Post Graduate Year

Attending a prep school will have no influence or bearing on his NCAA eligibility status, nor will it start his 5 year clock.

In the class 1 year before my sons in HS, there was a 6'6" 240lb offensive lineman that couldn't get a look from a D1 school. He went to one year of prep school, grew 2 inches, and put on 50 lbs. He went to Boston College on a full scholarship, was the first true Freshman offensive line starter in the history of Boston College at right tackle, and is now projected to be the #4 pick in next years NFL draft...Anthony Castonzo.

1 year can make a huge difference.

Better check with 3finger on this. There are some new rules that would impact players sitting out a year after HS graduation. I don't know how they would apply to a postgrad year.

The latest rules, which take effect for players entering college after August 1, 2011, do affect D1 and D2 eligibility.

Let's take D2 (14.2.4) first, because it is simpler and less onerous. In D2, a player won't lose a season of eligibility if he delays enrolling full-time for one calendar year. For example, if he graduates from high school in May 2011, the one year period lasts until May 2012. If he enrolls full time at the next available regular academic year opportunity (probably September 2012), he's OK. In general, he needs to enroll full time at the next opportunity (except summer term) after one year has elapsed.

In D1, the new rule is 14.2.3. As I understand it, a player who graduates in May 2011, must enroll full time by May 2012, or be subject to the following:
If he plays in a game after May 2011, and before full time enrollment, he loses a season of eligibility and has to serve a year in residence before he can compete.

So I think this complicates doing a post-graduate year for students who end up in D1. Either the player needs to enroll full-time in a college for the summer session (I'm not sure if this is sufficient, but probably), or he can not compete in baseball until he does enroll full-time. Otherwise he pays a heavy eligibility price.

See also this thread.

quote:

Originally posted by 3FingeredGlove:

If he plays in a game after May 2011, and before full time enrollment, he loses a season of eligibility and has to serve a year in residence before he can compete.

How does one play a game before full time enrollment?

CPLZ,
By game, I meant "organized competition":


14.02.9 Organized Competition. Athletics competition shall be considered organized if any of the following
conditions exists:
(a) Competition is scheduled and publicized in advance;
(b) Official score is kept;
(c) Individual or team standings are maintained;
(d) Official timer or game officials are used;
(e) Admission is charged;
(f) Teams are regularly formed or team rosters are predetermined;
(g) Team uniforms are used;
(h) A team is privately or commercially sponsored; or
(i) The competition is either directly or indirectly sponsored, promoted or administered by an individual, an organization or any other agency.


Upon re-reading the rule, I'm not sure what it says exactly. So I'll quote it here.


14.2.3.2 Delayed Enrollment—Seasons of Competition.
14.2.3.2.1 Sports Other Than Men’s Ice Hockey and Skiing.
In sports other than men’s ice hockey and skiing, a student-athlete who does not enroll in a collegiate institution as a full-time student in a regular academic term during a one-year time period after his or her high school graduation date or the graduation date of his or her class (as determined by the first year of high school enrollment or the international equivalent as specified in the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility and based on the prescribed educational path in the student-athlete’s country), whichever occurs earlier, shall be subject to the following:

(a) The student-athlete shall be charged with a season of intercollegiate eligibility for each calendar year after the one-year time period (the next opportunity to enroll after one calendar year has elapsed) and prior to full-time collegiate enrollment during which the student-athlete has participated in organized competition per Bylaw 14.02.9.

(b) After the one-year time period, if the student-athlete has engaged in competition per Bylaw 14.02.9, on matriculation at the certifying institution, the student-athlete must fulfill an academic year in residence before being eligible to represent the institution in intercollegiate competition.

The point I'm not clear about is: "how long is the one year time period?" Is it one calendar year from the date of graduation? Or is it more like 15 months for May/June graduates? When I first read this I though it meant one calendar year and the "next opportunity to enroll" referred to a boundary date for successive calendar years, but now I'm not so sure.

This is of interest to me.

As I read the quoted rule, it only applies if you have "participated in organized competition". If I take two years off and don't violate the "organized competition" specification, I can then enter college on a deferred basis and with all the eligibilty I would have had. Right?

If I play legion ball, or possibly even go to a showcase, then I'm caught by the rule and I lose a year, and also have to sit out a year.

It seems to me that it would would allow you to take just just a one year PG year (and play during that year). Or a one year gap year. After that, you're running the clock, as I read it.

I have to wonder what "abuse" this is intended to correct.

quote:

Originally posted by Pedropere:
I have to wonder what "abuse" this is intended to correct.

Great question...as with many things in the NCAA, it may be that they strutting around the college barnyard with their chests all puffed out like a Banty Rooster.

Thanks 3FG, I understand what you were saying now.

Just based on what 3FG posted, it looks like this rule wouldn't affect the eligibility of athletes who attend one year of PG and then enroll in college the first fall semester afterwards. However, athletes who skip more than one year, say for military or Mormon missionary service, will take the big eligibility hit--unless there's some other rule exempting them somewhere. Wonder who the NCAA was really targeting with this rule?

There are exception for military service and missions.

Thanks, 3FG. So who would be affected by this rule? Presumably the NCAA was trying to solve some problem they perceived. All I can think of now are the guys who sign pro baseball contracts out of high school then play college football after their minor league careers end.

Thank you everyone for the advice and a copy of the new rule - everything is much clearer

quote:

Originally posted by Swampboy: So who would be affected by this rule? Presumably the NCAA was trying to solve some problem they perceived. All I can think of now are the guys who sign pro baseball contracts out of high school then play college football after their minor league careers end.

This basic rule has been in effect for tennis, swimming, diving and womens volleyball for close to 15 years. Now it is being extended to all sports.

For years, the same penalties applied to a player who first enrolled after his 21st birthday (20th in tennis) and participated in organized competition. That rule is now being replaced with the one quoted above, so a player's age will not directly be the triggering factor.

I think the reason for the rule is similar to the reason for the D1 rule that a player has 5 calendar years to complete his eligibility. In short, college athletics ought to be practiced by college kids.

Also, in some sports, especially those where size or strength is very important (e.g. football, wrestling) redshirting is common. Without this rule or the previous 21st birthday rule, presumably some players would delay a couple of years before entering college. The same issues that makes people consider PG schools--time to get more mature, or bigger, or to catch up to "early bloomers"--likely seem attractive to players that haven't reached "stud" stature during the senior year.

Which of course makes age the real factor and they've changed the rule to take age out of the equation. That would be fine except the starting ages for school vary throughout the nation and kids can effectively get around the rule by being held back prior to or during HS.

Sounds like possibly tennis was getting the tennis academy kids who weren't ready for the pro circuit after they'd gotten a bit older.

JMO, but they should have kept the rule age based.

It's actually quite common in hockey also, where many players go play juniors after HS and after busting out of juniors, attend college on scholarships.