Regular Season Formats

Regular Season Formats October 2020

Initial Membership Survey

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Highest Ranked Concerns with Regular Season Formats CEOs/Presidents Student Academic Performance

ADs Student Academic Performance

Missed Class Time

Missed Class Time

Student Academic Performance

Student Experience

Institution’s Travel/Hosting Costs

Student Experience

Student Experience

Health & Safety

Student Experience

Health & Safety

Student Retention

Missed Class Time

Health & Safety

Institution’s Travel/Hosting Costs

Health & Safety

Institution’s Travel/Hosting Costs

Student Retention

Student Retention

Burden on Faculty Burden on Support Staff (SIDs, ATs, etc.)

FARs Missed Class Time

Coaches Student Academic Performance

Burden on Support Staff (SIDs, ATs, etc.)

Institution’s Travel/Hosting Costs Burden on Support Staff (SIDs, ATs, etc.)

Burden on Support Staff (SIDs, ATs, etc.)

Burden on Faculty

Burden on Faculty

Burden on Faculty

Student Retention

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When does housing student-athletes create a significant burden?

CEOs/Presidents

ADs

FARs

Coaches

30%

25%

33%

15%

0%

2%

4%

6%

Both before and after the academic year.

27%

29%

14%

17%

Neither

43%

39%

31%

46%

Inadequate information to provide input.

0%

4%

18%

16%

Before the academic year

(before the general student body reports in the fall) After the academic year

(after the general student body leaves in the spring)

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Which sports’ regular seasons create the biggest challenges?

CEOs/Presidents

ADs

FARs

Coaches

Baseball (62%)

Baseball (74%)

Baseball (55%)

M/W Basketball (50%/48%)

Softball (50%)

Softball (59%)

M/W Basketball (47%/45%)

Softball (48%)

M/W Basketball (46%/45%)

M/W Basketball (33%/28%)

Softball (45%)

M/W Soccer (38%/38%)

M/W Soccer (23%/27%)

M/W Soccer (33%/26%)

Football (28%)

Football (35%)

Football (23%)

Football (28%)

M/W Soccer (22%/21%)

Baseball (73%)

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What are the specific challenges within these sports?

Travel / hosting costs and responsibilities

100% 90%

Missed class time

80%

Student academic performance

70% 60%

Student retention

50% Health and safety

40% 30%

Student experience

20% Burden on faculty

10% 0%

Basketball (M)

Basketball (W)

Baseball

Softball

Burden on support staff (SIDs, ATs, coaches, registrars, compliance officers) 6

2019 Survey Conclusions •

Focus on these 3 concerns:

Missed Class Time & Academic Performance Student-athlete Experience & Wellness Costs

• •

Housing before the fall term creates a significant burden Some sports deserve specific review and revision, not necessarily all 7

Building the Study

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Governance Structure Athletics Directors (ADA) & Conference Commissioners (CCA) Schedule and Financial Impact

Student-Athlete Health and Wellness

Academic Success/ Missed Class Time

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ADA & CCA Leaders ATHLETICS DIRECTORS Matt Beaudry

University of Michigan-Dearborn (Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference)

Reagan Rossi

The College of Idaho (Cascade Collegiate Conference)

Ashley Walyuchow

University of Houston-Victoria (Red River Athletic Conference)

Drew Watson

Southeastern University (The Sun Conference)

Darin Wilson

Georgia Gwinnett College (Association of Independent Institutions)

CONFERENCE COMMISSIONERS Mike Daniels

Golden State Athletic Conference

Eric Ward

Mid-South Conference

Corey Westra

Great Plains Athletic Conference

*Commissioner Stan Wagnon (Sooner Athletic Conference) and AD Tom Galbraith (Simpson University) were participants through August 2020 10

Guiding Principles • Reduce operational costs • Allow for adequate time off, both physically and mentally • Minimize missed class time, negative academic impact

• Ensure positive student-athlete experience, holistically • Create more balance for support staff

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Comparison of Contest Limits to DII NCAA DIII Baseball Basketball Competitive Cheer Competitive Dance Cross Country Football Golf Lacrosse Track & Field Soccer Softball Swim/Dive Tennis Volleyball Wrestling Bowling

55 contests 30 games 10 contests 10 contests 8 meets 11 contests 14 matches/tournaments 18 games 12 meets 18 games 28 dates 12 meets 24 dates/tournaments 28 dates 20 dates 14 contests

50 contests 26 contests 7 dates 11 contests 21 dates 17 dates 18 dates 18 contests 56 contests 16 dates 25 dates 26 dates 16 dates -

40 contests 25 contests 9 dates 10 contests 20 dates 17 dates 18 dates 20 contests 40 contests 16 dates 20 dates 22 dates 16 dates -

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Games Played per Team 9 or Fewer 3%

