I am writing in response to a commentary submitted by Ken Taylor of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), which appeared in the December 18 issue of The NCAA News. Mr. Taylor wrote in support of Proposal No. 2000-82 (Preseason Practice and First Contest Date -- Men's and Women's Ice Hockey). This legislation is opposed by five of the six Division I ice hockey conferences, the American Hockey Coaches Association and the American Women's Hockey Coaches Association.

The legislation in question was submitted by the MAAC on behalf of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). Since originally submitted, the ECAC has joined with the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), College Hockey America (CHA), the Hockey East Association and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) to oppose that part of the legislation that would mandate two weeks of practice before the first contest. Only the MAAC supports this particular proposal.

While described as an effort to "rein in" the length of the season, the fact is the proposal will do nothing to affect the amount of days that student-athletes will practice and compete in contests. Those numbers remain the same: 22 weeks and 132 days. What it will do is decrease by one the number of weekends available for contests and increase the amount of midweek contests for some student-athletes. While this may not constitute a problem for institutions in certain geographical areas, particularly in the Northeast, it will create a very real problem for schools in the West. With greater distances between institutions, midweek contests place an unfair burden on the student-athletes in those areas.

The loss of an October weekend also handicaps the sport of ice hockey in general as it pertains to national non-league scheduling. The sport has made great progress in recent years to emerge from its image as a regional pastime. Witness:

* The NCAA has worked with all ice hockey-playing institutions to see that the rules book is followed the same in all conferences, eliminating regional interpretations and mechanics.

* The NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship has set attendance records to the point that ticket lotteries will soon go into effect.

* Women's ice hockey will debut its first NCAA championship -- the Women's Frozen Four -- in March. It should be noted that the women's ice hockey community was never consulted in the formation of this legislation.

* Two new Division I conferences have been born in the past three seasons, eliminating the "Division I independent" from the landscape in raising the number of Division I conference members to a new high of 60.

The last point calls attention to another drawback of this legislation. With every Division I hockey-playing institution now a member of a conference, non-league scheduling has become more difficult since so many weekends are locked up in league play. The loss of an October weekend will further hamper the ability of non-league play, which the sport has found helpful in its growth.

In recent years, the sport of ice hockey has made strides in working in harmony for common goals. That part of the proposal dealing with the common starting date for practice is noncontroversial, particularly in light of the fact that the 22-week, 132-day standards will not change.

The MAAC stands alone on the matter of the starting date for games. In Mr. Taylor's commentary, as in recent correspondence between MAAC Commissioner Richard Ensor and members of NCAA committees, the MAAC has left the impression that the nation's coaches feel the season is too long. That is incorrect. The officers of the American Hockey Coaches Association, representing both men and women, oppose this legislation and indicated that opposition at its annual convention last April in Naples, Florida.

At the request of the ECAC, the MAAC did recently sponsor alternate legislation that would eliminate the starting date for games. It did not, however, withdraw the original legislation that identifies common dates for both practice and contests. If the MAAC is truly concerned with the welfare of the student-athlete, it will reconsider its position on this matter. The elimination of a weekend for the scheduling of contests will surely increase the number of midweek contests for hockey-playing student-athletes. In New England and New York, this may not cause a problem. But for the men and women playing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Alaska, Colorado and elsewhere, compromises to their academic, athletics and personal schedules are sure to follow.

On behalf of 49 of the 60 Division I men's ice hockey institutions and all 24 Division I women's ice hockey institutions, I respectfully ask the Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet and, should it address the matter, the Management Council to consider the position put forth here.

Joe Bertagna is the executive director of the American Hockey Coaches Association and the commissioner of the Hockey East Association.