Rules?

[Pale Rider]

Rather than sift thru umpteen gozillion pages of legalize on an NCAA rules download...
What are the rules now for
Cutting players?...Heard that changed
Nets around dugouts? ...That needs to done before someone gets killed
Batting helmet masks...Heard that was gonna be mandatory next year....which I agree with...

I also push for Rolaids to be sold in concession stand and that Pepsi products be banned

[UmpSteve]

Rather than sift thru umpteen gozillion pages of legalize on an NCAA rules download...
What are the rules now for
Cutting players?...Heard that changed
Nets around dugouts? ...That needs to done before someone gets killed
Batting helmet masks...Heard that was gonna be mandatory next year....which I agree with...

I also push for Rolaids to be sold in concession stand and that Pepsi products be banned

First, rule changes for 2016 & 2017 (two year cycle) are published. Not sure what you mean by "next year".

1) NCAA makes no rules about cutting players. That is a school-by-school decision.
2) The NCAA "recommends" fencing or netting up to 6' from the floor of dugouts, except openings; it is not to be required until the 2018 season.
3) There is no rule requiring batting helmet masks. To my knowledge and understanding, any such proposal has zero chance of passing until/unless something catastrophic happens. Even then unlikely.

Not sure this is available to nonmembers, but:
http://sup.arbitersports.com/Groups/104 ... 081315.pdf

[PDad]

Cutting players?...Heard that changed

Please be more specific - what change(s) did you hear?

NCAA bylaws regulate reductions in athletic awards, not the cutting of players from a team. Some conferences and schools have made changes that provide scholarship protections beyond NCAA bylaws.

IOW, being cut from a team doesn't necessarily mean they lose their athletic aid ($). I expect there are some benefits they'll lose if not a member of a team (e.g. trainers, tutors, etc).

[Pale Rider]

Cutting players?...Heard that changed

Please be more specific - what change(s) did you hear?

NCAA bylaws regulate reductions in athletic awards, not the cutting of players from a team. Some conferences and schools have made changes that provide scholarship protections beyond NCAA bylaws.

IOW, being cut from a team doesn't necessarily mean they lose their athletic aid ($). I expect there are some benefits they'll lose if not a member of a team (e.g. trainers, tutors, etc).

Just things that Ive heard..My 'genetics' wont accept things that people have said...as in cuts, nets and masks...
All things people have told me, but I need verification.
I need it Ch and verse...Army did that to me...

Masks and nets make sense to me...I KNOW baseball doesn't require them but the dugouts are farther away and usually are really 'dug out'...Girls are used to masks so that isn't a show stopper neither...IMHO a foul or even a pitch to the face in the face is so easily prevented and if I were a coach, it'd be mandatory...period...
If Im not mistaken every FL player uses a batting mask...works out pretty dang good for the Gators huh? Just think what kind of investment a coach has in a kid vs one off the ole kisser?

Pitchers wearing masks has been argued ad nauseum, I am a proponent of that. Technology and players have evolved (better, faster, stronger) to the point that there's no such thing as a un-hittable pitcher, and the argument she shouldn't have thrown it there,or she should be able to field her position better, as shes loaded into the ambulance doesn't cut it with me...

As far as cutting rosters...It seems to me, a kid signed to be a student athlete playing ball...So if they don't play as well as the coach thought, breaks team 'rules' for conduct and / or doesn't meet academic requirements, wouldn't that be a breach of the 'contract'? Recently had a parent tell me his kid was getting a full ride (at a DII school) whether she played ball or not...based solely on an 'athletic offer'?...
Huh?... I think...no I KNOW hes been hitting the airplane glue

[PDad]

Just things that Ive heard..My 'genetics' wont accept things that people have said...as in cuts, nets and masks...
All things people have told me, but I need verification.
I need it Ch and verse...Army did that to me...
...
As far as cutting rosters...It seems to me, a kid signed to be a student athlete playing ball...So if they don't play as well as the coach thought, breaks team 'rules' for conduct and / or doesn't meet academic requirements, wouldn't that be a breach of the 'contract'? Recently had a parent tell me his kid was getting a full ride (at a DII school) whether she played ball or not...based solely on an 'athletic offer'?...
Huh?... I think...no I KNOW hes been hitting the airplane glue

NCAA Div is a key piece of information as each one has its own bylaws, although they are organized pretty much the same to make it easier to reference and compare. "Full rides" are even rarer in D-II since they're only allowed 7.2 scholarships for softball.

