NCAA Considering Limits on Exposure Tournaments

Here is some interesting stuff posted on Spy Sofball's website.
This could affect the way we do things in the world of showcase fastpitch.

NCAA MAY LIMIT FALL RECRUITING
Robin Green Harris , who serves as legislative counsel to NFCA, reported to the annual convention on Thursday that two subcommittees have favorably recommended a proposal to the NCAA which, if adopted by the full NCAA board in January, would limit college coach participation in fall exposure tournaments.

The proposal restricts the fall calendar by restricting evaluation (read on-site at travel ball and other tournaments) from the day after Labor Day through Thanksgiving – with the exception of the period between the second Friday in October and the first Sunday in November. The change would become effective August 1, 2007. In 2007, the open period would be October 12 to November 4.

The proposal would not limit contacts as provided for under NCAA rules.

This proposal was submitted to NCAA by the NFCA head coaches committee, which was formed at the 2005 NFCA Convention. The proposal was debated in 2005 by the general membership and in SPY’s opinion would not have passed, but the prospects are good that NCAA will adopt the proposal – which will probably result in four mega tournaments during the sanctioned period.

SPY had hoped for an opportunity to reconsider the limited recruiting calendar proposal now before NCAA but there was no NFCA vote to reconsider because the proposal was not voted upon in 2005 by NFCA, but was forwarded to NCAA by a newly-recreated head coaches committee.
SPY is receiving email from travel ball coaches and sponsors of some smaller tournaments who oppose this change, many seemingly unaware until they read the proposal this week in SPY. These opponents are writing to NCAA in advance of its January meeting. Proponents of the change argue that travel ball tournaments can still be held -- but without college coaches except during the four-week window. True, such tournaments raise money, often for good causes, and travel ball teams do get needed competition, but a primary purpose of most fall tournaments is exposure.
SPY worries that a few mega tournaments will draw the college coaches, and fewer players will be seen.
SPY will offer an editorial opinion to NCAA next week.

 

Does this affect tournaments held prior to Labor Day? It would be a shame to prohibit college coaches from attending high school conference tournaments and state playoffs. These give them convenient opportunity to interact with high school coaches as well as see the in-state talent.

Its true that travel showcases are now in a state of overkill. Many showcases advertised as such wind up with VERY few college coaches attending. Limiting the number may not be all bad.

It would be very hard on those in parts of the country where HS softball is played in the fall, if there are any.

 

I don't understand why the NCAA would get involved in this at all. If college coaches don't want to attend, no one is making them. Why do they feel it's necessary to police themselves in an area of recruiting that doesn't give anyone an unfair advantage.

I'll be shocked if this one passes....but then again the NCAA has continued to shock me in the past.

 

I doubt if it has anything to do with how it affects college coaches. I'm sure it has everything to do with the pressure put on student athletes by adults to eat sleep and breathe travel ball in order to do everything possible to get themselves seen.

 

If that's the case, why would the NCAA get involved in this parental concern?
I have my personal opinion on travel ball, but the NCAA has no business interfering with a family decision.

Quite frankly, the pressures put on a HS athlete is nothing compared to the pressures they will face at the next level.

BTW, I am not connected with travel ball in any way

 

I have had the opportunity to discuss the proposed change with 3 different college coaches and all three were in favor of it.

 

Why were they in favor of it?

 

Equity

This ruling is probably trying to address a couple of situations:

1.) The NCAA has made numerous attempts to minimize the impact on lesser funded programs. Minimizing the recruiting opportunity makes for a more level playing field among the lesser funded programs by lowering travel and recruiting costs.
2.) The NCAA has recruiting restrictions so that the impact on the high school players is controlled, allowing them to still be students and teenagers. Like it or not, the restrictions would limit the amount of tournaments played in by some players.
3.) To think that the NCAA is not involved with "parental issues" is silly. When it comes to a college athlete, the coach may be the "parent" but the NCAA is the law. Every decision they make is a "parental issue", unless of course it brings revenue to the NCAA.

 

My post was in reference to the HS kid and their parent...not the college coach and their athletes. If the main purpose of this proposed law was to enforce parents to not put increased pressure on their kids through travel ball participation. The NCAA should not get involved. If it's for another purpose, then help me understand the purpose of this legislation

If it's about cutting down time and expenses for a college coach, the opposite is true. Of all the faults of showcase ball, the one positive for college coaches is it decreases the time and cost to travel around their region watching players at different locations.

No truer words were spoken

I'm not trying to be argumentative, I just don't understand the proposed legislation and what it is trying to do. And is it for Softball only? or is this legislation for both softball and baseball?

 

NOT ALL IT SEEMS

I was told at a meeting in OKC last year there were some reasons that the larger dominate DI colleges didn't want so many tournaments in the fall. I don't want to go into all the details but trust me, the student athlete isn't the main concern. The concern seems to be recruiting and expense.
My concern is; with the HS year creeping further and further into June and the colleges squeezing the fall, pretty soon there won't be time to play in any type of tournament.
We can't afford the travel to CA, FL and wherever else they decide is the correct tournament to attend in Oct. or Nov. so do my girls lose out on DI opportunities in the fall?
I think it is a bad move for softball. JMO