Division III
Student-Athlete Reinstatement
and Hardship Waivers
Kelly Groddy
Brandy Hataway
Session Overview
• Hardship Waivers:
– Criteria;
– Administration; and
– Calculation.
• Student-Athlete Reinstatement:
– Process overview and best practices.
• Institution.
• AMA Online.
• Reinstatement.
• Summary.
Session Objectives
• Understand the hardship-waiver legislation.
• Demonstrate how to calculate participation
requirements for a hardship waiver.
• Identify best practices for filing a studentathlete reinstatement request.
• Prepare and submit student-athlete
reinstatement requests within AMA Online.
HARDSHIP WAIVERS
Hardship Criteria
• Season-ending injury or illness occurs before
the completion of the first half of the
traditional playing season, results in incapacity
to compete for remainder of season.
– Maximum contest/date of competition (DOC) for
the sport plus one contest/DOC.
• Example: 25 contests in basketball plus one contest = 26.
NCAA Division III Bylaw 14.2.5-(a)
Hardship Criteria
• SA has competed in less than one third of the
maximum contests/DOC for the sport plus
one.
• Example: 10 contests in football plus one = 11.
– Only outside competition during the traditional
playing season shall be counted.
• Excludes: Preseason scrimmages and exhibitions prior
to the first regularly scheduled competition.
Bylaw 14.2.5-(b)
Hardship Waiver Administration
• Member of a conference.
Conference
Office
NCAA Staff
Committee
• Independent institutions.
NCAA Staff
Committee
Bylaw 14.2.5.1
Calculating the First Half of Season
• Odd number of contests/DOC, the injury or
illness must have occurred before the
beginning of the varsity contest or DOC that
starts the second half of the traditional
season.
– Example: Soccer 20 contests plus one = 21.
• Before the start of the 11th contest.
Case Study No. 1
• Hal Mary, a football SA, tore his ACL during the
institution’s sixth regular-season contest.
• The injury occurred during the second quarter.
• The maximum contest limitation for football is
10.
• Did Hal’s injury occur during the first half of
season?
Case Study No. 2
• Shooter, a basketball SA, injures her foot
during the fourth contest of the regular
season.
• After sitting out for seven contests, Shooter
begins playing and participates in three more
contests.
• During the institution’s 14th contest, Shooter
re-injures her foot and is ultimately diagnosed
with a stress fracture that ends her season.
Case Study No. 2, continued
• 25 contests plus one/before completion of
13th contest.
• Does Shooter satisfy the requirement that the
season ending injury or illness must occur
during the first half of the traditional playing
season?
Calculating One Third
• Denominator = Maximum contests/DOC plus
one contest/DOC.
– Exceptions:
• Cross country – based on maximum DOC plus two.
• Indoor/outdoor track and field – shall be nine for each
sport.
Bylaw 14.2.5.2.5.1
Calculating One Third
• Fraction in percent computation:
– Shall be rounded to the next whole number.
– Example:
• 33 percent of basketball denominator of 26 = 8.6.
• Round up to next whole percent = 9.
Bylaw 14.2.5.2.5.2
Case Study No. 3
• Trip L. Threat, a lacrosse SA, participated in six
DOC during the first half of the traditional
season.
• He dislocated his shoulder during the sixth
contest and was unable to participate for the
remainder of the season.
• Lacrosse allows 17 DOC plus one = 18.
• Has Trip compete in one-third or less of the
maximum DOC for lacrosse?
Nature of Injury/Illness
• Not necessary for the injury or illness
to be the direct result of the SA’s
participation in the institution’s
practice or competition.
Bylaw 14.2.5.2.1
Medical Documentation
• Contemporaneous medical documentation from
physician who administered care at the time of the
injury establishing the SA’s inability to compete for
the remainder of the season.
– Chiropractic records do not constitute medical documentation.
– Psychological or mental illness documentation from individual
who is qualified and licensed to diagnose and treat a particular
illness (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist).
Bylaw 14.2.5.2.2
Practice After Receipt of Hardship Waiver
• SA who is granted a hardship waiver may:
• Practice and/or participate in rehabilitative activities for
the remainder of the season without using a season of
participation.
• SA who competes in that sport during the
remainder of the season shall use a season of
participation.
Bylaw 14.2.5.3
Transfer
• May use the rule that is most favorable to the
SA.
– Rule applicable to the division in which the injury
or illness occurred OR the Division III rule.
• All applicable elements of the rule applied
must be used, as opposed to select elements
from each division.
Transfer from Non-NCAA Institution
• If SA previously received a hardship waiver from a
non-NCAA association it is not necessary for the
NCAA institution to also apply for a hardship
waiver.
11/29/06 Official Interpretation
STUDENT-ATHLETE
REINSTATEMENT
Student-Athlete Reinstatement (SAR)
• Facts.
• Process overview and best
practices:
– Institution;
– AMA Online; and
– Reinstatement.
• Summary.
Facts
• Sophomore student-athlete
Di Mond competes in four
softball contests and five
practices while enrolled in
nine credits.
• On Monday, Di notices she
isn’t listed one class roster
attendance sheet.
• Di’s head coach S. Trike
sends Di to see compliance.
Institution’s Process Overview
• Compliance Checklist:
– Determine violation?
– Eligibility impacted?
– Eligibility remaining?
– Request reinstatement?
• Research.
• Log in and select AMA Online.
AMA Online – SAR Request
AMA Online – SAR Request
• Tab - Requesting A Waiver or Reinstatement.
• Start a new case.
• Select student-athlete reinstatement among
drop-down options.
• Step One - General Information.
– NCAA ID requirement.
– Sport.
– Next date of competition for SA.
AMA Online – SAR Request
AMA Online – SAR Request
Step Two – Case Information.
AMA Online – SAR Request
Step Two – Case Information.
AMA Online – SAR Request
Step Two - Case Information.
• Select Eligibility Sub Case type.
• Include enrollment/participation history.
• Who, what when, where and why?
AMA Online – SAR Request
Step Three: Case Documentation.
AMA Online – SAR Request
Step Four - Signatures
AMA Online – SAR Request
AMA Online – SAR Request
Reinstatement Process Overview
Reinstatement Process Overview
• Facts.
– Include schedule.
• Mitigation:
–
–
–
–
Student-athlete statement;
Professor’s statement;
Other mitigating information; and
Rules education overview.
• Institution’s recommendation.
Reinstatement Process Overview
• Guidelines (found on SAR webpage)
– Starting point: one-for-one withholding.
Requirements for relief:
• Continued to attend class;
• Unaware less than full time; and
• Reasonable effort to remain full time.
• Case Precedent (LSBDi and AMA Online)
– Totality of circumstances.
Reinstatement Process Overview
• Decision – AMA Online.
– Institution’s action.
– 30-day window.
• Database.
– Finding your case.
Summary
•
•
•
•
Identify issues/likely outcomes.
Gather supporting documentation.
Submit through AMA Online.
Collaborate with reinstatement staff to complete
file.
• Accept or appeal decision.
• Copy in file.
• Resources – AMA Education-On-Demand videos
and SAR webpage.
Questions