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n Comment Editor-in-&ii P. David Pickle Managing &or Jack 1. Copeland Assistant adii Vikki K. Watson Ediil and odv&ising as&ant Ronald D. Man The NCAA News 17 Guest didal The Comment sec- tion of The NCAA News is offered as a page of opinion. The views do not necessarily represent a con- sensus of the NCAA membership. Current eligibility rule serves as a motivator BychfistopherB.Ms EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KNK;Hl FOUNDATION COMMISSION ON IlWERCOLlEGlAlE ATHLETICS The recent commentary by Alonzo Free- man (The NCAA News, November 14) is a remarkably eloquent and inspiring account of one young man’s struggle to overcome a bit- ter, personal disappointment and replace it with a dream. His life, it seems, is a patent rejection of Herbert Spencer’s theory that “once you fail, you’re down for good.” Mr. Freeman’s goal of graduation from Arkansas State University is applaudable and worthy of our support and encouragement; however, his proposal for an extta year of eligibility for “partial qualifiers” is not Under the current system, the fourth year of eligibility selves as an important means of motivating prospective student-athletes during their sec- ondary-school years. Changing this rule would send a very wrong message. A fair and viable solution to Mr. Freeman’s dilemma can be found in the first report of the Knight Foundation Commission on Inter- collegiate Athletics, “Keeping Faith with the Student-Athlete.” Among other recommendations, Knight Commission members offered this alternative: “Athletics scholarships should be offered for a five-year period. In light of the time demands of athletics competition, we believe that athletics scholarship assistance routinely should cover the time required to complete the degree, up to a maximum of five years. Moreover, the initial offer to the student-athlete should be for the length of time required to earn a degree up to five years, not the sin- gle year now mandated by NCAA rules. The only athletics condition under which the five- year commitment could be broken would be if the student refused to participate in the sport for which the grant-in-aid was offered. Otbexwise, aid should continue as long as the student-athlete remains in good standing at the institution.” This approach retains the “fourth year” as a motivational tool for precollege preparation while removing a major hurdle from the path of the “partial qualifier” who is intent upon college graduation. What better way for Arkansas State University to honor the hard work and deter- mination of Alonzo Freeman than to draft legislation based upon this recommendation and submit it for consideration at the 1996 NCAA Convention? What better way for all of us to “keep faith” with our student-athletes and our educational principles than to sup port this legislation next January? More skill instruction desirable Current NCAA legislation (Bylaw 17.5.5.2) limits a student-athlete’s par- ticipation in strength and conditioning activities to a total of eight hours per week outside the playing and practice season. In addition, student-athletes are not permitted to participate in such activities for more than two hours per day and must receive one complete day off. A proposal by the Atlantic Coast Conference (No. 20 in the Official Notice for the 1995 Convention) seeks to amend the current rule to include individual skill development sessions. Specifically, this proposal would allow coaches to supervise student-athletes in sport-specific skill training during not more than two of the eight hours cur- rently permitted for strength and conditioning activities. (This proposal also would limit these skill sessions to two student-athletes at any one time.) In effect, this would leave six hours for strength and conditioning activities. The rationale for this proposal is that student-athletes want to improve their abilities in their particular sport rather than spend extra time on strength and conditioning. There is no question that perfecting sports-specific skills will have a greater impact on a student-athlete’s perfor- mance than either strength training or conditioning activities. The question then becomes, “Is six hours per week enough time to produce improvements in muscular strength and cardiovascular conditioning?” Science has been unable to discover one strength and conditioning method that is superior to another. Research has 0 Opinions cl LetBer shown only that there are a variety of methods that can increase muscular strength and cardiovascular ability. One of the greatest misconceptions in the strength and conditioning profession is that an increase in the volume of the activity produces better results. The truth is that more isn’t necessarily better when it comes to strength and conditioning activities. The most important factor in deter- mining the response from strength and conditioning activities is the student-athlete’s level of intensity or effort. An inverse relationship exists between intensity and the duration of the activity: As the time of an activity increases, the level of intensity decreases. Stated otherwise, a student-athlete cannot train at a high level of intensity for long peri- ods of time. Essentially, the primary purpose of strength and conditioning activities is to reduce a student-athlete’s risk of injury. Six hours of time each week is more than enough to prepare a student- athlete for the rigors of competition. A number of different possibilities exist to schedule strength and conditioning activities during a weekly six-hour time frame. For example, a productive one- hour strength training workout can be performed three times per week on nonconsecutive days (for example, Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and a one-hour conditioning session can be done on alternate days (for example, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). Limiting strength-training workouts and conditioning sessions to one hour has an important physiological basis. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source during intense exercise. Most individuals exhaust their carbo- hydrate stores after about one hour of intense exercise. As such, both strength training and conditioning sessions should be limited to one hour. Strength and conditioning activities should emphasize the quality of the workout rather than the quantity of the workout. The most efficient program is one that produces the maximum possi- ble results in the least amount of time. Coaches who insist, encourage or coerce their student-athletes to invest excessive amounts of time in strength and conditioning activities beyond that which is needed to strengthen the mus culoskeletal system against injury are providing a tremendous disservice to them. A six-hour restriction on strength and conditioning activities will encourage strength coaches to finally let go of the traditional competitive-weightlifting- inspired programming and seek more practical and time-efficient methods for training their student-athletes. Rather than waste inordinate amounts of time in the weight room learning absolutely useless competitive weightlifting skills, student-athletes will have more time to practice and perfect sportsspecific skills that will be used in their competition. Matt Brzycki Coordinator of Health Fitness, Strength and Conditioning Programs Princeton Univexsity Suit brought more exposures, less money James Frank, commissioner Southwestern Athletic Conference Former NCAA president New Orleans limes-Picayune “(W)hen Oklahoma and Georgia sued the NCAA on prop etty rights and accused the NCAA of being a monopoly, (that) ultimately did away with the NCAA television plan as we knew it When it got to the Supreme Court, they ultimately ruled in favor of the people who sued the NCAA, and that changed the television situation forever. I will go to my grave believ- ing it was greed - the Oklahomas and Ceorgias of this world felt that if they were not governed by the NCAA in terms of television, they’d be on television every week, and they’d get all those rights fees. They got on television a little bit more, but the rights fees dropped, and they’re still not getting what they were getting 10 years ago.” Coackiyl George Raveling, former men’s basketball coach Universi d Souhm California 10s Ange 7 es limes “The most fun in coaching I ever had was when I was at Washington State, because there was a different set of cir- cumstances. The rules were different, the kids were different and the expectations were different. It was just fun to coach then. You really were a coach then. Today, it is coach, slash- slash-slash-slash. Coaching is the easiest part Now, you have to deal with so many other things, from NCAA rules changes to public relations.... “If my son (Mark) came up to me and asked me whether he should get into coaching or not, I would tell him, ‘Don’t do it’ The reason is that everything is so much different today. People only care if you win, and unfortunately, the real victories come off the court Seeing a kid grow like (the University of Southern California’s) Mark Boyd, who had never slept in his own bed until he got here. To see him grow from a boy to a man, those are the real victories.” kmy Switzer, coach Dollas cowboys The B&more Sun On the differences between colbge and professional coaching: “It’d take two hours to talk about that. I’d first start with (dealing with) the NCAA. I can start with 120 players vs. 50. I can start with every crisis and personal problem an athlete has (in college), he comes to see me. He doesn’t waIk through my door to say, ‘Coach, I made an A on my test’, or ‘how’s your day going.’ He comes in there with a problem I’ve got to deal with. “There’s tremendous pressure day to day, academics, I can go on and on and on. I don’t even want to talk about it. But, hey, I don’t have those problems here. I’m only dealing with 50 (players), they’re professionals and it’s ajob for them.” Mike Lopresti, columnist Gannet/ News Service “It remains...a harsh land out there for the men in the head- phones. The popular outcry of anguish these days is over the lack of a playoff, as if this besmirches the game. But much more embarrassing for major college football is what has happened to the job of coaching it “Fed by inane call-in shows, fueled by ridiculous expecta- tion, flamed by media, this fire is out of control. We talk of honesty and integrity, but reward only victory.” Anson Dorrance, women’s soccer coach University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Chicago Tribune “In athletics you want to win forever, you want constant renewal. Flowers remind you of the ephemeral quality of suc- cess. You must remember what it took to get you there. Flowers die shortly and it’s the same in athletics. You must recommit yourself.”
