COMPLIANCE CORNER
// T O D D H A I R S T O N
SPRING BREAK? ... NCAA RULES DURING INSTITUTIONAL VACATION PERIODS TODD HAIRSTON SENIOR A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE
Spring break is an annual ritual on college campuses across the country, and Wake Forest is certainly no exception. This year, our spring break is March 7-15. While spring break offers a much needed reprieve from the rigor of the semester, it also triggers a number of NCAA rules that are specific to institutional vacation periods. For example, teams that are not within their normal competitive season during the spring are not permitted to hold practices during spring break. For others, however, spring break is anything but a break. Teams that are in season such as
FOR EXAMPLE, TEAMS THAT ARE NOT WITHIN THEIR NORMAL COMPETITIVE SEASON DURING THE SPRING ARE NOT PERMITTED TO HOLD PRACTICES DURING SPRING BREAK. FOR OTHERS, HOWEVER, SPRING BREAK IS ANYTHING BUT A BREAK. baseball, basketball or tennis may not only practice, but are allowed to exceed the general practice limitations of no more than four hours per day or no more than 20 hours per week during an official vacation period. Additionally, for sports that are required to remain on campus for practice or competition during a vacation period,
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student-athletes may receive cash to cover meals during those days in which the institutional dining facilities are closed. Providing students cash in lieu of actual meals is generally not permitted for all student-athletes. Spring break is also a time when many student-athletes who aren’t in season may want to travel home to spend some time with their families. However, students who live in distant parts of the country or perhaps overseas may face financial difficulties in getting home for the break. In situations where students present a legitimate financial hardship, the Athletic Department may provide a student-athlete with travel expenses through the NCAA Student Assistance Fund. Spring break is also a time when many sports program may choose to take a foreign tour. NCAA rules stipulate that a team may take a foreign tour only once every four years. Further, a foreign tour may only occur during the summer or during an institutional vacation period during the academic year, such as spring break. Several Wake Forest sports teams have taken a foreign tour in recent years, including men’s and women’s soccer, men’s golf and men’s basketball. Spring Break provides a perfect opportunity for programs to take advantage of the NCAA rules to provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for their students. So while spring break may seem routine to most students on campus, like so many things, it is anything but routine for many student-athletes.
