Womens Athletics: Eliminating Male Practice Players

[TexasTerror]

Not sure if you've heard this. I've seen it discussed on a few boards already. The NCAA is looking into the elimination of male practice players in womens' intercollegiate athletics. Does that include assistant coaches who are males practicing with their players in a competitive set-up?

I'm not sure I agree with the stance. I think it would do more harm than good. I'm a big advocate of womens' athletics and this would be a step in a negative direction if you ask me...

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The NCAA News

The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has issued a position statement calling for a ban on the use of male practice players in women’s intercollegiate athletics. The statement comes after months of debate within the governance structure and elsewhere in the membership about whether the practice should be allowed to continue.

The CWA first raised the issue in October 2004 when members said the practice was contrary to the committee’s mission of providing opportunities for women in college sports. The committee has pushed since then to eliminate the practice.

The matter has been surveyed and debated in each division, but Division III is the only one to have legislation on the table at this year’s Convention. The proposal being considered does not eliminate the practice, but limits it to the traditional season and in only one practice per week. The proposal also would limit the number of male practice players in team sports to no more than half of the number required to field a starting women’s team (for example, only two male practice players would be permitted in a sport with five starting players).

The other two divisions are still gathering information and feedback on the matter.

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4g3NPUESYGYxqb6kW hCjhgihqYeCDFfj_zcVH1v_QD9gtzQ0IhyR0UAE3AuRw!!/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvUUd3QndNQSEvNElVRS82XzBfMTVL?WCM_GLOBAL_CO NTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/NCAA/NCAA+News/NCAA+News+Online/2006/Association+Updates/CWA+takes+stance+against+male+practice+players++-+12-11-06+update

[Panther88]

Bad move by the national crooked athletic alliance. lol

[NoCoDanny]

Why does the NCAA care if the women's basketball team practices against a bunch of volunteers whether they are male or not?

I don't understand what the concern is? Are they suggesting the practice players should also be women? And if these volunteers don't receive any financial benefit how is this reducing opportunities for women?

[walliver]

This new rule will allow more athletically-challenged women to participate on the practice team, but will reduce the level of play against which the varsity players practice.

I'm curious as to whether or not this is a common practice, or is this just the NCAA fixing something that ain't brokexidiotx

[GannonFan]

I think it's fairly common for the top teams in women's basketball to use men as practice opponents, and that the trend has increased over the years. Tennessee was always a frontrunner in this and this was partly ascribed as contributable to their successes. The gripe, the way I understand it, is that having men practice teams takes away from the opportunity for women players who aren't already starting or a major contributors to become so since this does, in fact, interfere with and limits their practice time. I would also assume that some of the motivation for this rule is to avoid having to attribute some amount of success of a women's team to males, but that's certainly not talked about out loud. That's the way I see it.

[TexasTerror]

The gripe, the way I understand it, is that having men practice teams takes away from the opportunity for women players who aren't already starting or a major contributors to become so since this does, in fact, interfere with and limits their practice time. I would also assume that some of the motivation for this rule is to avoid having to attribute some amount of success of a women's team to males, but that's certainly not talked about out loud. That's the way I see it.

You got it right on the $$$...

My thing is that the backups are probably practicing against the same group of men practice players as well in addition to getting work in against the starters. The only way to get better is practice against whatever competition is thrown at you and these 'male practice squads' are not on the same team, so the womens' teams can work their plays against real competition instead of themselves...

[GannonFan]

You got it right on the $$$...

My thing is that the backups are probably practicing against the same group of men practice players as well in addition to getting work in against the starters. The only way to get better is practice against whatever competition is thrown at you and these 'male practice squads' are not on the same team, so the womens' teams can work their plays against real competition instead of themselves...


Well, anytime you have an outside group be the practice squad, that does mean that the backups on your team have been bumped since they would've been the practice squad. From a standpoint of the quantity of time, I don't think there's any argument that having males as a separate squad takes away real practice time for some group on the actual team. Like you said, there is some tradeoff because the quality of the practice can be improved in this manner, but quantity is much easier to measure than quality is.

[chiapet9]

Well, anytime you have an outside group be the practice squad, that does mean that the backups on your team have been bumped since they would've been the practice squad. From a standpoint of the quantity of time, I don't think there's any argument that having males as a separate squad takes away real practice time for some group on the actual team. Like you said, there is some tradeoff because the quality of the practice can be improved in this manner, but quantity is much easier to measure than quality is.


i think the whole thing is simply idiotic. i coach high school girls and even WE have guys practice with the girls to help them. namely the head coach - who is a guy - and managers as well. when i was in high school our girls basketball team practiced with boys as well. went to the state tournament two years in a row. i think its great to have men on the team and i think they should let them stay. if they're 'volunteers' then it shouldn't matter. if the university athletics dept. wants to give them 'gifts' such as clothing, tickets to games, etc. then that's their prerogative.

[HLecter]

Why does the NCAA care if the women's basketball team practices against a bunch of volunteers whether they are male or not?

I don't understand what the concern is? Are they suggesting the practice players should also be women? And if these volunteers don't receive any financial benefit how is this reducing opportunities for women?

They care because they are flaming liberals. They need to tell the American people what is BEST for us.

bull****

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I played against most of the Temple women players, including WNBA player Candice Dupree, while i was in school at our pavilion, not organized practice. If the NCAA outlawed it the women will continue to play a lot of the guys intermuaral teams and such during non practice time. Pretty useless rule IMO.

[aggie6thman]

I thought that everyone was equal when it comes to talent and athletic ability?xidiotx

[furpal87]

I agree it is partly about the flaming liberalism going on in this country. While the point can be seen, look at Duke. They have a 6 foot 7 inch center. Exactly how many of those women does anybody have around? The old practice was having shorter women hold brooms to act like someone taller did that help their practice time? I know how much basketball is played with brooms.

[I Bleed Purple]

I've never really liked the stance where since 57% of the student body is female, 57% of the funding/student athlete population should be or given to females.

I'm sure a much higher percentage of the male student body wish to participate in college athletics than the female student body.