Scotty Jenkins

With limited exposure to most casual sports fans and stadiums that are smaller
than some Texas high schools, Division-III sports have long been thought of as a
third tier of college athletics. But, that certainly isn't the case.

While they may play for smaller schools and not have the huge support of the
household names in the Power 5, the NCAA's Division-III is chock-full of top
athletes and excellent academic opportunities.

While there have been athletes who rise from the Division 3 ranks to even play
professionally
[https://gmtm.com/articles/basketball-player-goes-from-division-ii-to-the-nba],
the casual fan and hopeful prospects still have mixed feelings about it. So, we
are going to share five benefits why playing sports at a D3 school.

 1) The athletes you compete with and against are really, really good.
A lot of people think Division 3 athletes just weren't good enough to play
anywhere else. That isn't the case at all. 

Division III teams across the nation have rosters full of athletes who were
among the best at their high school or even in their entire state
[https://gmtm.com/articles/how-division-iii-recruiting-works-for-college-sports]
. And any Division III sporting event you watch is essentially is full of
All-District or All-State athletes from across the country.

A main reason really talented athlete should choose Division III for college
sports is the chance to play early and build stats. Rather than walking on to a
Division-I team or competing for a position at the FCS or Division-II level,
talented Division-III athletes usually can see the field and mature early in
their careers
[https://gmtm.com/articles/what-college-athletes-should-know-before-freshman-year-starts-2021]
.

2) There is a lot of financial aid available for athletes.
Do NCAA Division III programs offer athletic scholarships? No, they don't. And
once parents and recruits hear that, the interest in committing to a great D3
school can disappear fast. 

But, these schools still offer tons of financial aid to there student-athletes.
While there are no scholarships for "athletics", Division-III schools reserve
plenty of academic, leadership, and various special needs scholarships to
athletes.

If you are a good athlete with good grades and above average SAT/ACT scores, you
could earn near full-tuition scholarships while you play sports.

3) Students-athletes have an intimate and focused academic environment.


4) You play regional schedules and some of the best postseason tournaments.
One of the most underrated parts of Division-III sports is the conferences are
based on smaller regions. So, rivalries are a big deal.

The Presidents Athletic Conference
[https://gmtm.com/articles/these-pac-football-teams-are-the-first-to-host-virtual-visits] 
for example, includes teams that have been facing off for decades in the
Northeast, And the WIAC (Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference), has 92
NCAA championships in 15 different sports
[https://gmtm.com/articles/best-division-iii-football-conferences-2020] among
its eight Wisconsin-based programs.

On top of the many historic games between in-state rivals, Division-III has 
some
of the most exciting postseason tournaments
[https://gmtm.com/articles/what-division-iii-schools-have-the-most-football-titles] 
and national championships. Unlike the widely criticized four-team playoff in
Division-I FBS
[https://gmtm.com/articles/what-the-college-football-playoff-could-learn-from-fcs-division]
, the NCAA's Division III ends their football season with a 27-team playoff with
games on five consecutive Saturdays in November and December, starting on the
Saturday before Thanksgiving.

5) You can still sign NIL deals and build your career.
Just because you play in a smaller community or at a smaller school doesn't mean
you can't make a name for yourself - or some money along the way
[https://gmtm.com/articles/name-image-likeness-in-division-ii-iii-college-sports]
. The cities that Division-III colleges are located in love their teams and they
support their athletes through every season.

Even in suburbs of Los Angeles, Division-III athletes are seeing some of the
first Name, Image, and Likeness benefits
[https://gmtm.com/articles/whittier-college-becomes-first-division-iii-program-to-sign-nil-deal]
. We expect that the more accomplished programs in smaller towns across the
southeast, midwest and northeast are going to see a ton of NIL deals for their
local athletes in the future.

Besides monetary benefits, playing Division-III sports also can be a jumping off
point for other athletic opportunities. With more and more Virtual Visits
[https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/virtual-visit] and the accessibility to new
programs through the transfer portal
[https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/transfer-portal], the best athletes can always
move up after finding success at the D3 level.

Five Benefits Of Playing Sports At A Division-III College

Grace White

Innovations in college track and field usually come from only a few well-known
programs at the Division-I level.

Schools like Ohio State and Stanford have long been at the forefront of Olympic
athlete development
[https://gmtm.com/articles/universities-with-the-most-athletes-in-the-2020-tokyo-olympics]
. The SEC's conference championship at the end of the year is usually a who's
who of elite sprinters gearing up for a national title or an Olympic career
[https://gmtm.com/articles/what-college-athletes-are-going-to-the-olympics]. And
of course, the University of Oregon has championed innovations in technology for
athletes for over 50 years.

But recently, one Division III school is looking to innovate the way they
discover track and field athletes from around the globe.

Earlham College Track & Field and Cross Country, two Division-III programs
competing in the Heartland Collegiate Athletics Conference, have launched a
Virtual Visit to find high school-age runners and athletes
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field].
The Quakers are the third Division-III track and field program to invite
athletes to GMTM to submit information directly to coaches through the platform
- joining Carnegie Mellon
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/85/carnegie-mellon-university-track-field] and 
Gallaudet
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/78/gallaudet-track-cross-country-virtual-visit].

Check out the Earlham Track & Field/Cross Country Virtual Visit
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field] or
read about the online event below:

The links below are best viewed when you are signed into your profile. Click
HERE to Sign In or Create Your Profile. [https://gmtm.com/sign-up]

Look Inside Earlham's Athletic Programs
Within the Virtual Visit, the Earlham coaching staff leads you on a virtual
tour
of the athletic facilities
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field/tasks/964/your-future-home] 
. The Prospect Form
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field/tasks/925/prospect-form] 
activity also allows prospects to upload recruiting information directly to the
coaches.

The tour of the Athletics and Wellness Center
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field/tasks/965/athletics-and-wellness-center] 
on Earlham's campus also help recruits from every corner of the nation see how
student athletes train and interact on campus. An additional Highlight activity
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field/tasks/972/highlights] 
shows some of the most accomplished track and field athletes in Earlham's recent
history and how the Quakers have fared in the HCAC. 

Check out these activities for yourself HERE
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field].

See Everything Earlham Academics Has To Offer
It's rare that recruits are able to see what life is like at a university
without making an in-person campus visit. Within the Earlham Virtual Visit
though, student athletes are able to see the academic buildings and take a tour
of campus without leaving home.

The in-depth virtual tour includes The Classroom Experience at Earlham
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field/tasks/963/the-classroom-experience-at-earlham]
, which introduces athletes to the teacher-student relationship on campus.
Earlham uses EPIC (or the Earlham Plan for Integrative Collaboration) to shape
its teaching algorithm. Doing so greatly helps the students put together not
only what they are personally passionate about but also incorporating their
academic careers furthering you on to life opportunities in the future.

EPIC offers students multidisciplinary experiences
[https://earlham.edu/academics/epic/] that combine guided research
opportunities, international education, and internships as well as academic
centers devoted to entrepreneurship, global health, and social justice.

Additional activities within the Virtual Visit lead athletes through Earlham's
Center for Science and Technology
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field/tasks/966/center-for-science-and-technology]
, the Runyan Center, and Earlham Hall
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field/tasks/967/runyan-center-and-earlham-hall]
.

Check Out The Community Around Earlham College
The Earlham College Virtual Visit doesn't end at the edge of campus. Located in
Richmond, Indiana, Earlham College is surrounded by beautiful scenery and a
vibrant small town that offers something for every type of student-athlete.

Within the Virtual Visit, athletes and parents can get a taste of everything
Richmand has to offer. From the local restaurants to the local fans and outdoor
activities
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field/tasks/969/richmond-indiana]
, this activity is an awesome chance for runners to see where they will be
spending their time off of the track.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How To Get Started
To start your Virtual Visit, head to the Virtual Visits
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/visits] page and find the Earlham College Cross
Country/Track and Field Visit
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/157/earlham-college-cross-countrytrack-and-field].
Once there, you can begin the activities and upload your information for Earlham
coaches in the Prospect Form Activity.

