The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- October 26, 1998

Legislative assistance

1998 Column No. 35Bylaw 14.1.6.1

Requirement for practice -- male student-athletes practicing with women's team

NCAA institutions should note that, in accordance with Bylaw 14.1.6.1, a student-athlete must be enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies leading to a baccalaureate or equivalent degree to be eligible to participate in organized practice sessions. The former NCAA Interpretations Committee determined that male student-athletes who practice with institution's women's teams on an occasional basis must meet the provisions set forth in 14.1.6.1 and have eligibility remaining in accordance with Bylaws 14.2.1 and 14.2.2. Further, the former Interpretations Committee determined that if male students practice on a regular basis with the institution's women's team (and vice versa), those male students must be certified in accordance with all applicable NCAA eligibility regulations (i.e., the individual must be enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies, have eligibility remaining under the five-year/10-semester rule, must sign a drug-testing consent form and must be included on the institution's squad list). In addition, the former Interpretations Committee also determined the following issues related to male student-athletes practicing with women's teams:

It is permissible for an institution to provide apparel to male students for the purpose of practicing with the institution's women's team.

It is not permissible for an institution to provide male students financial assistance (i.e., room and board, tuition and fees, and books) in return for practicing with the women's team.

It is not permissible for an institution to provide male students room and board to remain on campus during the vacation period to participate in practice sessions with the women's team.

It is not permissible for an institution to utilize male students who are nonqualifiers or partial qualifiers to participate in practice sessions with the women's team.

[References: NCAA Interpretations Committee December 5, 1991, October 22, 1992, and May 4, 1993, meetings]

Bylaws 17.02, 17.1.6.2 and 17.10.6

Involvement of strength and conditioning coaches in summer conditioning activities

Division I and II institutions should note that in accordance with Bylaws 17.1.6.2 and 17.10.6 (for football student-athletes), it is not permissible for student-athletes to engage in countable athletically related activities during the summer vacation period. Bylaw 17.02.1 provides a list of what activities are considered countable athletically related activities. As set forth in 17.02.1.1-(a), practice is defined as any activity involving sports related information held for one or more student-athletes at the direction of, or supervised by, any members of the coaching staff. Further, Bylaw 17.02.1.1-(m) states that the involvement of an institution's strength and conditioning staff with enrolled student-athletes in required conditioning programs, is a countable athletically related activity. Such legislation permits strength and conditioning personnel to monitor (as opposed to conduct) voluntary individual workouts for safety purposes without this type of supervision counting as a countable athletically related activity. Therefore, such conditioning activities may not be conducted on a mandatory basis and may involve only the institution's strength and conditioning coach(es) to monitor such activities for safety reasons (as opposed to conducting the workouts).

NCAA Division II men's and women's basketball recruiting calendar -- jamboree

NCAA Division II institutions should note that members of its men's and women's basketball coaching staff may evaluate prospective student-athletes during the period between the prospects' initial and final high-school or two-year college contests. During its October 1994 meeting, the former NCAA Council determined that a basketball jamboree against outside competition is considered a contest (and, thus, is considered part of the evaluation period), provided it is organized by an institution, by a conference in which the institution is a member, or by the appropriate state or national high-school/two-year college athletics authority.

This material was provided by the membership services staff as an aid to member institutions. If an institution has a question or comment regarding this column, such correspondence should be directed to Kristen L. Davis or Lisa Roesler, membership services representatives, at the NCAA national office. This information is available on the College Sports Network.