What is an Official Practice?

[rington]

Can someone define an "Official Practice?" As I understand it, sanctioned practices don't start until Oct. 14th. Yet, there were reports of Shea working with some players on their moves in past days.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Can someone define an "Official Practice?" As I understand it, sanctioned practices don't start until Oct. 14th. Yet, there were reports of Shea working with some players on their moves in past days.

Someone else can probably supply the details, but amongst other recent rule changes:

- there are some skill sessions permitted with coaches before official team practice
- the actual start of team practice is a certain number of days before your first game, apparently. I saw a reference to this in another post.

 

[UcMiami]

Good question, and I cannot give you the exact NCAA rules, but I do know that coaches are allowed to hold individual 'skills' sessions with a few players at a time. I believe these sessions are permitted year around, but do not know if there is a specific limitation on the number of players that can be present for a session, the number of sessions a player can participate in, and the exact nature of the session. What is not permitted is to have most or all of the team present for a session or for the session to include anything like a 'scrimmage'.
The players can (and do) organize full team scrimmages during the off season and coaches are not allowed on the floor during these. I don't know if these can be observed by coaches, or if they could be taped for review (but I suspect not.)
Also - specific to this year, when a team has a summer trip scheduled like Uconn did this year, they are allowed a few days (10?) of practice prior to the trip - one of the big advantages to scheduling such a trip. Trips are only allowed every few years (once every 4 years?)

 

[pap49cba]

NCAA rules (new last year) allow women's basketballl teams to begin practice 40 days before their first game but they may only hold 30 practices during that period. I don't know what the rules are in respect of non-official "workouts".

 

[MilfordHusky]

Official practices are the ones where DaddyChoc cannot just wander in.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Official practices are, basically, practices at which coaches can now practice up to 4 hours a day in a 20 hour week with a mandatory one day off per week, and can provide instruction beyond basic skills to include structured team offenses, defenses, strategies, and film sessions. Practices can be mandatory and players can be punished for not participating. In women's basketball, official practice can start no earlier than 5pm on the date that is 40 days prior to the first regular season contest during which they may have a maximum of 30 practices.

Source: NCAA Bylaw 17.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I'm confused. I thought that official practice begins after first night
next Friday. But on the ESPN women's basketball site there's an
article on how Pat Summitt is glad to be back at practice, which
apparently started October 5 in Knoxville.

What am I missing here?

 

[mets1090]

up to a 4 hours a day. 20 hours a week.

That's what my friend tells me. He's one of the guys on the Women's practice team.

 

[Icebear]

I'm confused. I thought that official practice begins after first night
next Friday. But on the ESPN women's basketball site there's an
article on how Pat Summitt is glad to be back at practice, which
apparently started October 5 in Knoxville.

What am I missing here?

See the note from pap above. It is based conditionally on the date of the first game for the school.

 

[UConnCat]

I'm confused. I thought that official practice begins after first night
next Friday. But on the ESPN women's basketball site there's an
article on how Pat Summitt is glad to be back at practice, which
apparently started October 5 in Knoxville.

What am I missing here?

Your question is a good one. The date of the first game for Tenn and UConn is the same: Nov 13. Yet, Tenn held its first official practice on October 5 while UConn will conduct its first official practice on Oct 14 (if you count First Night as a practice). This was discussed last year which was the first year under the amended bylaw referenced in an earlier post. The new bylaw allows women's teams to conduct their first practice 40 days before their first scheduled game rather than 30 days which had been the case under the previous version of the bylaw.

Geno said last year that he preferred to stick to the old schedule (30 days) and declined to begin practice earlier: "It wasn't my idea, trust me. Everyone else was adamant," said Auriemma, who is the president of the women's basketball coaches association. "They wanted 40 days. I was like, 'Go ahead, knock yourselves out.' I'm not changing anything. I'm planning on our season going into April, so I don't need to start any earlier." Sherri Coale was another coach who last year stuck to the old schedule (tho I'm not sure what she's doing this year). Summitt, Stringer and many other coaches have decided to take advantage of the rule change.

 

[Icebear]

Great stuff, Cat.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Thanks, Cat. Now I'm no longer confused. (about that)