Earlham College Virtual Visit Helps Recruits See Division-III Track & Field

Cross-country athletes have said for centuries that their sport is every other
sports' punishment. A similar sentiment could be said about the sport of rowing.

Rowing is an activity that has become one of the most popular indoor workouts
for a variety of athletes - from older individuals looking for a leisurely
full-body workout to the top Crossfit athletes racing to 1,000 meters in the
middle of a circuit. Rowing machines can be found in local gyms, college weight
rooms, or a relative's basement and have been helping athletes with all
different abilities develop strength in their arms, back, core, and legs with
repetitive, measured motions.

So, if cross country is evocative of a punishment, rowing on the other hand
stems from many other sports' daily workouts.

But it can be punishing... which some athletes really get excited about.

Rowing is widely considered by those within international sports as the most
physically demanding in the Olympic program. It not only requires extreme
endurance and strength, but also considerable mental strength and the ability to
push yourself well past your limits.

And the U.S. Rowing Team is always looking for athletes from other sports with
these characteristics to give the sport a try. Below are some of the sports that
could produce some of the best rowing talent. 

If you are a high school athlete involved in any of these sports, check out the 
U.S. Rowing U19 Tryout
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/188/usrowing-u19-athlete-info-submission] to give
rowing a try and be discovered by Team USA coaches.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Swimming
From an early age, swimmers learn some of the most important aspects of rowing:
Muscle memory and repetition. Pair that with years of training your biceps,
triceps, and back muscles and without knowing it, you could breed a champion on
top of the water as well as in it.

Rowing is not as much about hand-eye coordination as most other major sports.
Training specific muscle groups for endurance and speed is something that
swimmers and rowers share. Long, synchronized arms moving with powerful legs and
a mental edge that most athletes never develop are a recipe that both sports
share.

And generally - similar to our the next two sports - the top competitive
swimmers have long torsos and extended wingspans that could propel a scull more
efficiently. From a video published by the Olympic Channel
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGuTgIfDU_k], former U.S. Rower turned sports
scientist Greg Whyte described the type of athlete U.S. Rowing is always on the
lookout for: 

> "We are looking for very tall, very muscular, very lean individuals to become
elite rowers."
While taller swimmers may take a while to get comfortable in the skinny boat,
they'll get hooked after the first few hundred meters.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Volleyball
Two words: Height and Wingspan. If you spend even a few minutes around a college
volleyball team or a high-level rowing team, you'll most likely point out those
two things. For rowing coaches, seeing a tall outside hitter or middle blocker
make a play above the net will remind them of the force they could create with
each rowing stroke.

At the Olympic level, most rowing teams are full of tall athletes because of one
essential attribute: Longer limbs are able to make longer strokes with an oar.
The more distance an athlete can cover with each stroke, the fewer strokes it
takes to complete a 1000-meter or 2,000-meter race.

While rowing may sound foreign to athletes used to team sports with a ball and
net, the competitiveness involved in rowing and the importance of camaraderie is
second to none.  If you're a front row player who loves to train and compete, 
rowing may be a great offseason sport for you
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/188/usrowing-u19-athlete-info-submission].

For liberos, defensive players, and setters who may not have the height that
college rowing coaches are looking for in team events, there are always
opportunities for loud, outspoken athletes as a coxswain.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Basketball
Similar to swimmers and volleyball players, basketball athletes are more often
than not the ideal candidates for a rowing team. Tall, slender, with strong arms
and uncanny balance as they move towards the rim, basketball players could pick
up an oar and really generate some power.

It can't be overstated that the taller a rower is, the more potential energy
they can create in each stroke and the faster the boat will move. Shooting
guards and stretch-fours, who are weeded out by coaches early for their long
wingspan and strength to go up against anyone have that potential to be great in
rowing.

Imagine the power Lebron James, Kevin Durant, or Brittney Griner - each with a
7-foot wingspan (i.e. the average person has a a 5.5-foot wingspan) - could
generate if they trained as a rower and mastered the mechanics of their arms and
legs.

Additionally, among the most popular sports in America, basketball requires the
most stamina and endurance of any. It's rare that athletes stop moving around
the court and the strength built up from running could be a positive attribute
in creating a powerful rower.

Similar to basketball, rowing also has a position for athletes who may not have
the height and wingspan of a power-forward. The coxswain is a rowing athlete who
is loud and outspoken, always seated at the front of the boat to manage the rest
of the team - like a point guard!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Track & Cross Country
Ask anyone who has had a career in rowing and they will tell you that success
begins with training. The same goes for sprinters and distance runners who also
get one race - lasting only seconds or minutes - to make it all happen.

Rowing and track athletes both spend their lives in the weight room or on the
treadmill - and the time in between is dedicated to studying technique and
massaging their muscles. Racing is not just a hobby, it is a motivating factor
in everything these athletes do. And it is hard to teach.

For track athletes looking for another opportunity to find that competition,
rowing is an excellent alternative that will showcase the muscles you've been
developing for years and test the mental strength that really wins a race. With
powerful arms and elite leg power all working in unison, track athletes and
distance runners alike could find a lot of success in the water.

Other track and field athletes, like javelin and discus throwers, pole vaulters,
pentathletes and decathletes, could also find a lot of success if they get into
rowing [https://gmtm.com/virtuals/188/usrowing-u19-athlete-info-submission].
Elite rowers are built from arm strength, a love of training, and meticulous
attention to form and technique - attributes shared by the most competitive
track and field athletes.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cycling
If there is one group of athletes with the most untapped potential for rowing,
it has to be cyclists. Like rowers in the water, cyclists spend all of their
time in the saddle of their bike pushing the limits of their body and testing
their endurance across miles and miles of open road. When they aren't on their
own building their mental fortitude, they are in the wight room or on the
treadmill, honing the muscles they need to get faster and faster.

Oddly enough, cyclists and rowers could have very different muscle types as a
result of a lifetime of training.

Elite cyclists are easy to identify by their stone-like thigh muscles and
bulging calves from climbing and sprinting for a hundred-some in the course of a
training day. Rowers on the other hand, are a bit more top-heavy focusing most
of their training on the their shoulders, and chest, as their legs steadily move
their buttocks back and forth.

Besides their muscles, both rowers and cyclists are easy to identify by their
sunburn around their sunglasses at the end of a day of training.

For cyclists looking for a new way to test a new muscle group in a sport with
the same fast pace and physical demands, rowing is an excellent option. And 
cyclists who get into the sport of rowing at a younger age will have the best
chance [https://gmtm.com/virtuals/188/usrowing-u19-athlete-info-submission] to
build the necessary muscle groups to complement their powerful legs.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five Sports That Could Produce The Best U.S. Rowing Athletes

Andrew Pistone

You may be familiar with all-world cornerback prospect Derek Stingley Jr., who’s
in his third season with the LSU Tigers. He burst on to the scene in a massive
way as a freshman in 2019, recording six interceptions on a team that won the
national championship, and featured other NFL stars like Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr
Chase, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. He was allowed the distinction of wearing
LSU’s most coveted number 7, which is only given to the very best the school has
had to offer(Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu and Leonard Fournette have all
donned the number).

Despite all of the well deserved recognition and hype for Stingley Jr’s talent,
there’s a dark cloud hanging over him, and members of his family who played the
sport they loved before him. Stingley Jr was recently sidelined with a foot
injury, and it might be enough to cost him the rest of his junior season in
Baton Rouge. Even if the shutdown corner heals in time to make an impact later
in the campaign, he might decide to sit out and get ready for the 2022 NFL
Draft.

