Division III Student-Athlete Reinstatement and Hardship Waivers

2. Division IIIStudent-Athlete Reinstatement and Hardship Waivers Kelly Groddy Brandy Hataway

3. Session Overview • Hardship Waivers: • Criteria; • Administration; and • Calculation. • Student-Athlete Reinstatement: • Process overview and best practices. • Institution. • AMA Online. • Reinstatement. • Summary.

4. Session Objectives • Understand the hardship-waiver legislation. • Demonstrate how to calculate participation requirements for a hardship waiver. • Identify best practices for filing a student-athlete reinstatement request. • Prepare and submit student-athlete reinstatement requests within AMA Online.

5. Hardship waivers

6. Hardship Criteria • Season-ending injury or illness occurs before the completion of the first half of the traditional playing season, results in incapacity to compete for remainder of season. • Maximum contest/date of competition (DOC) for the sport plus one contest/DOC. • Example: 25 contests in basketball plus one contest = 26. NCAA Division III Bylaw 14.2.5-(a)

7. Hardship Criteria • SA has competed in less than one third of the maximum contests/DOC for the sport plus one. • Example: 10 contests in football plus one = 11. • Only outside competition during the traditional playing season shall be counted. • Excludes: Preseason scrimmages and exhibitions prior to the first regularly scheduled competition. Bylaw 14.2.5-(b)

8. Hardship Waiver Administration • Member of a conference. • Independent institutions. • Bylaw 14.2.5.1

9. Calculating the First Half of Season • Odd number of contests/DOC, the injury or illness must have occurred before the beginning of the varsity contest or DOC that starts the second half of the traditional season. • Example: Soccer 20 contests plus one = 21. • Before the start of the 11th contest.

11. Case Study No. 1 • Hal Mary, a football SA, tore his ACL during the institution’s sixth regular-season contest. • The injury occurred during the second quarter. • The maximum contest limitation for football is 10. • Did Hal’s injury occur during the first half of season?

12. Case Study No. 2 • Shooter, a basketball SA, injures her foot during the fourth contest of the regular season. • After sitting out for seven contests, Shooter begins playing and participates in three more contests. • During the institution’s 14th contest, Shooter re-injures her foot and is ultimately diagnosed with a stress fracture that ends her season.

13. Case Study No. 2, continued • 25 contests plus one/before completion of 13th contest. • Does Shooter satisfy the requirement that the season ending injury or illness must occur during the first half of the traditional playing season?

14. Calculating One Third • Denominator = Maximum contests/DOC plus one contest/DOC. • Exceptions: • Cross country – based on maximum DOC plus two. • Indoor/outdoor track and field – shall be nine for each sport. Bylaw 14.2.5.2.5.1

15. Calculating One Third • Fraction in percent computation: • Shall be rounded to the next whole number. • Example: • 33 percent of basketball denominator of 26 = 8.6. • Round up to next whole percent = 9. Bylaw 14.2.5.2.5.2

16. Case Study No. 3 • Trip L. Threat, a lacrosse SA, participated in six DOC during the first half of the traditional season. • He dislocated his shoulder during the sixth contest and was unable to participate for the remainder of the season. • Lacrosse allows 17 DOC plus one = 18. • Has Trip compete in one-third or less of the maximum DOC for lacrosse?

17. Nature of Injury/Illness • Not necessary for the injury or illness to be the direct result of the SA’s participation in the institution’s practice or competition. Bylaw 14.2.5.2.1

18. Medical Documentation • Contemporaneous medical documentation from physician who administered care at the time of the injury establishing the SA’s inability to compete for the remainder of the season. • Chiropractic records do not constitute medical documentation. • Psychological or mental illness documentation from individual who is qualified and licensed to diagnose and treat a particular illness (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist). Bylaw 14.2.5.2.2

19. Practice After Receipt of Hardship Waiver • SA who is granted a hardship waiver may: • Practice and/or participate in rehabilitative activities for the remainder of the season without using a season of participation. • SA who competes in that sport during the remainder of the season shall use a season of participation. Bylaw 14.2.5.3

20. Transfer • May use the rule that is most favorable to the SA. • Rule applicable to the division in which the injury or illness occurred OR the Division III rule. • All applicable elements of the rule applied must be used, as opposed to select elements from each division.

21. Transfer from Non-NCAA Institution • If SA previously received a hardship waiver from a non-NCAA association it is not necessary for the NCAA institution to also apply for a hardship waiver.  11/29/06 Official Interpretation

22. Student-athlete reinstatement

23. Student-Athlete Reinstatement (SAR) • Facts. • Process overview and best practices: • Institution; • AMA Online; and • Reinstatement. • Summary.

24. Facts • Sophomore student-athlete Di Mond competes in four softball contests and five practices while enrolled in nine credits. • On Monday, Di notices she isn’t listed one class roster attendance sheet. • Di’s head coach S. Trike sends Di to see compliance.

25. Institution’s Process Overview • Compliance Checklist: • Determine violation? • Eligibility impacted? • Eligibility remaining? • Request reinstatement? • Research. • Log in and select AMA Online.

26. AMA Online – SAR Request

27. AMA Online – SAR Request • Tab - Requesting A Waiver or Reinstatement. • Start a new case. • Select student-athlete reinstatement among drop-down options. • Step One - General Information. • NCAA ID requirement. • Sport. • Next date of competition for SA.

28. AMA Online – SAR Request

29. AMA Online – SAR Request Step Two – Case Information.

30. AMA Online – SAR Request Step Two – Case Information.

31. AMA Online – SAR Request Step Two - Case Information. • Select Eligibility Sub Case type. • Include enrollment/participation history. • Who, what when, where and why?

32. AMA Online – SAR Request Step Three: Case Documentation.

33. AMA Online – SAR Request Step Four - Signatures

34. AMA Online – SAR Request

35. AMA Online – SAR Request

36. Reinstatement Process Overview

37. Reinstatement Process Overview • Facts. • Include schedule. • Mitigation: • Student-athlete statement; • Professor’s statement; • Other mitigating information; and • Rules education overview. • Institution’s recommendation.

38. Reinstatement Process Overview • Guidelines (found on SAR webpage) • Starting point: one-for-one withholding. Requirements for relief: • Continued to attend class; • Unaware less than full time; and • Reasonable effort to remain full time. • Case Precedent (LSBDi and AMA Online) • Totality of circumstances.

39. Reinstatement Process Overview • Decision – AMA Online. • Institution’s action. • 30-day window. • Database. • Finding your case.

40. Summary • Identify issues/likely outcomes. • Gather supporting documentation. • Submit through AMA Online. • Collaborate with reinstatement staff to complete file. • Accept or appeal decision. • Copy in file. • Resources – AMA Education-On-Demand videos and SAR webpage.

41. Questions