athletes should be responsible for their actions
Roy Kramer, commissioner Discussing the concept of immunity for information in NCAA infractions cases: "There are two aspects that concern me. I understand the NCAA has some difficulty addressing violations. Unlike in a court of law where you can get a subpoena and force the individual to testify, it cannot do this. It's a difficult thing to address. "On the other hand, I have a real concern about athletes who are knowingly involved in violations and not having some responsibility. "There is still no excuse for institutions or coaches to get involved. But, in my experiences, most athletes know exactly what they're doing. They need to bear some responsibility.... I think that's a concern that has to be addressed."
Rob Evans, men's basketball coach "I think you have to do that (grant immunity), to be very honest with you. Otherwise, no player is going to talk and no lawyer is going to talk to anybody (about irregularities).... "I have a problem with a little bit of it. If a guy accepts something, he knows he accepts it. He knows it is a rule violation. But, if you don't grant him immunity, you don't get any information. "If a grown person throws something out there to a kid and he accepts it, it's the grown person's fault. If you offer me $10,000, it's a difficult thing for me just to turn my back and say, 'No. I'm not going to do it.' "
Basketball
Steve Lavin, men's basketball coach "I think three or four years ago, the notion of jumping straight to the pros (from high school) was so alien that most kids still buckled down to get their board scores and their grades. Now with one or two kids going straight to the pros every year, I think a lot of great high-school players see that as an academic out. They've been told for so long that they're so great and they've been dominating on that level so easily, that they delude themselves into thinking they don't have to study because they can go straight to the NBA. Then some professional scout comes along two months before the draft and tells them they're not ready, and it's too late for them to get their academic house in order. "I think that's why you're seeing a weaker freshman class this season. I know a guy like Schea (Cotton) would have stepped right in here and given us 15 (points) and 10 (rebounds) a game. He would have been a major impact freshman, but he just got some bad advice last year in high school and spent too long toying with going to the NBA. Like three or four other highly touted prospects around the country, he's paying the price now."
Rapid weight loss in wrestling
Bob Dellinger, former director Reaction to three college wrestlers who died recently trying to make weight: "Somebody has at least hit the mule with a two-by-four. Cutting weight has been a blight upon the sport that we didn't do anything about. Now we have to do something more than view with alarm. Lock the saunas. Burn the plastic suits. We have to do something, or people will hate us."
Charles Yesalis, professor "The likelihood of these people dying by chance is astronomically high. I'm not sure what it is. There's been significant weight-cutting forever. Diuretics have been around a long time. Steroids have been around. What was different in 1997 than it was in 1996 or 1982?.... Discussing the dietary supplement creatine: "People said it occurs naturally in the body, but so does testosterone. You'd have to eat 10 to 20 pounds of red meat a day for the loading dose of creatine. That's fine, I guess, if you're a tiger."
Title IX
Rodney K. Smith "Many colleges have chosen to eliminate men's sports to appear to provide women athletes with opportunities proportional with male athletes and to minimize the cost of operating intercollegiate athletics. Other institutions have responded to the demand for equal opportunity by adding new athletics opportunities for women. Emerging women's sports, officially recognized by the NCAA, include the likes of badminton, bowling, archery and synchronized swimming. "Neither cutting men's opportunities nor adding the 'emerging sports' recognized by the NCAA appears to be an attractive solution to the problem of achieving equity in athletics. Cutting opportunities for men does little to increase opportunities for women; it simply decreases overall opportunities. The recognized 'emerging sports' tend to prefer women from wealthier backgrounds, effectively discriminating against women from poorer backgrounds, with serious racial implications. "By adding women's football at the college and high-school levels, many women, from all socioeconomic backgrounds, could be given a new opportunity to participate in a game that is popular in our culture. At least 40 women would be given an opportunity to play on a given team, adding dramatically to the proportion of women involved in athletics. If a junior varsity team were added, the numbers could be doubled.... "Women, in ever-increasing numbers, want to play football. More than 800 young women play 'men's' varsity-level football at the high-school level, up from 295 in 1994. Even with limited opportunities, thousands of women play organized flag football. "More than 125,000 of the 500,000 recent participants in the NFL's Gatorade Punt, Pass & Kick competition for ages 8 to 15 were girls. In 1994, Kendra Wecker, a 12-year-old girl, advanced to the finals of the competition, placing second among all participants in her age group.... "There is a large potential fan base for women's football. Approximately 40 million women join 60 million men in watching the NFL on an average weekend. Attendance at high-school and college football games by men and women is consistently high. "With such potential fan appeal, women's football, like women's basketball, could generate revenue without requiring new facilities. "The argument for adding, or studying the possibility of adding, women's football is compelling; athletics associations and institutions should take this issue seriously. "Adding women's football would constitute a significant step toward satisfying the legitimate demands of Title IX and certainly is preferable to continuing to wrestle with proliferating regulations and lawsuits under Title IX."
|
As a representative of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, I was surprised by the number of athletics directors who approached me with grave concern about motivating their respective campus student-athlete advisory committees (SAACs). Most administrators are well-versed in the available literature that exists on the matter, yet their respective committees perpetually remain "works in progress." With that in mind, I feel compelled to share ideas and suggestions that I and other SAAC members envision as the essential ingredients to a prosperous and functioning SAAC.
Whether this was your first or third time at the Convention, hopefully you left with a feeling of satisfaction. The information provided on how to maintain a productive campus student-athlete advisory committee and on how to enhance the role of the senior woman administrator will be extremely helpful on all our campuses.