NCAA to Study Changes to BB Recruiting Periods

You probably know by now that the NCAA is looking at possible changes in the recruiting process as early as 2012.  This article is from the NCAA website published October 28, 2010:

College basketball recruiting to undergo comprehensive review

By Michelle Brutlag Hosick
NCAA.org

The issue of summer basketball recruiting will be reviewed through the Division I governance structure over the next year, with the implementation of changes possible by summer 2012.

The Division I Board of Directors directed the study Thursday at its fall meeting.

The Leadership Council is expected to begin the study, with assistance from various stakeholders inside and outside the structure such as the Recruiting and Athletics Personnel Issues Cabinet, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and representatives from the youth basketball community (for example, iHoops).

The idea of the more comprehensive review came after the Board considered a recommendation from the Collegiate Commissioners Association, which last month voted overwhelmingly to ask the presidents  to keep coaches on campus during the summer. Since that vote, however, enough concerns were identified that the Board chose not to sponsor legislation for the current cycle.

Those who favor getting rid of the summer recruiting period said they were motivated by wanting to reduce the influence of third parties on the recruiting process and a desire to keep coaches home in the summer to help incoming students acclimate to campus. However, the NABC and some conferences want to keep the summer period because of costs, the need for complete evaluation of prospects and the possibility that the change could require more interaction with third parties than the current system.

The Board agreed that the current recruiting model deserves a thorough look, but presidents believed that a major change like eliminating the summer period needed thorough vetting that sponsorship in the current cycle would not provide. At the same time, the Board wanted to ensure that a recommended solution be considered in the next year.

The presidents were willing to sponsor the proposal in the 2011-12 cycle, depending on the results of the overall examination. They stressed the importance of a timely review to reshape the recruiting environment in the sport as quickly as possible.

The Leadership Council meets next at the January 2011 NCAA Convention in San Antonio. The Council is expected to begin its discussion of men’s basketball recruiting at that time.

In other business, the Board did agree to sponsor legislation in the current cycle that would eliminate the ability for student-athletes to opt out of the sickle cell test required of all incoming student-athletes.

The proposal requiring the test for incoming student-athletes unless they sign a waiver declining the test was passed earlier this year and went into effect on Aug. 1. The measure removing the ability to decline the sickle cell test was originally presented to the Legislative Council as noncontroversial legislation from the Division I Championships/Sport Management Cabinet at the request of the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. The legislation was not moved as noncontroversial because of the significant debate on the issue less than a year ago, in which numerous issues – including declined consent – were vetted. The Council noted the importance of the test and that the adoption of the waiver was not designed to discourage student-athletes from submitting to the test but provided an opportunity to address situations in which student-athletes did not want to be tested for personal reasons.

The Board agreed to sponsor legislation in order to foster a discussion on the topic that would consider both the safety aspects and the privacy concerns.

The legislation will receive first consideration by the Division I Legislative Council in January.