> “We don’t know when or if he will be back,” Tigers coach Ed Orgeron said. “If
not, we have to carry on.” Via ESPN.com
[https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32348059/lsu-cb-derek-stingley-jr-indefinitely-having-procedure-injured-foot]
After his tremendous freshman season, Stingley Jr. had some bumps in the road in
2020. He was forced out of three games due to a non COVID illness, and a nagging
leg injury.

> With Derek Stingley Jr. out, the LSU defense takes a hit for the Tigers' SEC
opener at Mississippi State. https://t.co/iITQnX42v0

— The Advocate (@theadvocatebr) September 25, 2021
[https://twitter.com/theadvocatebr/status/1441775817151893505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
As someone who profiles to be a difference maker on the next level, one can only
hope to wish Stingley Jr well on his road to recovery for his latest injury. But
Stingley Jr’s troubles at such a young age are a little spooky, especially when
considering what happened to his father, and more notably, his grandfather.

Stingley Jr.’s father, Derek Stingley Sr., also played football. He wasn’t quite
as talented as his son is shaping up to be, or as skilled as his father Darryl.
But he was a great athlete, as evidenced by his three year career in the
baseball minor leagues, and his nine years spent playing arena and semi-pro
football. Stingley Sr., however, was knocked
[https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/high_schools/article_873d0c04-9da8-11e8-91a8-2fe056db50f0.html]
unconscious in a football game. That didn’t stop him from letting his son play
the game he loved, however.

The real chilling injury story happened with Darryl Stingley, who is Derek
Stingley Jr’s grandfather. He was an acclaimed playmaking wide receiver coming
out of Purdue University. The New England Patriots took him with the 19th 
overall selection in the 1973 NFL Draft. Darryl’s numbers, by today’s NFL
standards, were modest for a receiver of his talent. However, in 1977, he was
setting career highs in yards, catches and touchdowns. Things looked to be
heading in a promising direction after five years in the league.

However, during a preseason game against the Oakland Raiders in 1978, Darryl
Stingley’s life change forever. After a crunching hit from Raiders safety Jack
Tatum, Stingley was badly injured, with two of his vertebrae crushed. It left
him paralyzed, with limited movement for the remainder of his life.

> “I was 26 years old at the time and I remember thinking ‘What’s going to happen
to me? If I live, what am I going to be like?’ And then there were all those
whys, whys whys?” Stingley said in 1988. Via ESPN.com
[https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2826562] 
For the extremely tough hand he was dealt, Darryl maintained a positive attitude
around his son Derek Sr.

> “Dad never blamed anything on anybody; he thought it was a freak accident, one
in a million,” Stingley Sr. said. “The thing he(Darryl) always said is, ‘You
can’t go out there thinking you’re going to get injured, because then injury
just may find you. You understand the risk, but you don’t play scared.;” Via 
The
Advocate.com
[https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/high_schools/article_873d0c04-9da8-11e8-91a8-2fe056db50f0.html]
There’s no doubt that in light of all that has happened to his family, Derek
Stingley Jr. understands those risks as well as anyone. Even in the face of his
current adversity, it’s a good bet he won’t play scared once he’s able to make
it back to the field.

> Here's Derek Stingley Jr during pregame#LSU
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] @BRProudNews
[https://twitter.com/BRProudNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] pic.twitter.com/fJO70CXYDA
[https://t.co/fJO70CXYDA]

— Chessa Bouche (@chessabouche) September 25, 2021
[https://twitter.com/chessabouche/status/1441783294912307200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]

The Stingley’s And Their Injury Curse

Volleyball Canada’s National Excellence Program (NEP) is the main talent
identification process for female youth athletes in Canada. For the second year
in a row, Volleyball Canada is hosting the first step of the selection process
virtually on GMTM.

The 2022 NEP and U18 Women's Identification
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/219/2022-womens-national-excellence-program-nep] will
be live from November 11th to December 13th, 2021. Before the end date, female
athletes from Canada between the ages of 15-17 on September 2022 can create an
athlete profile, upload videos, and provide physical testing data for Volleyball
Canada coaches.

The goal of the Volleyball Canada's Women's NEP and U18 virtual identification
process is:

> "to select athletes from across Canada with the attributes consistent with high
performance and the potential to compete for Team Canada Senior Women’s team
[https://volleyball.ca/en/national-teams/indoor-women-senior] in the future."
Within one virtual event, hopeful athletes will be able to upload game film and
recorded metrics in seven different sport-specific activities
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/219/2022-womens-national-excellence-program-nep] 
created by the NEP selection committee. The activities, each requiring a video
submission, include:

 * Basic Information // Informations de base
 * Height // Taille
   [https://gmtm.com/articles/volleyball-canada-2022-nep-tryout-u18-drills]
 * 1-Hand Reach // Portée à une main
   [https://gmtm.com/articles/volleyball-canada-2022-nep-tryout-u18-drills]
 * Spike Touch // Hauteur à l’attaque
   [https://gmtm.com/articles/volleyball-canada-2022-nep-tryout-u18-drills]
 * Block Touch // Hauteur au contre
   [https://gmtm.com/articles/volleyball-canada-2022-nep-tryout-u18-drills]
 * Game Highlight Video // Vidéo de faits saillants en match
 * Full set or match // Vidéo d’une manche complète

Athletes can upload videos and edit their profiles at any point prior to the
December 13 deadline.

Following the tryout, Volleyball Canada will invite selected athletes who
participated on GMTM to attend in person regional tryouts in January/February
2022. From that group, 16-18 athletes be chosen in the final NEP selections in
early spring.

Those finalists will be invited to attend the Women’s NEP program - a full-time
daily training environment at the Richmond Olympic Oval in Richmond, British
Columbia. The Women's NEP program will begin in September 2022 and includes
athlete support through academics, mental health, wellness, and physical
training.

Below is a video detailing the 2020 Volleyball Canada Women's NEP program:

An inside look at Volleyball Canada's 2020 Women's NEP Program hosted for youth
volleyball players in Richmond, BC.Along with the NEP Program, Volleyball Canada
is also selecting athletes to compete with Team Canada U18 in the summer of
2022. This team will be selected in May 2022 and is training towards competition
in the Pan-Am Cup in mid-July. All athletes must be born in 2006 or later to be
eligible for Team Canada U18.

Read More: Each Activity In The Volleyball Canada 2022 NEP and U18 Tryout On
GMTM [https://gmtm.com/articles/volleyball-canada-2022-nep-tryout-u18-drills]
Each athlete is responsible for creating and uploading videos to their account
and can update their profile at any time. The cost of the NEP identification is
$50.00 USD.

Any questions regarding NEP can be directed to excellence@volleyball.ca

Volleyball Canada Launches Virtual Tryout For Women's NEP and U18 Team

There’s been a whirlwind of change surrounding the rights of college athletes
that has taken place in 2021. The new name, image and likeness rules allow
student-athletes to profit off of their individual brands and identities. This
has opened the door for all kinds of partnerships, advertisements and larger
conversations to be sought after to discuss what it truly means to be a student
athlete these days. The definition has gotten even murkier in the past couple of
weeks, with two large organizations disagreeing over whether a student-athlete
should be considered an employee of the school.

The National Labor Relations Board(NLRB) sent out a memo at the end of September
stating that student athletes should be viewed as employees.

> “Players at academic institutions perform services for institutions in return
for compensation and subject to their control. (We) fully support the conclusion
that certain players at academic institutions are statutory employees, who have
the right to act collectively to improve their terms and conditions of
employment,” Jennifer Abruzzo, general counsel for the NLRB, composed. Via 
InsideHighered.com
[https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/09/29/nlrb-asserts-%E2%80%98certain%E2%80%99-college-athletes-are-employees]
This stance exists in stark contract to the NCAA’s take on their relationship
with their players. The NCAA issued a statement on the topic themselves.

