Coaching Compliance Corner

February Spotlight:  Practice Limitations

Practice limitations are a student-athlete welfare issue.  It is important that as a head coach you are aware of the different pieces of legislation regulating the time commitments of our student-athletes.  As playing and practice season regulations vary from sport to sport each coach is encouraged to review their sports section in bylaw 17 which begins on page 169 of the NCAA Manual. 

Countable Athletically Related Activity:  Defined as any required activity with an athletics purpose, involving student-athletes and at the direction of, or supervised by, any member of the institution’s coaching staff (including strength and conditioning coaches).  These activities must be counted in the weekly and daily activities. 

Practice Limitations 

1)      Daily and Weekly Hour Limitations During Playing Season:  A student-athlete’s participation in countable athletically related activities cannot exceed 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week.

2)      Required Day Off During Playing Season:  All countable athletically related activities shall be prohibited during one calendar day per week.

3)      Weekly Hour Limitations Outside of Playing Season:  A student-athlete’s participation in countable athletically related activities should not exceed 8 hours per week, of which not more than 2 hours per week may be spent on individual skill workouts, and in football, review of game film.

4)      Required Days off Outside of Playing Season:  All countable athletically related activities shall be prohibited during two calendar days per week.

Additional Information

1)      Definition of a Day:  A “day” is defined as a calendar day (i.e. 12:01 am to midnight).

2)      Competition Day:  All competition and any associated athletically related activities on the day of competition shall count as three hours regardless of the actual duration.

3)      Definition of a Week:  A “week” is defined as any seven consecutive days to be determined by the institution.  Once the institution determines the seven day period that shall constitute its week.  That designation shall not change for the remainder of the segment.

4)      Missed Class Time for Practice Activities:  No class time shall be missed for practice activities.