Calendar

GENDER ISSUES

Women's athletics group cites concerns with Playboy awards

The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics recently expressed concerns with awards and programs provided by entities that the committee thinks portray women in a demeaning manner.

The committee is particularly concerned with awards sponsored by Playboy because the committee believes that the Playboy enterprises are inconsistent with NCAA values. The committee also noted that Playboy has supported gambling on college athletics and that the MET-Rx College Football Preview has served as a forum for Playboy awards.

The committee recommended that all three NCAA Management Councils endorse the following statement: "The NCAA discourages member institutions and its student-athletes from participating in events and/or awards programs sponsored or supported by organizations that portray women in a degrading and demeaning manner (for example, the Playboy Top 20, the Playboy All-America Team and the MET-Rx College Football Preview)."

Staff contact: Rosie Stallman -- rstallman@ncaa.org

FOOTBALL

Issues committee recommends revisions to conditioning model

The Division I Football Issues Committee is recommending two revisions to the football out-of-season conditioning model, both of which provide more flexibility for practice without compromising the health and safety foundation upon which the model is built.

The committee is recommending that preseason practice begin for both first-time and continuing football student-athletes three days earlier than originally proposed. However, institutions still would be allowed a maximum of 29 practices in the preseason practice period.

The recommendation addresses institutions that would not have the opportunity under the original proposal to conduct 29 practice sessions. Proponents also say it provides institutions with the flexibility of starting practice at the same time that first-time participants are permitted to report for their three-day orientation period under current legislation, and it allows all institutions to conduct the same number of practices.

Another suggested amendment would exclude "walk-throughs" conducted after the five-day acclimatization period from the daily and hourly practice limitations.

Staff contact: Dennis Poppe -- dpoppe@ncaa.org