> “College athletes are students who compete against other students, not employees
who compete against other employees. Both academics and athletics are part of a
total educational experience that is unique to the United States, and vital to
the holistic development of all who participate.” Via CBSNews.com
[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nlrb-memo-college-athletes-compensation-nil/]
> As expected, the NCAA disagrees with the Labor Board's statement from today:
college athletes are not employees, the organization says in this statement. 
pic.twitter.com/djnR5DVika [https://t.co/djnR5DVika]

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 29, 2021
[https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1443332023893037058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
How did this topic pick up steam in recent weeks? There was a lawsuit filed
against the NCAA by several former athletes, led by former Villanova Wildcats
defensive back Ralph “Trey” Johnson. Johnson and his co-plaintiffs assert that
they should have been paid some sort of minimum wage by the NCAA, since he felt
that their athletic commitments required them to follow a specific schedule,
just like a traditional employer’s who could set their business hours as 9-5,
for example.

> They say you’re a student-athlete, but I think it’s really athlete-student,”
Johnson expressed. “The game comes first.” Via Delco.today
[https://delco.today/2021/10/villanova-lawsuit-athletes-wages/]
The lawsuit was filed back in 2019, but within the past month and a half, there
have been small victories for those on the plaintiff’s side. Federal judge John
Padova rejected a motion by certain schools to dismiss the case, which can be
viewed as a sympathetic response to Johnson’s case. In his order, Padova had
several pieces of rationale supporting the need for further investigation.

> “(Students) have reported that participation in NCAA sports have prevented them
from taking classes that they wanted to take…(The NCAA) exercise significant
control over their student athletes,” he wrote. Via Yahoo.com
[https://www.yahoo.com/now/college-athletes-claim-employees-boosted-160130522.html]
> National Labor Relations Board general counsel: College athletes are employees
of their schools. 

➡️ https://t.co/qjc7a83IlK pic.twitter.com/HcWXvGbZlt [https://t.co/HcWXvGbZlt]

— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) September 29, 2021
[https://twitter.com/YahooSportsCFB/status/1443249360020586501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
This won’t be the last we’ll hear of this case, but it is even more interesting
to view this in an era of NIL possibilities. Maybe this issue is less relevant
now that players can benefit off of their NCAA athlete brands? Or, is it still
extremely relevant because of the possible ramifications student-athletes can
have to unionize, receive health care benefits, and a minimum wage? Regardless
of which side you fall on, there will certainly be updates to this story in the
coming months and years.

Can College Athletes Be Considered Employees?

The NCAA and its student-athletes have entered a whole new world with regards to
finances. With student-athletes now being able to profit off of their own name,
image and likeness, certain players are set to earn notable income from sponsors
and advertisers. This essentially starts the professional clock a little bit
earlier, and with a larger paycheck comes greater responsibility. Professional
sports leagues have financial training that rookies need to attend before their
first season, but the NCAA has never had to deal with educating 18 year olds on
how to balance and invest earnings.

With the landscape having changed drastically, the NCAA has partnered with
Invesco/Invesco QQQ to help teach financial literacy to student athletes.
They’ve created a practically named digital game called “How To Not Suck At
Money”. The game
[https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/general-invesco-and-invesco-qqq-bring-financial-education-to-ncaa-student-athletes] 
is based on fictional college students living in a college town, who are faced
with simulated real-life financial decisions and scenarios. “How To Not Suck At
Money” touches on budgeting, banking, credit cards, investing and other topics.

> Invesco and Invesco QQQ bring financial education to NCAA student-athletes: 
https://t.co/CWgPba9pSk pic.twitter.com/R76uPYrzM7 [https://t.co/R76uPYrzM7]

— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) November 15, 2021
[https://twitter.com/InsidetheNCAA/status/1460265248271785986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
Before the game was released to the general student-athlete population, 1,500
students were involved
[https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/general-invesco-and-invesco-qqq-bring-financial-education-to-ncaa-student-athletes] 
in research and product development to help create a final version that would
resonate with their peers.

> “With only 14% of college students participating in noncredit financial
education programs, we want to extend this commitment to college students from
all backgrounds, including student-athletes,” said Emily Pachuta, chief
marketing and analytics officer for the Americas at Invesco.” Via NCAA.org
[https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/general-invesco-and-invesco-qqq-bring-financial-education-to-ncaa-student-athletes]
This initiative is coming at just the right time for the NCAA, and hopefully a
majority of student-athletes decide to play the game. The great thing about “How
To Not Suck At Money” is that it is applicable to every player across the
nation. It can certainly help the star athletes who are pulling in hundreds of
thousands of dollars in NIL endorsements, but it can also help players who
aren’t, and are targeting jobs in academia or outside of sports. Knowing how
much one can afford to spend on rent, leisure purchases, and household needs can
help save a lot of problems down the line.

Georgia men’s head basketball coach Josh Pastner thinks this type of education
is something former athletes wish they had early on.

> “They’ve made a lot of money, and then years later, they’re totally broke. And a
lot of times if you hear the stories, what they’ll say is they didn’t have the
education part of it during the time, maybe while they were in college,” Pastner
stated. Via NCAA.org
[https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/general-invesco-and-invesco-qqq-bring-financial-education-to-ncaa-student-athletes]
There are a myriad of college courses that students and parents find
inapplicable to everyday life, but this is a venture that can teach lessons that
will last a lifetime.

> Thank you, @Nasdaq [https://twitter.com/Nasdaq?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw], for sharing
our exciting news with the city of New York. We are thrilled to be named the
official ETF of the @NCAA [https://twitter.com/NCAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]. 
pic.twitter.com/9nry3ZSOs2 [https://t.co/9nry3ZSOs2]

— Invesco US (@InvescoUS) December 6, 2019
[https://twitter.com/InvescoUS/status/1202960253614247936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]

NCAA Launches Program To Increase Student-Athlete Financial Literacy

Bryan Armetta

College football has never been too concerned about parity. For years, the sport
has seemed more concerned about protecting the best interests of blue-bloods,
even if it means limiting opportunities for all other programs to prove
themselves against elite competition. 

The College Football Playoff's four-team bracket, first introduced in the
2014-15 season, was supposed to help solve that. Instead, it opened up even more
debate over keeping out unbeaten Group of 5 schools, such as UCF in 2017
[https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/playoff-director-says-ucf-didnt-build-its-2017-record-against-strong-enough-opponents/] 
and Cincinnati in 2020
[https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/cincinnati-bearcats-cfp-college-football-playoff-ranking/tbltnjxinqfo1dxlcm0o4j8d2]
. With news of a potential playoff expansion
[https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-football-college-football-sports-3eee17e65fb10dd89f00a588fdf6d626] 
to twelve teams in the near future, a new question was inevitably raised: will
the playoff committee create yet another power structure designed to protect the
few or will they finally allow for equal representation in the CFP?

It remains to be seen how the committee will choose to shape the future of
college football, and which bracket structures they'll deem acceptable. With 
numerous alternative options
[https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/cfp-rankings-12-team-playoff-2021/aa6qggtwnbpq1ghpcqa99myzf] 
still being pitched and nothing confirmed just yet, the logistics of a
twelve-team postseason format are still uncertain. 

> .@jppalmCBS [https://twitter.com/jppalmCBS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]: CFP expansion
convos 'too big to fail' | @ALawRadio
[https://twitter.com/ALawRadio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] @AfterHoursCBS
[https://twitter.com/AfterHoursCBS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 

📲Listen and read more here:https://t.co/NAAxww1a0N

— CBS Sports Radio (@CBSSportsRadio) November 23, 2021
[https://twitter.com/CBSSportsRadio/status/1463179031390691333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
*Rankings based on Nov. 23rd CFP rankings

The Half n' Half Bracket (0.0001 % chance)

Let's get wild, shall we? Nothing would make college football Twitter happier
than a playoff ensuring everyone gets an equal shot. So why not ensure an even
number of Power 5 and Group of 5 teams by taking the six highest ranked in each
category? In this hypothetical, the Group of 5 bracket winner would meet the
Power 5 winner in the National Championship game.

