Athletics Veritas is a weekly series aimed at helping higher education executives, faculty, and other stakeholders stay tuned in on trending national issues impacting college athletics, especially NCAA Division I. Athletics Veritas is created by senior DI athletic administrators around the nation.
Term-In-Ology: The Safety Exception
Coaches providing any instruction to student-athletes outside their declared championship or non-championship playing season weeks is generally prohibited by Division I rules.
However, back in 1991, a safety exception was carved out to allow a coach to provide safety instruction to student-athletes while participating in voluntary workouts outside the playing season in sports whose elements include risks of bodily harm.
Division I sports that present such risks and have access to the safety exception include fencing, gymnastics, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, the field events of track and field, women’s rowing, acrobatics and tumbling, and equestrian, among others.
For example, Division I fencers could have their fencing coach present to provide safety instructions for a training session during their school’s winter break even if it lands on a date outside the fencing team’s declared playing season.
The coach may provide safety or skill instruction under the safety instruction provision, but may not conduct the individual's workouts.
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Athletics Veritas is presented for information purposes only and should not be considered advice or counsel on NCAA compliance matters. For guidance on NCAA rules and processes, always consult your university’s athletics compliance office, conference office, and/or the NCAA.