Athletic aid awards are similar to pro contracts in that the money for the contract period is generally guaranteed regardless of athletic performance and it can only be lost for other reasons (e.g. academic, misconduct). Following excerpts are from D-II Manual and they indicate some changes were made this year.

15.6.4.3 Increase, Reduction or Cancellation Not Permitted. Institutional financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability may not be increased, decreased or canceled during the period of its award:
(a) On the basis of a student’s athletics ability, performance or contribution to a team’s success;
(b) Because of an injury, illness or physical or mental medical condition (except as permitted pursuant to Bylaw 15.6.4.1); or (Revised: 4/24/08, 4/14/15 effective 8/1/15)
(c) For any other athletics reason.

15.6.4 Reduction and Cancellation during Period of Award.
15.6.4.1 Reduction or Cancellation Permitted. Institutional financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability may be reduced or canceled during the period of the award, if the recipient:
(a) Renders himself or herself ineligible for intercollegiate competition;
(b) Fraudulently misrepresents any information on an application, letter of intent or financial aid agreement (see Bylaw 15.6.4.1.2); (Revised: 4/14/15 effective 8/1/15)
(c) Engages in serious misconduct warranting substantial disciplinary penalty (see Bylaw 15.6.4.1.3); or (Revised: 4/14/15 effective 8/1/15)
(d) Voluntarily withdraws from a sport at any time for personal reasons; however, the recipient’s financial aid may not be awarded to another student-athlete in the term in which the aid was reduced or canceled. Further, if the financial aid is canceled before a regular academic term (e.g., preseason practice period), the aid may not be provided to another student-athlete during the ensuing academic term.


Academic eligibility for freshmen is specified by the NCAA and may be further regulated by the school and/or conference. NCAA regulates academic eligibility for only practice and playing after that (e.g. degree progress) - eligibility for financial aid is only regulated by school/conference.

14.3.1 Eligibility for Financial Aid, Practice and Competition. A student-athlete who enrolls in a Division II institution as an entering freshman with no previous full-time college attendance shall meet the following academic requirements, as certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center, and approved by the Board of Governors, and any applicable institutional and conference regulations, to be considered a qualifier and thus be eligible for financial aid, practice and competition during the first academic year in residence.

14.4.2 Eligibility for Financial Aid and Practice. Eligibility for institutional financial aid and practice during each academic year after a student-athlete’s initial year in residence or after the student-athlete has used one season of eligibility in a sport shall be based upon the rules of the institution and the conference(s), if any, of which the institution is a member. See Bylaw 14.1.7 for additional rules regarding eligibility for practice.

[DDG]

If I had a dollar for every idiot that told me their kid was getting a full ride because they are so wonderful in softball, it would pay for my kids education. You are right in not believing most of what you hear at the field, unless it is from a credible source. My theory is that people get bored after spending so many hours at the filed. They run out of real things to talk about and just start making crap up. Also, they are insecure about their kids abilities so they have to tell people they are getting full rides "to play softball", even when they are going to a D3 school.

Like you, I wish they would make everyone wear a cage on the batting helmet. I've seen a couple of kids take one in the face. Scary as heck. They've been playing with them up to that point anyway. The mask for the pitchers is different (I still wish more would use them). My kid had to wear one for a few weeks after breaking her nose. She hated every second the thing was one. It was very uncomfortable. Maybe the technology has improved over the past 4 years. I'm glad my kid is not a pitcher. Its tough enough playing the corners as it is.

Nets or a fence in front of the dugout should be mandatory. They are a lot closer to the action than baseball fields. I have a pic of my kid at bat, with most in the opposing dugout flinching, awaiting the next foul ball flying at them (field was getting new dugouts and things weren't fully complete during fall games). It can't be a cost issue. How much can a few feet of chain-link fencing cost?