Truthfully, there are better chances of an asteroid hitting Earth before the end
of this sentence than the notoriously stubborn CFP committee ever giving
conferences like the American and Mountain West a close-to-50 percent chance of
making the playoffs. While it would be fun to think about, a quick look at a
potential bracket this season shows the obvious flaws in such a concept:

1. Georgia 2. Ohio St. 3. Alabama 4. Michigan 5. Notre Dame 6. Oklahoma St.

 1. Cincinnati 2. BYU 3. San Diego St. 4. UTSA 5. Houston 6. Louisiana

The Group of Two Bracket (3% chance)

So maybe the Group of 5 will never be given truly equal opportunity. That
doesn't mean the committee can't carve out a bit of space for them.

In this bracket proposal, the seven highest-ranking conference champions are
given an auto-bid, ensuring two come from the Group of Five. The rest of the
bracket would then be made up of the highest ranking non-conference winners.

Unlike a six conference champions proposal (more on that in a bit), the Group of
Two bracket strikes a balance between Power 5 dominance and increased
opportunity for smaller programs. However, in most years, this model would lead
to major blowouts in the first round of the playoffs, something the CFP
committee should look to avoid at all costs
[https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/is-the-college-football-playoff-delivering-on-its-promise-blowouts-lack-of-upsets-suggest-otherwise/]
. Additionally, it's hard to see 1/6th of the field guaranteed to the Group of
Five, regardless of ranking. Here is what it would look like this year:

 1. Georgia and 2. Ohio St. on bye

12. San Diego St. at 3. Alabama, 11. Oregon at 4. Cincinnati, 10. Oklahoma at 5.
Michigan, 9. Ole Miss at 6. Notre Dame, 8. Baylor at 7. Oklahoma St.

The Conference Runner-Up Bracket (7%)

Rather than auto-bids for just Power 5 conference champions, this bracket model
would give guaranteed playoff spots to championship game runner-ups as well. The
final two seeds would then be made up of the highest ranking teams left.

There are some elements to this setup that would be appealing for the committee.
They wouldn't need any Group of 5 representation and could conceivably have four
representatives from a single conference (S-E-C! S-E-C!). 

With that being said, the downside here is immense. Imagine if this year's
playoff race included knowing both Wake Forest and Pittsburgh would be going
toe-to-toe with Georgia and OSU. Additionally, it may be detrimental for the Big
10 and SEC, since their superiority over the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 would go
largely unrewarded in postseason selections. 

 1. Georgia and 2. Ohio St. on bye

12. Utah at 3. Alabama, 11. Wake Forest at 4. Cincinnati, 10. Pittsburgh at 5.
Michigan, 9. Oregon at 6. Notre Dame, 8. Oklahoma at 7.Oklahoma St. 

The Power 6 Bracket (35% chance)

This idea, courtesy of The Alliance
[https://theathletic.com/news/alliance-leaders-proposed-alternate-12-team-playoff-model-during-expansion-talks-sources/tRSeCs1AlKwS/]
, proposes that all Power 5 conference champions and the highest-ranked Group of
5 winner receive automatic bids into the CFP. The remaining six spots would then
be determined by the highest ranked remaining teams.

> I’ve covered every single College Football Playoff expansion meeting this year
in-person. 

Officials have said earliest the CFP can expand is 2024. If they don’t reach
consensus at Dec. 1 meeting, it won’t expand until 2026.

My latest, from last week: https://t.co/kJMw2Zi95E

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 19, 2021
[https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1461723361113956367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
Although this model is a good one for the committee, since it gives minimal
access to non-Power 5 members, it also could create just as much uproar as the
current system. Imagining a world in which a three-loss Pac-12 or Big 12 winner
gets in could lead to lopsided matchups. Additionally, the incentive to schedule
strong out-of-conference games would be diminished for many schools, since
simply dominating your conference, however weak it may be, is more than enough
to get into the postseason. Here is how it would shake out this year:

 1. Georgia and 2. Ohio St. on bye

12. Pittsburgh at 3. Alabama, 11. Oregon at 4. Cincinnati, 10. Oklahoma at 5.
Michigan, 9 Ole Miss at 6. Notre Dame, 8. Baylor at 7. Oklahoma St.

The Ranked Order Bracket (55% chance)

The last and most likely twelve-team bracket to be adopted by the committee is
also the most boring. Simply put, ranking the best teams in the playoff should
guarantee the best mix of competitiveness and parity while removing any frills
that could keep out more deserving teams.

A skeptical Group of 5 fan may question the extent in which the Power 5 would
dominate the bracket. Since its first season in 2014, the CFP has had just four
teams ranked in the top twelve by the end of the season. However, attitudes may
be changing. Those Group of 5 rankings were all within the past five years, and
last year's duo of Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina would have made the cut.
While it's fair to wonder how the committee's process may shift after a
postseason expansion, there is some hope that smaller schools can be recognized
under such a system.

Envisioning a 12 Team College Football Playoff, Ranked From Least to Most Likely

While we have a come a long away as a society, nation and planet with regards to
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are still chilling reminders that it is not
yet in the rear view mirror. Carnegie Mellon’s situation surrounding the
Division III football championships highlights that reality. The university 
requires
[https://athletics.cmu.edu/sports/fball/2021-22/releases/20211119ha194x]weekly
testing for all varsity sports, and had a few members of the football team test
positive for the virus ahead of the playoffs.

As a result, they were not able to participate, which is a disappointing turn of
events for the program.

> “Our team had a remarkable season, and they earned the privilege to compete at
the highest level,” said Carnegie Mellon Athletic Director Josh Centor. “While
we won’t be able to play, this does nothing to diminish the accomplishments of
each and every member of our program.” Via Athletics.CMU.Edu
[https://athletics.cmu.edu/sports/fball/2021-22/releases/20211119ha194x]
> The safety of our players, coaches, staff, & community comes first. Even still,
we’re devastated to have our season conclude this way. 

We celebrate the successes of this season. Thank you to all who have & continue
to support us. #RDT
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/RDT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
https://t.co/UqrgOzrBXb

— Carnegie Mellon Football (@TartanFB) November 19, 2021
[https://twitter.com/TartanFB/status/1461739799757340690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
What makes this development even more disappointing is the notion that the team
won’t be able to send longtime
[https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/NCAA/2021/11/19/carnegie-mellon-university-football-tartans-coach-rich-lackner-retiring-division-iii-ncaa-playoffs/stories/202111180066] 
coach Rich Lackner off with victories in the postseason. Lackner has been the
head man for 36 seasons, and has amassed 234 wins and 13 conference titles. He
is retiring after this season, and his players have loved the atmosphere he
created.

> “I was focused on the game(the final regular season game), but it was hard not
to notice what a big community and family Lackner has built with all of these
players coming back to watch his final game,” said running back Tre Vasiliadis.
Via Post-Gazette.com
[https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/NCAA/2021/11/19/carnegie-mellon-university-football-tartans-coach-rich-lackner-retiring-division-iii-ncaa-playoffs/stories/202111180066]
> Congratulations to HC Rich Lackner on being named the @PAC_Athletics
[https://twitter.com/PAC_Athletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] Coach of the Year!

Coach Lackner is now an eight time Coach of the Year honoree! ( @NewsUAA
[https://twitter.com/NewsUAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] & PAC ). #RDT
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/RDT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] | #TartanProud
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/TartanProud?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] | 
#DieHardDOGS
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/DieHardDOGS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] | 
#MenofAction
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/MenofAction?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] | 
#TartanDOGS
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/TartanDOGS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
pic.twitter.com/tUp7SQ3dxu [https://t.co/tUp7SQ3dxu]

— Carnegie Mellon Football (@TartanFB) November 18, 2021
[https://twitter.com/TartanFB/status/1461361500564590595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
Carnegie Mellon claimed a share of the conference with their victory in the
regular season finale, and obtained an automatic bid for postseason play.
Considering the timing of the positive tests, and larger national developments,
it seems possible that had the playoffs been a few weeks later, Carnegie Mellon
may have been able to participate. Booster shots were authorized for emergency
use on November 19th for everyone 18 years of age and older. We don’t know if
every player or staff member would have been able to get one, or have had the
chance to, but in a slightly different world, the football team may have had the
chance to get hot and go on a run.

