GUIDE TO ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

LIBBA JAMES – WHS COUNSELORMARK KANAGY – WHS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

WWW.WINDSORWIZARDS.ORG

Playing College Sports

Agenda

Participating in sports at WHS Eligibility Paperwork Training Rules Seasons of Sport

Sports beyond WHS NCAA NAIA NJCAA

WHS Athletic Participation

Eligibility Semester Eligibility

Must pass 5 classes in previous semester to have any eligibility in current semester

Weekly Eligibility 2 Fs = Ineligible 4 grades of D or lower = Ineligible Weekly GPA lower than a 1.5 = Ineligible

Paperwork – sandra.legino@weldre4.k12.co.us Physical Insurance Parental Consent Form Participant Form

WHS Athletic Participation Continued

Training Rules – 24/7 - 365 1st Violation loss of 30% of season

20% if self-reported 2nd Violation loss of 1 year of athletic participation

Can be reduced to 50% if certain requirements are met 3rd Violation loss of athletic participation for

remainder of time at WHSSeasons

Fall sports 8/17/15 (Boys Golf 8/10/15) Winter sports 11/12/15 Spring sports 2/29/16

Options for College Sports

NCAA Any college or university that is a member of the

NCAA belongs to one of three divisions. Division I, Division II, Division III

NAIANJCAA

NCAA

Each school decides which division to join by matching its enrollment, financial situation and fan support with the requirements for each division. The school must then meet those requirements each year. The differences between the divisions mostly depend on: The number of sports a school has overall

How many sports are available for both men and women

How many athletes or teams the school has in each sport

The number of contests it plays against schools in the same division

Division III

At Division III colleges and universities, student-athletes compete in highly competitive athletic programs while retaining the full spectrum of college life.

Student-athletes in Division III focus on academic achievement while graduating with the comprehensive education that builds skills beyond the classroom.

These student-athletes have access to financial aid without the obligations of an athletic scholarship and also have more opportunities to play more than one sport.

Division III allows students to be responsible for their own path. And discover their potential through opportunities to pursue many interests.

Division II

Division II is a division based around the concept of LIFE IN THE BALANCE.

Student-athletes at Division II schools can participate in high-level athletic competition without an overemphasis of sports in student life.

Division II contests and championships are scheduled with the intent to minimize the amount of missed class time, in order to allow the student-athletes to focus equally on athletics and academics.

The student-athletes have great access to faculty and staff in a personal setting, and are offered learning opportunities in many areas across the university and in the community.

Division I

Division I student-athletes compete at a high level of intercollegiate athletics, which often includes opportunities to compete in state-of-the-art athletics facilities potentially in front of large crowds.

The ability to compete with and against student-athletes from around the country in some of sports greatest rivalries fuels the Division I experience.

Student-athletes in Division I also have access to significant academic support resources, both on campus and within the athletics department.

Among the Division I colleges and universities, there is great diversity, including large and small state universities and private colleges.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FULL-RIDE

Deciding Where to Play

In helping your student-athlete choose a college or university here are some important factor to consider School size Student-to-Faculty ratio Majors and minors Location Playing time Culture

Also, ask them if they would be happy at that college if athletics were not factored into the equation? Remember, that he or she will spend the next four to five years

here.

NCAA Eligibility Center

The road to a student-athlete realizing his or her college athletic dreams begins with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

But, what exactly does the Eligibility Center do? It certifies the academic and amateur credentials of all students

who want to compete in athletics at an NCAA Division I or II college or university as a freshman.

This establishes a standard for academic achievement for student-athletes wishing to compete.

These NCAA guidelines exist to ensure that students are prepared for academic success. In addition, the amateurism certification process exists to level

the playing field, by making sure that every student-athlete is an amateur. Link to NCAA

Clearinghouse

Choosing Division I or II

You have a student who you feel can be a Division I or II student-athlete in college. What do you do to help him or her in getting there? Here are some of the steps you can take off the field to assist your student-athletes. First, make sure your student-athletes are taking approved

college-prep courses. Encourage your student-athletes with Division I or II athletic

aspirations to register with the Eligibility Center at the beginning of their sophomore year.

