The NCAA does not want its student athletes to form any type of Union that would have the power to bargain benefits for its athletes. With Northwestern University being the first to have its football players certified by the National Labor Relations Board, the NCAA was rocked by that action.
Known as being slow moving toward change, the NCAA has now suddenly picked up the pace.
The NCAA Legislative Council approved “well-being” policy changes yesterday that would permit unlimited meals and snacks to Division I student-athletes, pending final approval of the Board of Directors at an April 24 meeting.
This move reduces the amount of out of pocket expenses a student athlete may incur in his or her performance representing the school. The “well being” policy is expected to be augmented to include provisions for medical care in the future for those athletes that may be forced out of the game due to injury.
Additional changes include requiring strength and conditioning coaches to be certified from a nationally accredited body; ensuring that a school staff member certified in CPR, first aid and arterial external defibrillation to be present at all athletic activities; reducing the penalty for a first positive test for street drugs, including marijuana, from a full season to a half-season; and stipulating that football players rest for at least three hours between preseason practices.
How this effects NCAA hockey is no different than how it effects football or basketball. These changes are across the board changes, and in many cases they are long over due.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