College Football: Carnegie Mellon Withdraws From Division-II Championship Bracket

Most people are familiar with the concept of AirBnB. Someone rents out their
home in part or in whole to travelers looking for an affordable, yet comfortable
place to stay. GameOn Active is a platform built off of that popular model and
applied to the world of sports. They’re doubling down on this notion with the
launch of a product this week that will help venues capitalize financially, and
expand opportunities for amateur sports organizers, trainers and coaches to find
and book sports facilities online.

The GameOn Active Operate platform will allow schools, community centers and
athletic spaces to manage revenue generating rentals of courts to players
looking to break a sweat. The technology will give decision makers at these
venues insights into how their leasing is enhancing their earning potential, and
will put them in contact with a network of sports-loving customers.

GameOn Active co-founder Gerald Asante believes that the Operate launch will be
a big win for schools in particular, when considering the opportunity they’ll
have to monetize their gyms during hours when class is not in session.

> “We project that if a school’s gymnasium is booked for public recreational
sports even 50% of the time(on weeknights, weekends, or during the summer), they
can generate an estimated $65,000 per year,” Asante said. “This additional
income can be used for renovations, educational resources, enrichment programs,
or however they see fit.”
While the Operate launch figures to be a valuable tool for the venues, the
GameOn Active Connect app is already being used by approximately 8000 players as
a means to connect for pickup sports. Primarily focused on basketball, GameOn
Active Connect helps to solve common problems, such as locking down a court for
a pickup game, or finding other players who want to play to round out a three on
three or five on five. It can also be used by coaches or trainers to locate
places to practice or fine-tune skills for their players.

GameOn Active launched in 2017 on Android and via web app, and became available
on iOS in 2018. While the app is only available in London and other parts of
England at present, the team is hopeful to expand their presence to the United
States and other parts of the world as early as 2022.

> This is who we are - we are a community of everyday people of all ages playing
sports and staying active #community
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/community?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] #sports
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/sports?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] #sportsapp
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/sportsapp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] #basketball
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/basketball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
#sportsengland
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/sportsengland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] #london
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/london?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] #startup
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/startup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] #uk
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/uk?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] #England
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/England?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] #Birmingham
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/Birmingham?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
#Manchester
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/Manchester?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
pic.twitter.com/D0nOW0i1NG [https://t.co/D0nOW0i1NG]

— GameOn Active (@Gameonactive) November 18, 2020
[https://twitter.com/Gameonactive/status/1329150564081471493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
The issues that the app looks to solve for venue managers and players alike are
universal, and they are only highlighted by the effects of the prolonged
pandemic. Schools and other hosting locations are looking to recoup some funds
lost in the last two years, and athletes are looking to make up for lost time in
quarantine by playing sports that they love.

> “We’re using our technology to make recreational sports more accessible,” Asante
stated. “While we’ve honed the product in London, we’re looking to expand
globally and offer opportunities for athletes to play many different sports.”

GameOn Active Operate: AirBnB For Sports Facilities

As conference realignment continues to occur at an increased rate in college
sports, fans are becoming increasingly familiar with the positives and
drawbacks. Schools tend to make more money, gain more exposure, and compete at a
higher level of athletics, generally speaking. However, these moves also slowly
destroy the fabric of longstanding rivalries, relationships and traditions
developed over the course of decades.

James Madison University athletics is the latest in a long line of schools who
are moving to a new conference. They are joining the Sun Belt Conference, and
leaving the Colonial Athletic Association(CAA) behind. There’s only one problem;
the CAA isn’t taking too kindly to the Dukes’ move.

While it isn’t uncommon for conference’s who are being broken up with to throw
stones, the CAA is taking it to a different level. They have decided to ban
James Madison athletics from competing in conference championships this season,
denying teams the right to secure possibly one last CAA crown.

> JMU informed its athletes tonight that the CAA will not allow its teams to
compete for league championships this year if it announces its move to the Sun
Belt. 
JMU's appeal to league presidents was denied.https://t.co/o7swzHI4h1

— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) November 4, 2021
[https://twitter.com/RTD_MikeBarber/status/1456048911609651206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
There are a couple of levels to this type of response from the CAA. First of
all, it sounds like the conference wants to stymie ideas of any other schools
who might be thinking of jumping ship. Apparently
[https://www.si.com/college/2021/11/05/james-madison-athletes-take-biggest-fall-realignment-caa]
, the CAA has invoked this clause before to schools that have departed the
conference, such as Old Dominion, George Mason and East Carolina. Because this
precedent was set, James Madison had to have known this would happen. But
clearly, the draconian rule has not stopped universities from wondering whether
the grass was greener on the other side.

Conference commissioner Joe Dantonio has stated that he was not in a position to
prevent this from happening.

> “I’ll be honest. It’s not my job to determine whether it makes sense or doesn’t
make sense. It’s my job to make sure the bylaws are enforced the way they’re
written,” he said. Via Sportingnews.com
[https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/james-madison-barred-caa-conference-championships-sun-belt/18qysuq8cbwal1taqho03cgmrn]
However, for the student-athletes and coaches, this announcement was a tough
pill to swallow. Not being able to compete at the highest level in any year
would be difficult. But coupled with the pandemic ravaged season of a year ago,
this adds additional insult to proverbial injury.

> UNCW Chancellor says to JMU student-athletes,” “Let them eat cake.” The CAA
Presidents are petty, vindictive and out of touch. Shameful. 
https://t.co/4gulwgNSQN

— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) November 10, 2021
[https://twitter.com/JayBilas/status/1458572839913730052?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
> “For the punishment to fall on the athletes is just so hard. After a year of
COVID, to have this, it’s indescribable. I keep thinking it’s like a dream and
I’m going to wake up,” said James Madison volleyball coach Lauren Steinbrecher.
Via SI.com
[https://www.si.com/college/2021/11/05/james-madison-athletes-take-biggest-fall-realignment-caa]
Reaction to enforcement of this clause has been harsh, and it would appear that
this bylaw should be removed from the conference’s set of regulations.
Alternatives could replace it in ways that would financially deter a school from
wanting to leave, but surprising teams towards the end of their season in this
manner is unfortunate.

James Madison Athletics Caught In Conference Re-Alignment Crosshairs

It's been a chaotic week of college basketball. In less than seven days of play,
we've had an overtime classic, a 37-point masterclass, and jaw-dropping upsets.
It's heartburn for coaches, but heaven for hoops fans.

While we're still a long ways from March, it's never too early to prognosticate
on how this year's drama will unfold. Here are four bold predictions that just
might be right this season.

Gonzaga got better

There wasn't a ton of new information we learned about #1 Gonzaga in a
comfortable twelve-point home win over #8 Texas. Championship game embarrassment
against Baylor aside, last year's WCC champs had an unprecedented 2020 campaign,
steamrolling all challengers en route to an undefeated regular season. The 2021
group seemed to pick up where they left off last Saturday.

> THE DREW TIMME SHOW 🍿

37 PTS (career-high)
15/19 FG 
7 REB 
3 AST

#1 Gonzaga beats #5 Texas 86-74 💪 (via @ZagMBB
[https://twitter.com/ZagMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw])pic.twitter.com/zhK7hI63IE
[https://t.co/zhK7hI63IE]

— Overtime (@overtime) November 14, 2021
[https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1459755604193464325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
There have been some questions about the Zags this offseason. With Jalen Suggs
and Corey Kispert departing for the NBA last summer, it was fair to wonder how
the Bulldogs planned to replace the production of two lottery picks. Enter
seven-foot unicorn Chet Holmgren, a big man with elite shot-blocking and
shooting ability, along with talented Iowa State transfer Rasir Bolton at guard.
Despite Holmgren's lackluster two-point outing vs. Texas, he still has a good
chance of emerging as the nation's top freshman standout. 

