NCAA Allows Coaches Eight Hours of Remote Communication With Players

Extended hours will be in effect through May

The NCAA will allow expanded contact between Division I coaches and their players starting later this month.

At the recommendation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association Compliance Administrators, committee members voted to allow teams in all sports to require up to eight hours per week of virtual nonphysical countable activities like film review, chalk talks and team meetings. At the request of the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the committee also will require student-athletes to be provided at least one day off per week.

The new schedule, which is an increase over the four hours of teaching per week that was previously permitted, starts on Monday, April 20, and continues through May 31.

All required physical athletics activities continue to be prohibited due to the legislated requirement that a sports-safety certified staff member be present during such activities.

Teams in all sports also are prohibited from requiring any activities beginning one week before the start of a school’s final examination period for the Spring 2020 academic term through the conclusion of the final examination period for the term.

“This change not only allows coaches to continue to educate their student-athletes but also fosters the connectivity that comes with team-based activities,” said Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Penn. “Regular, individual check-ins between student-athletes and coaches remain permissible and are encouraged.”

When all spring sports were canceled earlier this year, NCAA rules then considered all sports to be out of season, with out-of-season conditioning rules applying. This limited what coaches could ask of their student-athletes.

The coordination committee will reevaluate the access in mid-May to determine whether extension or amendment of the access is appropriate.