When you help your student-athletes register for the SAT or ACT, make sure they select code "9999" (the Eligibility Center code) as one of their free test-score recipients. This requests that official test scores be sent directly to the Eligibility

Center, as test scores on high school transcripts will NOT be used.

Choosing Division I or II Continued

Emphasize the importance of academic performance at every step of the student-athlete’s high school career – 9th grade counts!!!

The NCAA publishes a helpful Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete ($11.00).

Link to purchase guide

Academics in High School

First make sure you enroll your student-athlete in college prep courses and use the NCAA list of approved core courses as a guide of what classes can be taken. Know that special considerations are given to students

with documented education-impacting disabilities.So what are the requirements to compete in

Division I or II? For students enrolling at an NCAA Division I college or

university, in order to practice, compete and receive an athletic scholarship, a student-athlete must first register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at www.eligibilitycenter.org

Academics in High School Continued

Students must also earn a minimum required GPA in 16 approved core courses

Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core-course GPA on the sliding scale

Request final amateurism certification through his or her NCAA Eligibility Center account in April of their senior year

Graduate from high school.

Academics in High School Continued

Student-athletes will be classified into one of three academic certification statuses: Full Academic Qualifier; Nonqualifier Academic Redshirt.

A full academic qualifier will be able to accept an athletic scholarship, practice and compete during his or her first year.

A nonqualifier cannot receive an athletics scholarship, cannot practice and cannot compete in the first year of enrollment.

An academic redshirt may receive an athletic scholarship in his or her first year and may practice in the first semester but may not compete in the first year. The ability to practice during the second semester is dependent on his or her academic success at the college or university.

New Requirements for 2016

For students enrolling "on or after" August 1, 2016, they will need to meet new academic requirements. A 2.3 core-course GPA is required for competition. The 16 core-course

requirement will stay the same. Ten of the 16 core courses must be completed prior to the seventh

semester Seven of the 10 courses must be a combination of English, math or natural or physical

science Those 10 courses become 'locked' and cannot be repeated to improve a grade Students will still need to earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the

corresponding core-course GPA. For example, a student that has a 2.5 core GPA needs at least an 820

score on the SAT or a 68 score on the ACT to meet the initial-eligibility requirements

A student that has a 2.25 core GPA needs at least a 920 score on the SAT or a 77 score on the ACT to be classified as an academic redshirt. He or she would have the ability to receive an athletic scholarship and practice with

the team during his/her first academic term.

ACT Summative Score

The ACT has four main sections (English, math, reading, and science) each that is scored between 1 and 36. The 'sum score' is the sum of all these sections.

For example, if you got: English: 18 Math: 15 Reading: 21 Science: 20

Your sum score is 74 (18 + 15 + 21 + 20). Your composite (overall) score then would be 19, but the NCAA only cares about the sum of all the sections.

New Requirements for 2016 Continued

Beginning August 1, 2016, it will be possible for a Division I college-bound student-athlete to still receive athletics aid and the ability to practice with the team if he or she fails to meet the 10 course requirement, but would not be able to compete.

What is the sliding scale? The sliding scale is a tool that the Eligibility Center uses to

balance core GPA and standardized test scores. How well a student does in class determines how well they

need to do on the SAT or ACT. For further information about the 2016 initial-eligibility

requirements, log on to www.2point3.org Link to Sliding Scale

What is a Core Course

A core course qualifies for high school graduation in English, Math, Natural or Physical Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language. (See Ms. James for a list of NCAA approved courses at WHS)The courses must be considered academic, four-year college

prepThey must also be taught at or above the high school's regular

academic levelMath courses must be at the level of Algebra I or higher; and

be taught by a qualified instructor as defined by the appropriate academic authority.

