Day 14 - Soccer Bylaws

I did a mid-shift day today. Upon my arrival to the compliance coordinators office, he logged me into NCAA applications and had me browse throughout the website. Since I have been here for almost two months, navigation was not that difficult. While Ben was at lunch, I decided to go through all the tabs on the on NCAA and then primarily focused on the student section. Within the student section, I picked a few athletes and compared and contrasted the information. Some of the tabs I was unaware of its meaning so I went looking for it in the NCAA manual. Below is the list of words I did know about regarding NCAA and the Bylaws that are associated with the definition.

In the middle of my search, I was approached by the assistant soccer coach who had a question for the compliance coordinator, who was still out. I asked what the question was and I told him I would find the answer and confirm with Ben.

When is the first day of Fall semester?

What is our hour limitation of practice during the summer?

My answers:

Fortunately, I knew when the first day of fall semester was. I also placed in on a post it note and taped it to Ben’s wall. With regards to practice during the summer, I was a bit confused because to my knowledge there was practice over the summer. To be sure with my answer, I looked up the bylaw regarding countable practice hours for soccer.

17.19.1 Length of Playing Season. The length of an institution’s playing season in soccer shall be limited to a 132-day season, which may consist of two segments (each consisting of consecutive days) and which may exclude only required off days per Bylaw 17.1.7.4 and official vacation, holiday and final-examination periods during which no practice or competition shall occur. (Revised: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/91, 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97)

17.19.2 Preseason Practice. An institution shall not commence practice session in soccer prior to the date that permits a maximum of 21 units (see Bylaw 17.02.13) prior to the first scheduled regular-season intercollegiate contest (not a scrimmage, exhibition game or alumni contest that may occur before the first scheduled regular-season contest). (Revised: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/91, 1/14/97effective 8/1/97, 4/14/03, 6/17/15)

17.19.3 First Contest or Date of Competition. An institution shall not play its first regular-season contest or engage in its first date of competition (game) with outside competition in soccer before the Friday before the 12th weekend before the start of the applicable NCAA Division I Soccer Championship (see Figure 17-2), except that an alumni context may be played the previous weekend (Adopted: 4/20/99 effective 8/1/99, Revised: 12/14/07, 1/14/08 effective 8/1/8, 4/30/09 effective 8/1/09, 4/38/11 effective 8/1/11, 6/17/15).

When Ben returned, the coach asked the question but in a different way. He corrected himself and asked for time limitations during practice before season, which changes the answer completely. In this process I learned that communication is very important and asking questions using the wrong words can lead to violations of the NCAA ruling.

Before the day ended, another question was brought up regarding any violations for a soccer camp in which the soccer coach wanted to have a separate group for athletes of recruiting age and going to college. He asked if he can have a specific camp for college students who could be potential recruits. Ben said that his is no allowed. A camp can be titled “elite” but it cannot be discriminate towards college students trying to be recruited to the university.