Guest editorial New legislation Championship results March 18, 1996 Volume 33, No. 11 Recent graduate Rule designed to New champions says NCAA needs equalize age and crowned in NCAA 4 to rethink position 5 winter sports experience in 10 on athlete work Division I tennis National Collegiate Athletic The Association Page 10 Official Publication of the National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA News Steinbrenner says he expects USOC to fund initiatives BY STEPHEN R. HAGWELL fast.” STAFF WRITER The USOC executive committee, which will discuss, among other INDIANAPOLIS — If the United things, its budget for the upcoming States Olympic Committee executive quadrennium April 12, currently is committee does not provide funding considering a funding request for ini- for the USOC/NCAA Task Force ini- tiatives developed by the USOC/ tiatives at its next meeting, those inter- NCAA Task Force. The USOC budget ested in the process should not be process for the upcoming quadren- concerned. nium must be finalized by October. At least that is the view of George The task force, a cooperative effort Steinbrenner, USOC vice-president to strengthen the relationship be- and cochair of the USOC/NCAA tween the USOC and the Association, Task Force. has proposed a two-part plan to bol- Steinbrenner, the keynote speaker ster emerging sports and Olympic at the Divisions I and II Men’s and sports threatened with elimination at Women’s Indoor Track Champion- universities and colleges. ships coaches banquet March 7 in In- The committee is considering a dianapolis, said that while the USOC task-force request for $12 million per remains enthusiastic about the initia- year over a five-year timetable. Of the tives, it is not likely to decide on fund- $12 million, $7 million would be allo- Sancya/NCAAPaul Photos ing at its April 12 meeting in San Diego. cated to the task force’s conference- “I doubt a decision will be made grant model and the remaining $5 Up and over — Amy Acuff of the University of California, Los Angeles, finished third in that fast,” Steinbrenner said. “I’m opti- million would be distributed under the high-jump competition at the NCAA Division I Women’s Indoor Track Championships March mistic that we can get it in the next the plan’s promotion model. 8-9 in Indianapolis. Louisiana State University won the team title for the fourth straight year. See budget and that something will be The conference-grant component done. championships story, page 8. “I just don’t think it will happen that See Funding, page 28 ➤ Home-schooled athletes seeking states’ OK to compete BY RONALD D. MOTT sued judicial intervention found that the courts supported the public-school extracurricular activities, particularly athletics. STAFF WRITER school districts and state associations. However, the issue also relates to the NCAA since the Now, however, parents of home-schooled students and advo- Association must provide an initial-eligibility waiver for any In increasing numbers, high-school students are seeking the cates of home instruction have sought legislative relief with respect prospective Division I or II student-athlete who has been home- right to participate in interscholastic sports without ever attend- to participation in extracurricular activities. At least eight states schooled. Because more substantiation of the academic back- ing the school for which they would be competing. currently have legislation pending that would allow home- ground of such prospects is necessary, cases are evaluated indi- For them, course instruction takes place at home, often with a schooled students to participate in extracurricular activities, includ- vidually through the initial-eligibility waiver process rather than parent serving as teacher, principal, guidance counselor and test- ing athletics. Some of the legislation also would allow students by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. ing administrator. who attend private or denominational schools to participate in NFSHSA assistant director Helen Upton said many federation In the recent past, home-schooled students were denied par- extracurricular activities within their local school district. members believe the NCAA bestows preferential treatment upon ticipation because almost all school districts and state high-school The trend is the cause of much concern for the National home-schooled student-athletes. A particular concern, she said, activities associations prohibited nonstudents from taking part in Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA), which school activities. Home-schooled students and parents who pur- does not favor allowing home-schooled students to participate in See Home schooling, page 28 ➤ YES takes a bite out of Big Apple opportunity BY GARY T.BROWN City/New Jersey metropolitan area. Clinics at the Program (NYSP) and NCAA corporate partners to STAFF WRITER College of Staten Island; Fairleigh Dickinson bring the additional clinics to fruition. University, Teaneck; Fordham University; Hunter Familiar territory When the NCAA booked the Meadowlands for College; St. John’s University (New York); and St. the 1996 Final Four, the NCAA youth programs staff Peter’s College afford an even greater opportunity New York was not uncharted territory for NCAA that administers the championship’s Youth Educa- for youth to experience one of the NCAA’s most community service. Because of the established tion through Sports (YES) clinic was confronted popular attractions. NYSP presence in several New York area universi- with a challenge: How in the world do you accom- The idea to expand came from the NCAA Divi- ties, administrators well-versed in addressing the modate the nation’s most populous city with just sion I Men’s Basketball Committee, which saw this demographics of such a large area were able to help one clinic? as a unique opportunity to broaden one of the the committee and the youth programs staff assess The only answer was to make a bigger YES pie. NCAA’s best community-service programs. The pro- how many clinics were needed and in what areas After all, there certainly was enough Big Apple to ject then became an example of teamwork as the they ought to be held. Once that was determined, The YES clinic at this year’s Fi- go around. committee joined with the National Association of nal Four will be the largest ever. So this year it’s YES times six in the New York Basketball Coaches (NABC), National Youth Sports See YES, page 15 ➤ Page 2 The NCAA News March 18, 1996 Schedule of key dates for March and April NCAA News MARCH DIGEST 1 2 A weekly summary of major activities within the Association 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Graduation rates 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NCAA committee meets with Department of Education Members of the NCAA Special Committee MARCH on Graduation-Rates Disclosure Requirements RECRUITING Men’s Division I basketball have discussed with representatives of the U.S. 1-15: Quiet period, except for 20 days between No- Department of Education options available to vember 16,1995,and March 15,1996,selected at the dis- the NCAA for complying with two federal grad- cretion of the institution and designated in writing in the uation-rates reporting requirements. office of the director of athletics: Evaluation period.** The committee agreed that the NCAA should 16-22 ..........................................................Contact period. continue to collect and publish graduation-rates 23-27 ..............................................................Quiet period. data and fulfill on behalf of its members the 28-31................................................................Dead period. Women’s Division I basketball* distribution criteria outlined in the Student 1-26:Quiet period,except eight days selected at the dis- Right-to-Know Act. It also agreed to follow up cretion of the institution and designated in writing in the with the Education Department to seek a waiv- office of the director of athletics: Contact period. er that would enable the graduation-rates data 27-31................................................................Dead period. for student-athletes to satisfy both the require- Men’s Division II basketball ments of the Graduation-Rate Survey (see the 1-27 ............................................................Contact period. February 12 issue of The NCAA News) and the 28-31................................................................Dead period. Student Right-to-Know Act. Women’s Division II basketball* 1-31 ............................................................Contact period. In a related discussion, the committee also Division I football agreed to examine ways to reduce the NCAA’s 1-31..................................................................Quiet period. costs in complying with the distribution provi- Division II football sions of the Student Right-to-Know Act, includ- 1-11 ............................................................Contact period. ing exploration of a World Wide Web site. 12-31:Quiet period,except during any high-school all- Staff contacts: Doris A. Dixon, Todd A. Petr star game that occurs within the state in which the and N. Bea Pray. member institution is located: Evaluation period. APRIL USOC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Steinbrenner applauds 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 cooperation of NCAA 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 United States Olympic Committee Vice- 28 29 30 President George Steinbrenner says the NCAA so far has met its obligations for sup- porting endangered and emerging Olympic APRIL sports and