Obtaining 16 core courses isn’t that difficult. Encourage your student-athlete to enroll in a college-prep English, Math,

Social Studies and Science each academic year. This will keep them on track for final academic certification.

Focus on Academics

Students who fall behind in their coursework often look to nontraditional courses to meet graduation and initial eligibility requirements. So, what is a nontraditional course?

Nontraditional courses are courses taught via the internet, distance learning, independent study, individualized instruction, correspondence, and courses taught by similar means.

These types of courses must meet new guidelines in order to be used for college-bound student-athletes who are planning to attend an NCAA Division I or II college or university.

Nontraditional courses must meet the following Courses that are taught through distance learning, online, credit recovery, etc. need to be

comparable in length, content and rigor to courses taught in a traditional classroom setting. Students may not skip lessons or test out of modules. The course must be four-year college preparatory. All courses must include ongoing access between the instructor and student, as well as

regular interaction for purposes of teaching, evaluating and providing assistance. This may include, for example, exchanging of e-mails between the student and teacher, feedback

on assignments, and the opportunity for the teacher to engage the student in individual instruction.

Nontraditional courses should be clearly identified as such on the high school transcript.

Focus on Academics Continued

NCAA instituted the Core Course Time limitation for Division I. It’s designed to help students who graduated on time but failed to meet the core course requirements.If the student-athlete graduates within 8 semesters, they

can use one class taken after graduation to gain eligibility. However If they did not graduate – for example if they

repeated a year and will need 5 years to complete high school, only the coursework taken in the first 4 years will count.

College coaches love a student-athlete who succeeds in the classroom! The early academic certification process is now available for students who have done the job in the classroom to become certified prior to graduation.

Focus on Academics Continued

Students who meet the following criteria after six semesters will be certified as academic qualifiers: For Division I, students will need a core course GPA of 3.0 or higher in a

minimum of 14 core courses. This includes 3 years English; 2 years of math, 2 natural/physical

science; 2 additional in English, math, or natural/physical science; and 5 additional core courses in any area including Foreign Languages.

Students will also need a minimum SAT score of 900 or a minimum ACT sum score of 75.

For Division II students will need a core course GPA of 3.0 or higher in a minimum of 12 core courses.

This includes 3 years English; 2 years of Math, 2 Natural/Physical Science; and 5 additional core courses in any area including Foreign Languages.

Students will also need a minimum SAT score of 1,000 or a minimum ACT sum score of 85.

Amateurism

This step in the process ensures that students have not jeopardized their amateur status by competing as a professional. As a parent, you can help your student-athletes in this area by

encouraging them to fully and honestly answer the questions in the sports participation section of their registration.

Be aware of who may have influence over your athlete or be providing them with goods and services that could jeopardize their eligibility status.

Urge them to be cautious of new friends or acquaintances who may only take an interest in them because of their athletic ability.

Maintain constant communication with your athlete to help ensure that these problems don’t arise.

If you as a parent are unsure about a potential issue…Remember ALWAYS ASK BEFORE YOU ACT! Call 877-262-1492 with questions about participation and amateurism.

Start Early – Develop a Plan

As a parent, there are always things that you can do to be proactive in educating your student-athlete. Encourage them to start planning as a freshmen by taking

classes on the list of approved core courses. Also, log onto www.eligibilitycenter.org to access

informational materials to assist your student-athlete with the registration and certification process.

Consider purchasing the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete, which will provide information, as well as the steps you need to know and follow in order to meet academic and amateurism certification. http://athletics.bellarmine.edu/custompages/2014-15%20CBSA.pdf

Emphasize the importance of academic performance throughout high school.