December 5, 1994 The NCAA News Page 5 HAND IT TO HANK The general public may not know him, but Hank Nichols holds two powerful positions in men’s basketball By l.aura E. Bokg THE NCAA NEWS STAFF Division I men’s basketball is high-profile. Even the casu- al fan has heard of the Final Four, March Madness, Coach K and Dicky V. Anybody heard of Hank Nichols? While his name is not recognizable to most armchair coaches, Nichols holds two of basketball’s most influential behind-the-scenes positions - secretary-rules editor of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Commimee and national coordinator of men’s basketball officials. As secretary-rules editor, Nichols is the spokesman for the rules committee and the official interpreter of playing rules. As coordinator of officials, Nichols oversees the officiating improvement program and assists the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee with selection of officials for the championship. Most of the basketball community would agree that Nichols does an excellentjob. “I believe Hank has done a superb job of handling both positions,” said John Guthrie, associate commissioner of the Southeastern Conference and supervisor of officials for three conferences. “I do not know of anyone else in the entire country who could have been accepted in the position of national coordinator and during the same period of time be involved as the rules interpreter.” University of South Carolina, Columbia, head coach Eddie so that these committees have constituencies - coaches, Fogler echoes Guthrie’s praise. administrators, officials, supervisors - that have final analy- “I have no problem with Hank Nichols doing both jobs. sis for what I do in both positions.” I think he’s exh-emely qualified to do both positions, as long hai dsr studied as he has the time,” Fogler said. “They’re not letting you coach football and be the director of athletics anymore because of the time demands, but again, if someone is capable of handling both, it’s Hank Nichols.” C. M. Newton, director of athletics at the University of Kentucky and former rules committee chair, recently chaired an NCAA ad hoc committee that studied the dual roles of rules editor and coordinator of officials. The ad hoc com- Splithg the jobs mittee recommended to the NCAA Executive Committee No one disputes Nichols’ credentials for both jobs. Still, several basketball constituencies have suggested that it’s time to divide the positions between two people. So, beginning in September 1996, Nichols will give up his duties as secretary-rules editor and concentrate solely on the national coordinator’s duties. Nichols has held both positions since 1990, when longtime rules editor Edward Steitz died unexpectedly. There was a need to fill Steitz’s position with someone knowledgeable about the rules. Nichols was the logical choice, even though he already was working with officials. It’s unclear, however, what caused a return to the “twoparty” system. Was there too much power in the hands of one individual? Not enough balance of opinion? Nichols, who also is chair of the department of education and human services at Villanova University, attributes the decision to perception. “I believe it came from a perception from coaches and others that I had too much influence and too much power - that there’s too much of an impact from one person,” Nichols said. Checks and balances tienty-four student-athletes make Hitachi/CFA Scholar-Athlete Team Gilmore, Taffoni, Zatechka make repeat appearance on squad The College Football Asso- ciation has announced members of this year’s Hitachi/CFA Scholar- Athlete Team - including three returnees from last year’s team. The 24 members of the team are being honored for successfully bal- ancing athletics and academics. In recognition of the honorees’ accomplishments, Hitachi will con- tribute $1,000 to each of the high schools attended by team members. Sports information directors and academic advisors at the CFA’s 67 member institutions nominated team starters or significant reserves on the basis of’criteria that included a cumulative grade-point aver- age between 3.000 and 4.000 (4.000 scale), standing as a junior in athletics, completion of 50 percent of degree requirements, and completion of at least one full academic year in residence at the nom- inating institution. The team was selected by a CFA panel that included a faculty athletics representative, two athletics administrators, a football coach, a university dean and a sports information director. Among the members of this year’s team are three student-athletes who also were honored last year. They are Michael Gilmore of Florida, Matt Taffoni of West Virginia and Rob Zatechka of Nebraska. Two schools are represented by two players. Nebraska placed Za- techka and Terry Connealy on the team, and Kansas State is represented by Matt McEwen and Laird Vcatch. The complete