While the new additions should keep Gonzaga highly competitive, their ceiling
has been raised by the improvement of their returning players, most notably Drew
Timme. The junior big man was already in contention to win the Wooden Award, but
his career-high 37 points against a powerless Longhorns interior defense
solidifies his place as the favorite to take home the honor. Timme, along with
other returnees Andrew Nembhard and Anton Watson, give Gonzaga a mix of core
stars and new recruits that not even last year's unit possessed. While going
undefeated again is an unrealistic expectation (especially with a showdown
against #2 UCLA looming), it's certainly no stretch to call this the most
talented roster Mark Few has ever coached.

Syracuse will contend for the ACC title

Ever since Syracuse left the Big East for the ACC eight years ago, the Orange
have been good, but far from great. Typically sneaking into the tournament
rather than winning their beast of a conference, Jim Boeheim's team could make
history this season, namely from long-distance. 

Buddy Boeheim, one of the elite shooters in all of college basketball, should be
as good as last year, if not better. The Orange's other starting guard, Joseph
Girard III, has looked much better from long range with an absurd 100%
three-point percentage through two games. Another opening week standout has been
Villanova transfer Cole Swider, a forward who combines size and a lethal
shooting stroke. With three of the better shooters in the nation on the floor
together, opposing defenses will have no choice but to guard the perimeter. That
should open up the paint for five-star freshman Benny Williams, seven-foot
center Jesse Edwards, and Cornell transfer Jimmy Boeheim (son of Jim, brother of
Buddy).

> Syracuse's Joe Girard is 8/8 from three-point range during his first two games,
with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 12:4. Playing near flawless basketball for
the Orange at PG.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 15, 2021
[https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1460329254902644739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
That being said, the Orange did stumble in a 100-85 home loss to Colgate on
Saturday night, a tough break for a team with high expectations. Still, Colgate
was boosted by shooting a scorching 42% on three-point attempts. If Coach
Boeheim's zone extends the floor a bit more and tightens up on the boards, the
experienced Orange should be able to improve.

Admittedly, part of this bold prediction can be traced to even more uncertainty
amongst 'Cuse's conference rivals. North Carolina has been inconsistent, Duke
has already gone through off-court issues
[https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article255858341.html],
and Virginia might be in for a rebuilding year following their loss to Navy.
None of this means Syracuse should be seen as conference favorites, since
they've had their own struggles. However, it sure helps to have solid chemistry
and so few distractions this early in the season, with shooters capable of
getting hot and taking just about anyone down. Watch out for the Orange as a
pesky ACC challenger this year.

The Big East is deeper than ever this year...and the Big 10 is worse

 Talk about a conference-wide statement. In the span of one week, the Big East
asserted itself as a force by taking out some of the Big 10's premier programs
during the Gavitt Tipoff Games. Most impressive: they did it without the help of
#5 Villanova.

The first domino to fall occurred last Monday, when Shaka Smart's Marquette
Golden Eagles shocked #10 Illinois by a score of 67-66. The following day, Seton
Hall went to Ann Arbor and took down #4 Michigan, 67-65. Finally, Xavier beat
#19 Ohio State 71-65 on Thursday. Overall, the Big East is 6-2 against the Big
10, with three of those wins coming against arguably the best teams in the
conference. The signs are pointing to a potential Big East resurgence, perhaps
reminding us of those intense, highly-competitive seasons prior to the
conference's initial dissolution eight years ago.

> The @BIGEASTMBB [https://twitter.com/BIGEASTMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] showed out
in the Gavitt Tipoff Games! 🎉 🙌 pic.twitter.com/3Kk1s8kuxo
[https://t.co/3Kk1s8kuxo]

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 19, 2021
[https://twitter.com/CBBonFOX/status/1461542175850708993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
On the other side, it's difficult to recollect a time in which the Big 10 looked
so shaky, especially when factoring in #20 Maryland's loss to George Mason. With
talented squads suffering brutal losses to weaker (on paper) teams, one can't
help but think of the Big 10's highly publicized failure in the postseason last
year, where nine teams entered March Madness but only Michigan reached the Elite
Eight. The teams beaten this week should turn it around, and #6 Purdue is still
undefeated after a neutral-site victory over North Carolina. Still, it's not
crazy for Big 10 fans to panic somewhat. It's now been two years where the
majority of the conference has failed to play up to both their opponents and
their own talent level. That is cause for concern.

Men's Basketball: Hot Takes After A Wild Opening Week In CBB

Why is warming up before you begin any athletic activity or exercise important?
Of course, many of us know the basics of why warming up is important. It is
crucial to stretch your muscles before and after in order to prevent injury as
well as soreness but what are some of the deeper reasons of importance?

Warmup exercises can help get your body ready for more strenuous activities and
make it easier to exercise. Some of the most important benefits of a warmup
include:

 1. Flexibility- being more flexible can make it easier to move and exercise
    correctly.
 2. Lower risk of injury- warming up your muscles can help them relax which, in
    turn, can lead to less injury.
 3. Increased blood flow and oxygen- having more blood flow helps your muscles
    get the nourishment they need before launching into more intense work.
 4. Improved performance- studies show that warmed up muscles can help you work
    out more effectively.
 5. Better range of motion- having a greater range of motion can help you move
    your joints more fully. Motion also creates emotion through developing more
    dopamine chemicals in the brain.
 6. Less muscle tension and pain- muscles that are warm and relaxed may help you
    move more easily and with less pain or stiffness.

These are just six of the amazing benefits of warming up before an athletic
activity offers. Encouraging warming up and stretching before any exercise
activity can be crucial to your level of performance. Below we offer an amazing
link to get you started on your warming up techniques for quarterbacks all
around the world! The series of training is called our dynamic warm-up series.
What is a dynamic warm-up exactly you may ask?

Well, you may have heard of both dynamic warm-up and static stretching, but
wonder what exactly they are. A dynamic warmup is done at the start of your
workout routine. It’s meant to prime your body to work at a higher intensity. A
dynamic warmup focuses on actions similar to the movements you’ll do while you
work out. For instance, you can do movement-based stretching like lunges or
squats, or light movements like riding a bicycle or jogging. Dynamic warmups can
help build strength, mobility, and coordination, which can all help improve your
workout performance.




This series being offered is truly a game changer! Click below to immediately
start participating and line yourself up for this amazing training series!

Why is Warming Up Important? Beyond the Basics!

As the NCAA continues [https://ncaagenderequityreview.com/]to assess itself in
an effort to make strides towards equality for all student athletes, they’ve
retained the law firm of Kaplan Hecker and Fink LLP in order to help identify
areas where they might be falling short. KHF delivered a phase one review of the
NCAA’s areas for improvement in early August, which centered around the men and
women’s NCAA tournaments.

In late October, KHF finalized a second phase of their examination of NCAA
policies with regards to gender inequities. A copy
[https://kaplanhecker.app.box.com/s/y17pvxpap8lotzqajjan9vyye6zx8tmz]of their
findings can be found here*, but we will focus on some of the observations and
recommendations in the study that are most notable.

One of the more intriguing and quantifiable points the study makes is with
regards to men and women’s FTE scoring, or full time equivalent metrics. This
attempts to quantify the relative number of full-time resources a sport has, and
the study has a table broken down by sport and male/female FTE. In most of the
listed sports, the women’s FTE figures fall well below that of their male
counterparts.