NCAA Eligibility Resources

Free NCAA Eligibility Course https://nfhslearn.com/courses/14000

NCAA Fact Sheet http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Recruiting%20Fact%20Sheet%20WEB.pdf

Tool Kits for Division I, II, and III http://www.ncaa.org/division-i-initial-eligibility-toolkit http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/resources/division-ii-initial-eligibili

ty-toolkit

http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/become-division-iii-student-athlete

Division III college-bound student-athletes are not certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center because Division III colleges and universities each set their own admissions standards.

NAIA

In the NAIA, a student-athlete can compete during four “seasons of competition” within the first 10 semesters (15 quarters) in college.

A season of competition is counted when you participate in one or more intercollegiate contests whether at the varsity, junior varsity or freshman level.

To compete, student-athletes must be enrolled in at least 12 hours every semester or quarter and be making normal progress toward a baccalaureate degree.

They must also meet freshman and/or continuing eligibility rules.

NAIA Continued

To participate in athletics in the NAIA, you must be admitted to the college or university under admission standards equal to or higher than those applied to the general student body.

If you will graduate from a U.S. high school this spring and enroll in college this coming fall, the requirements are simple. An entering freshman must Be a graduate of an accredited high school or be accepted as a

regular student in good standing as defined by the enrolling institution

Meet two of the three following requirements. If as an entering freshman you do not meet at least two of the three

standards, you cannot participate in athletics for the first full year of attendance (2 semesters,3 quarters, or equivalent).

NAIA Eligibility Requirements

NAIA Eligibility Center

The NAIA Eligibility Center, at www.PlayNAIA.org , is responsible for determining the NAIA eligibility of first-time student-athletes. Students must have their eligibility determined by the NAIA Eligibility Center, and all NAIA schools are bound by the center’s decisions.

Every student interested in playing sports at NAIA colleges for the first time needs to register online with the NAIA Eligibility Center

You’ll create a personal profile with the basic facts about your academic history. You’ll need your current contact information, previous residences and

addresses, high schools attended and history of your sports participation during and after high school graduation.

When you register for the ACT or SAT, include the NAIA Eligibility Center (9876) on the list of places test scores should be sent.

Ask your high school counselors to send the NAIA Eligibility Center a final official transcript that verifies high school graduation, class rank and cumulative grade point average.

NAIA Amateurism

In the NAIA, only amateur students-athletes are eligible to participate in a given sport. An amateur engages in athletics contests for educational values, personal pleasure, satisfaction, and for the love of the sport, not for monetary or material gain. If you become a professional in a particular sport recognized by the NAIA, you will be considered a professional in that sport only and are ineligible for intercollegiate competition in that sport. The following will cause a student to lose amateur standing:

Signing a contract with any professional team or entering into an agreement to compete in professional athletics, with either a professional sports organization or with any individual or group of individuals authorized to represent the athlete with a professional sports organization

Participating in any athletics contest as a professional or as a team member where you receive reimbursement, directly or indirectly, exceeding the actual expenses of travel, meals and lodging

Receiving remuneration for any appearance or advertisement/promotion that references the student’s collegiate institution or intercollegiate athletic participation.

NAIA Resources

NAIA Eligibility Center — information for prospective students, parents, high school and club coaches about NAIA schools, sports and eligibility determination http://www.playnaia.org/

List of NAIA schools http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=205322922

NAIA Legislative Services provides resources on NAIA rules and eligibility http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=205327259

NJCAA

What is the NJCAAThe NJCAA serves as the national governing

body for two-year college athletics in the United States and is the nation's second-largest national intercollegiate sports organization (second to the NCAA). Each year nearly 60,000 student-athletes from 525 member colleges compete in 28 different sports.

NJCAA Eligibility

A student-athlete must be a graduate of a high school with an academic diploma, general education diploma or a state department of education approved high school equivalency test

NJCAA Resources

NJCAA website http://www.njcaa.org/ NJCAA frequently asked questions http://

www.njcaa.org/njcaaforms/140605_2_Prospective%20student%20brochure%2014-15.pdf