SOFTBALL

BASEBALL

FOOTBALL 11+ Games 54%

37-39 Games 40-42 4% Games 9%

36 or Fewer 5%

55+ Games 23%

43-45 Games 11%

10 Games 43%

37-39 Games 7%

36 or Fewer 11%

55+ Games 13% 52-54 Games 9%

40-42 Games 13%

49-51 Games 18%

46-48 Games 10% 49-51 Games 17%

52-54 Games 21%

43-45 Games 12%

46-48 Games 17%

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Instances of # of Games on a Single Day # of Games on Single Day

# of Instances

6 games

303

5 games

495

4 games

2,189

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Student-Athlete Survey Questioning impact of season on academics, experience, mental and physical health. (1,820 student-athletes responded) Perceived difference in academic performance in-season vs. out-of-season: – Better out-of-season (40%) – Minimal Difference (50%) – Better in-season (10%)

When being recruited, significant factors in decision: – Academic reputation (56%) – Total financial aid package (50%) – Offer of athletic aid, specifically (49%)

– – – –

Athletic reputation (49%) Perceived playing time (34%) Athletic facilities (32%) # of games team plays each season (12%)

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Fall Sports – Initial Recommendations

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FALL •

Cross Country, Football, Soccer, Women’s Volleyball

Primary focus on:

– Recognized a need to reduce bringing studentathletes back to campus so early – Importance of start dates for games – Ensure acclimatization and training time prior to game start day – Results in some impact (standardization) on all fall sports

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•

First Practice – –

•

– –

•

Current: 11 games Suggested: 11 games

First Practice – –

•

Current: late August or early September Suggested: Thursday prior to August 30

Number of Official Contests – –

•

Current: Any time beginning August 1 Suggested: 24 days prior to first game

First Contest

Cross Country

Soccer

Football

–

•

Current: late August or early September Suggested: Thursday prior to September 6

Number of Official Contests – –

Current: 18 games Suggested: 18 games

First Practice –

Current: Any time beginning August 1 Suggested: 17 days prior to first game

First Contest –

•

–

•

First Contest – –

•

Current: Any time beginning August 1 Suggested: 17 days prior to first meet Current: early September Suggested: Thursday prior to Labor Day weekend

Number of Official Contests – –

Current: 8 meets Suggested: 7 meets 18

Women’s Volleyball •

First Practice – –

•

First Contest – –

•

Current: Any time beginning August 1 Suggested: 17 days prior to first game Current: Mid or late August Suggested: Thursday prior to August 30

Number of Official Contests – –

Current: 28 dates Suggested: 26 dates

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Winter Sports – Initial Recommendations

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WINTER

Basketball, Bowling, Competitive Cheer, Competitive Dance, Indoor Track & Field, Swim & Dive, Wrestling

•

Primary focus on Basketball and Wrestling.

•

Competitive Cheer, Competitive Dance and Bowling are all early in their tenure as NAIA sports. We should continue to watch for now as their schedules stabilize.

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Basketball •

First Practice

When applying over next 10 years:

First Contest

•

– –

•

– –

•

Current: Mid-September Suggested: October 1 Current: Mid-October Suggested: November 1

Number of Official Contests – –

Current: 30 Suggested: 28

•

First practice lands between Sept. 21-27 First contest lands between Oct. 26-Nov. 1

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Wrestling •

First Practice – –

•

First Contest – –

•

Current: Early September Suggested: September 25 Current: Mid-October Suggested: October 30

Number of Official Contests – –

Current: 20 Suggested: 18

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Spring Sports – Initial Recommendations

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SPRING

• • • •

Baseball, Golf, Lacrosse, Outdoor Track & Field, Softball, Tennis, Men’s Volleyball

Considering start dates after February 1 Primary focus on baseball and softball, as they were raised as key sports of concern Considering benefits of allowing individual skills workouts Interested to see how Spring 2021 pans out and what may be transferable

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Softball

Baseball •

First Practice

•

First Contest

•

Number of Official Contests

•

– –

•

– –

•

– –

– –

Current: early January Suggested: TBD

Current: early January Suggested: TBD

First Contest – –

Current: February 1 Suggested: TBD Current: 55 games Suggested: TBD

First Practice

Current: February 1 Suggested: TBD

Number of Official Contests – –

Current: 28 dates (~56 games) Suggested: TBD

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What’s next?

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Next Steps Athletics Directors & Conference Commissioners

• Engage with CSA and CFAR • Discuss options with coaches leadership groups this winter

Council for Student-Athletes (CSA)

• Identify critical trigger points regarding student health • Continue analysis of impact on student wellness

Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives (CFAR)

• Identify any further data to enable analysis of missed class time and academic impact

Secure additional feedback from entire membership 28

Opportunities for Feedback

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