NCAA rules & club practice facilities

[VaultnGus]

Got a question for you NCAA rules experts out there. There are several colleges in our area that have neither indoor nor outdoor facilities with which to train for pole vault. We have always opened up our base of operations (at a local high school and at our various indoor locations) for them to use in season. I just wanted to make sure that this is kosher with the NCAA and the athletes and schools don't get hosed.

The collegiate athletes will NOT be competing for our club (even out of season) but they will need to become members of USATF to have their insurance covered.

Are there any other limitations to this? For instance are ONLY those college kids allowed to use the runway at that time (i.e. no high schoolers on the runway at the same time)? Does a coach representing the college have to be present? Are there any other implications under NCAA compliance that I/they need to be aware of?

Thanks for your efforts :-)

Coach Doug
"will vault for food..."

[vaultmd]

I wouldn't let them train there unless they bring beer . . .

[VaultPurple]

Are you referring to the university using your facility with their coaches there? Or are you going to coach them?

If they just share your facility because they do not have one, they can fill out a waiver through the NCAA to have your facility considered part of their own in the eyes of the NCAA and from my understanding as long as they have their coach there, they should be covered under the universities insurance. The college I am at is having to practice at a high school right now because a new track is being built, so I would assume it would be the same way for your club facility.

Now if the school does not have a pole vault coach and the pole vaulters are just coming to vault during your club practices with you as the coach.. well that is probably more of a don't ask don't tell policy. I know a lot of smaller colleges that do not have coaches and their athletes train with club coaches every weekend and even use their poles. But this is one of the things that sometimes you have to do it to get better, even if it probably is bending the rules a little bit. So if the athletes or college is willing to let them take the chance then it is up to them, it shouldn't have any affect on your club.

[PV-ATL]

VP,

So, it is illegal for a college kid to use a club facility and [i][/i] be coached by a club coach (me), in season?

Situation:

1. College coach contacts me through email. "I gotta kid, needs help". I say "come to me, get USATF card, train with me before my HS kids show up".
a. Legal
b. Illegal
2. Club alumni, now in college, come to practice at spring break, train with the club team.
a. Legal
b. Illegal

Thanks!

PV-ATL

[rainbowgirl28]

You guys need to talk to the compliance people at the schools involved.

[reggiepv]

I think the NCAA's concern is that high school students cannot attend a college practice. The NCAA doesn't want college coaches trying out / nor training kids at their practices. But... i would guess that a college coach can have a track club and that track club can use the college facilities. I would guess that if a club practice is at a college, then the NCAA athletes should not practice together with high school students. But... a club practice at a non-college facility with a coach not employed by the school... then you could get away with mixing high school and college kids. Probably to be safe, during the college season, don't have NCAA athletes and high school athletes practicing at the same time.