> 𝐍𝐂𝐀𝐀 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝐄𝐏 𝟕𝟔
𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘜𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴@TheAndyKatz
[https://twitter.com/TheAndyKatz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] sits down with @NCAA
[https://twitter.com/NCAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]'s Felicia Martin, 
@SouthlandSports [https://twitter.com/SouthlandSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
commissioner @TomBurnettSLC
[https://twitter.com/TomBurnettSLC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] and @DukeATHLETICS
[https://twitter.com/DukeATHLETICS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] director @ninaking22
[https://twitter.com/ninaking22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] to talk DI basketball
efforts. https://t.co/cpgUqpxkSb

— NCAA (@NCAA) October 1, 2021
[https://twitter.com/NCAA/status/1444074652028997637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
The study also talks about the type of media coverage men and women’s sports
receive, and delves into the decisions ESPN has made in choosing which channels
or platforms to broadcast championships. The review notes that for example, in
2020-2021, the network broadcast the men’s lacrosse and outdoor track
championships on ESPN2, and they chose to air those same sports on the women’s
side on ESPNU. While these decisions don’t entirely fall at the lap of the NCAA,
there is a possibility that the next TV contract might be negotiated with more
of a focus on balancing premier channel opportunities.

One other observation made by KHF was the notion of joint committees organizing
men’s and women’s championships for a particular sport, rather than having two
separate committees work on each gender’s title games. One suggestions was to
deploy joint committee structures for all sports, so the same people are working
on and would be sensitive to differences in men and women’s facilities and
opportunity. If the NCAA chose not to go that route, but maintain distinct
groups, then KHF advised that a better mechanism for communications between the
two factions would need to be established.

> NEWS: The NCAA released Phase II of its gender equity review, for sports besides
basketball.

The over 100-page report finds disparities in several other championships. Full
report:https://t.co/5zE00JsQW8

— Amanda Christovich (@achristovichh) October 26, 2021
[https://twitter.com/achristovichh/status/1453129140689903617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
There’s a lot to unpack here, and the chances that gender equity is fixed in the
next year or two in an acceptable manner is not reasonable. The hope would be
that the NCAA takes the study’s findings to heart, and devises a legitimate plan
of action over the next decade or two that will help instill confidence that the
women’s side of the sporting landscape is being taken seriously and funded
appropriately.

Gender Equity Examination Continues For NCAA

After Craig Hyde retired from his post as the NCAA softball national coordinator
of umpires, the search for a seasoned veteran to replace him began. It’s an
important job, as the role is critical in many aspects regarding communication
of rule interpretation and umpire training. The buck stops with this person, as
conference leaders and coaches look to this person for accountability and trust
regarding the integrity of the games on the field.

The NCAA has decided
[https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/general-mccown-named-ncaa-softball-national-coordinator-of-umpires] 
that Steve McCown will replace Hyde in that position, who has more than 30 years
of experience. He has a lot of experience at home plate and on the bases, as
he’s worked 15 Division I Softball Championships. McCown’s prowess with the
rulebook is known globally as well, as he was tabbed as an alternate official
for this summer’s Olympic games, and has umpired in five softball World Cups.

> “Umpiring is a passion of mine, and I look forward to bringing my knowledge and
experience to this position to build on Craig’s success and be a positive
influence for umpires to follow,” McCown stated. Via NCAA.org
[https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/general-mccown-named-ncaa-softball-national-coordinator-of-umpires]
> Steve McCown has been named the NCAA softball national coordinator of umpires,
bringing more than 30 years of umpiring experience to the position.

— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) October 18, 2021
[https://twitter.com/InsidetheNCAA/status/1450142238974033921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
McCown is taking the reigns of NCAA softball at an interesting time. It is
looking like video replay will become more a part of the sport’s legislative
toolbox in the very near future. The impetus for this stemmed from a couple of
questionable calls in the Women’s College World Series, which created momentum
for finding alternative ways to get calls right. University of Oklahoma head
coach Patti Gasso was outspoken about the need for video review in the sport.

> “If it takes a little extra time, our sport is that good that people aren’t
going to leave. And if they leave, personally, I would rather a fan leave
viewership and us get the call right,” she said. Via SI.com
[https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/softball/oklahomas-patty-gasso-college-softball-deserves-instant-replay]
This will arguably be McCown’s greatest challenge, but if he can successfully
implement a broader latitude of replay in softball, it would go down as one of
the crowning achievements of any rules coordinator in any sport.

> NCAA Approves Video Review for Softball Beginning in 2022https://t.co/hm7cTt71z0

— Kentucky Softball (@UKsoftball) August 13, 2021
[https://twitter.com/UKsoftball/status/1426273156403236874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]

NCAA Softball Has New Leader Calling Balls and Strikes

What are some of the top best tips for excelling at different positions in
volleyball?


Are you in a hitting position? Outside, middle or right side hitter? If you
answered yes, then definitely continue reading. One of the best tips for being a
smart hitter is knowing when to tip, what areas to tip in and when to slam down
a spike. The difference between a great hitter and an all star hitter is being a
smart hitter. Notice empty spots on the court where the opponent’s team is not
defending.. boom that’s where you should tip or hit on your next play. I mean
the whole point of the game is to win by gaining points so make those smart
moves. Another tip that I find very helpful to hitters is to think about your
swing when you’re attacking. How often are you putting down an excellent swing
only to realize that the ball lands out of bounds? Try this, right before you
snap your wrist down pointing it in the direction you want the ball to go, reach
your arm high almost as if you are trying to hit the backboard of a basketball
goal. Right as you hit your highest goal, boom, snap that wrist! Doing this you
will be so surprised to see that your spike lands in bounds every time.


In addition to the front row hitters, as we are aware of you have more to do
than just spiking. Let’s talk about blocking! There are many techniques to this
part of the game and each player does have their own style of making the magic
happen, as with any position in this sport. I am just going to hit on one tip
that comes to the top of my head at the moment. This is to focus specifically on
the hands. First things first, you must always have the fingers spread open and
far apart ensuring full blockage availability available. Next, the positioning
of your hands matters. When you are blocking in the outside position if your
left hand is facing outwards you are setting up the opportunity to have your
opponent tool their spike right off leading in a point for the other team. So
what I would suggest is focusing on having your left hand turned in towards the
court and your right hand in the same direction. All in all in each front row
blocking position you want to not only bock the hit but also make sure the ball
bounces off of your hands back onto the opponents court. Just as stated for the
outside hitter, you would essentially do the same thing for your right side
blocking position. Turn your hands in towards the court protecting you from a
tool leading the other team to scoring a point. As for the middle hitter the
blocking is similar depending on which side you assist in blocking. If you are a
middle blocker and are directly in the middle then I would suggest turning your
hands in a position that leads the ball to bounce back on the least defended
side of the court.


Next up, tips for my setters out there. Are you ever struggling with doubles or
feeling as though the grasp of your fingers isn’t soft enough to release the
ball for the set? My best tip for gaining strength in this area is to pretend as
though you are setting a two-liter of coke. What I mean by this is, forming your
hands in the shape insulating you are setting a two-liter. You want the shape of
your hands to catch the ball so quickly that it in turn bounces out as quickly
as a trampoline. This right here will be a game changer the more you practice it
and develop it into a habit.


Alright, where are my back row passers out there? This is such an important role
as we are the players that start off the entire play. When you start with a good
pass it sets your team up for the potential to have a good set leading into a
good hit. Much of playing the back row passing positions has a lot to do with
reading the hitters common angles. The more you are able to read the arm angles
of the specific hitter the easier it will be for you to catch on quickly to the
position of the spike or even to see if they are going to tip. My best tip for
passers is to stay low, move those feet first and no matter what face your arms
receive the pass directly to the setter or to where your end goal is. One last
tip, if you have to pass a ball over the net on the third hit, always aim for
the deep corners.


Hopefully you were able to gain some great coaching pointers from this article!
Now lets get to practicing!

Volleyball Recruiting: Best Tips For Playing In College At Every Position

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