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: Severe Inclement Weather Disrupting a Team’s Playing Season
In light of hurricane and tropical storm seasons arriving, it’s helpful to note that NCAA playing and practice season rules in Bylaw 17 permit an institution to temporarily discontinue a playing season segment due to severe weather (e.g., hurricane, snowstorm) and then restart the discontinued segment provided the permissible overall length of that segment is not exceeded. If an institution uses this exception, it is required to annually submit a detailed summary to the NCAA national office by July 31.
For example, in 2003, when Hurricane Isabel caused a Division I institution to close, practice and competition were canceled from Wednesday, September 17, through Monday, September 29. The institution’s women's tennis team was unable to practice from September 18-28. Consequently, the institution submitted a waiver to allow the spring championship season to begin with the original scheduled date of January 12 and incorporate the missed September days into the spring segment.
Establishing a legislated exception that allows institutions to adjust their playing segments under specified circumstances eliminates the need to file a waiver with the NCAA national office. This streamlined flexibility is helpful when universities and their athletics department staff are trying to mitigate real-time, pressing emergency situations on campus and in their community.
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.
