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.
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