team, with GPAs and majors: Offense Linemen - Michael Blanrhard, LSU, senior, 4.000, zoology; Christopher Hennie-Roed, North Carolina State, senior, 3.500, biological sciences; Matt Williams, Duke, senior, 3.200, economics; Mark Zataveski, Notre Dame, senior, 3.500, history; Rob Za- techka, Nebraska, graduate student, 4.000, biological science. Quarterback - Stoney Case, New Mexico, senior, 3.300, biology/communications. Receivers - Eric Chenoweth, Syracuse, senior, 3.400, environ- mental engineering; Bryce Do- man, Brigham Young, senior, 3.200, economics; Ed Glenn, Clemson, senior, 3.900, biochem- istry. Backs ~ Ryan Christopherson, that two people hold the separate positions. “I don’t know if it’s a question of power as much as a question of balance,” Newton said. “When this whole concept (of two positions) was started - and I was involved from the beginning - it was thought at that time that two different people would hold those positions and that they would be able to bounce things off each other. “The kind of balance I see is a rules editor coming out of all the discussion and all the research involved in rulesmaking. You can only have one interpreter. That person comes from that sort of background. “That’s not to say that person shouldn’t have an understanding of officiating and mechanics. Someone with great officiating expertise - this person can bring a whole other perspective. They can say, ‘That’s a great idea for a rule, but you can’t enforce it.’ That’s the kind of thing I see. You can have an optimum balance in what’s best for basketball,” Newton said. Newton explained that the rules editor’s interpretations would reflect committee-based opinion and a coach’s perspective. The national coordinator, on the other hand, would approach issues from the perspective of supervisors of officials and conference commissioners. He is quick to point out, however, the checks and bal- New rules editor ances in both positions. The Executive Committee decided to fill the positions “From the secretary-rules editor position, the rules com- with two people. It approved a recommendation by the mittee itself makes the vote and makes the final decision men’s rules committee that Edward Bilik, director of athon any rules changes. I don’t have a vote,” Nichols said. letics at Springfield College, assist Nichols with duties as “Any interpretations that are made eventually have to be secretary-rules editor until September 1996. At that time, the approved by the rules committee. So my role as secretary- rules committee will appoint a replacement for Nichols. rules editor, besides making interpretations as they come “I understand the thinking behind some elements in basup, is to bring pertinent issues to the committee regarding ketball that the job should be split; however, I am of the rules and explain history where it’s appropriate and, to the opinion that the situation doesn’t necessitate a change at best of my ability, explain the positives and negatives to any this time,” the Southeastern Conference’s Guthrie said. “In rule that is changed or isn’t changed. Then the committee view of the fact that it is a change that will take place over takes action. two years, I don’t see that it will be anything but a positive, “From the national coordinator position, all of the things because each day the responsibilities and demands on Hank that are done are overseen and agreed upon by the increase and there’s no doubt he does need an assistant.” Basketball Officiating Committee, the basketball tourna- Although Nichols would prefer to keep both jobs, he ment committee, and I also have superiors in the NCAA admits some good may result from splitting the positions. office who monitor the direction that I take the program,” “I guess if there’s a positive, it would be to negate the per- Nichols said. “All in all, the checks and balances are there ception of one person having too much to say.” Wyoming, senior, 3.200, business administration; Eric Lewis, Van- derbilt, senior, 3.200, electrical engineering. Kicker - Matthew Hawkins, Auburn; junior, 3.800, finance. Deknse Lineman - Terry Conncaly, Nebraska, senior, 3.800, agribusi- ness; Marc Pedrotti, Missouri, 3.400, mechanical engineering. Linebackers - Derrick Brooks, Florida State, senior, 3.300, communications; Matr McEwen, Kan- sas State,junior, 3.900, mechanical engineering; Mike Morton, North Carolina, senior, 3.300, biology; Eric Oliver, Army, senior, 3.900, mathematical sciences; Matt Taffoni, West Virginia, senior, 3.500, psychology; Laird Veatch, Kansas State, senior, 3.300, mar- keting. Defensive backs - Michael Gilmore, Florida, senior, 3.700, pre- medicine/zoology; Greg Myers, Colorado State, junior, 3.700, biological science; Tony Pittman, Penn State, senior, 3.600, industri- al engineering. Punter - Brandon Brookfield, Louisville, senior, 3.200, communications/Spanish. Winning thrill James Madison University’s Gwen Stoltzfus celebrates after scoring the winning shot in overtime to &feat the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 2-1, at the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship November 20. James Madison outscored North Carolina, 4-2, in penalty strokes in the overtime.
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