2008 Woodie Awards
NCAA Reforms Rules
2004 brings new guidelines for D-III
Ryan Hively
Issue date: 2/5/04 Section: Sports
The NCAA division III rule changes were made for the 2004 season. Most of the changes include reporting insurance and financial aid to the NCAA, along with revising the division III philosophy; however, the most significant changes came with the season shorting and putting an end to red shirting. Twenty five new rules were adopted as a part of a new reform package.
All the coaches at Lakeland are in agreement that the ending of red shirting is the biggest change of all, opening up options to better recruit athletes. This will undoubtedly help the sports at Lakeland College, allowing potential public school students to consider smaller private institutions.
In the past, the only way that athletes at Lakeland might have used red shirting is for a medical hardship. Originally, state schools would sit the J.V. players and have them practice a year, so they wouldn't be eligible. Now, if they practice they are eligible whether they play or not.
"Even though I didn't vote for the ending of red shirting," says sports director, Jane Bouche, "I think that it will help us in the long run. Since we are a small private school, we push for four year graduation because tuition costs the students much more money than at a large state school."
Another big change came with the shorting of the playing season. Most of the coaches at Lakeland are not in favor of the season shorting. This rule shortens the fall playing season to 18 weeks and the spring season to 19 weeks. This is a change that mostly affects baseball and basketball, which have some of the longest seasons of any sports.
"I am not in favor of shorting the seasons. The athletes will play the same number of games in a shorter period of time, which will lead to more stress," says Bouche.
John Weber, the baseball coach, also believes that the worst change was the cut back on fall season. "This cut back hurts pitchers and catchers, not giving them enough time to train and develop properly," he says.
The baseball players will miss about six practices.
"I'm worried that the players won't have enough discipline, which can lead to more injuries if they aren't trained enough," says Weber.
One more big rule that Jane Bouche was not in favor of was the student self-release. Traditionally, transferring students would have to get the coaches permission to talk to the scout of another school. This allows athletes who want to transfer to do so without going through their coach; now all they have to do is download the forms off the NCAA website.
"I don't like this proposal because it breaks down the communication between the coach and the athlete," Bouche says.
"Rule makers are not asking for the opinions of the coaches; they're just doing what they think is right," says Weber.
All the coaches at Lakeland are in agreement that the ending of red shirting is the biggest change of all, opening up options to better recruit athletes. This will undoubtedly help the sports at Lakeland College, allowing potential public school students to consider smaller private institutions.
In the past, the only way that athletes at Lakeland might have used red shirting is for a medical hardship. Originally, state schools would sit the J.V. players and have them practice a year, so they wouldn't be eligible. Now, if they practice they are eligible whether they play or not.
"Even though I didn't vote for the ending of red shirting," says sports director, Jane Bouche, "I think that it will help us in the long run. Since we are a small private school, we push for four year graduation because tuition costs the students much more money than at a large state school."
Another big change came with the shorting of the playing season. Most of the coaches at Lakeland are not in favor of the season shorting. This rule shortens the fall playing season to 18 weeks and the spring season to 19 weeks. This is a change that mostly affects baseball and basketball, which have some of the longest seasons of any sports.
"I am not in favor of shorting the seasons. The athletes will play the same number of games in a shorter period of time, which will lead to more stress," says Bouche.
John Weber, the baseball coach, also believes that the worst change was the cut back on fall season. "This cut back hurts pitchers and catchers, not giving them enough time to train and develop properly," he says.
The baseball players will miss about six practices.
"I'm worried that the players won't have enough discipline, which can lead to more injuries if they aren't trained enough," says Weber.
One more big rule that Jane Bouche was not in favor of was the student self-release. Traditionally, transferring students would have to get the coaches permission to talk to the scout of another school. This allows athletes who want to transfer to do so without going through their coach; now all they have to do is download the forms off the NCAA website.
"I don't like this proposal because it breaks down the communication between the coach and the athlete," Bouche says.
"Rule makers are not asking for the opinions of the coaches; they're just doing what they think is right," says Weber.