Sports other than Football

NCAA regulations on playing and practice seasons are similar for most sports outside of football. However, Bylaw 17 presents rules for the length of playing and practice seasons, permissible activities during playing and practice seasons, and scouting activities.

Additional information is provided in the sub-menu on the left. Links are also provided to required forms that must be submitted to the Compliance Office. For additional questions, contact the Compliance Office.

Playing Season Regulations

NCAA regulations limit the playing seasons to the following lengths:

Basketball: Start of preseason practice to end of regular playing season
Track and Field: Two segments totaling not more than 156 days
All other team sports: Two segments totaling not more than 132 days
All other individual sports: Two segments totaling not more than 144 days

Sundays are not counted in the limitations of total days, nor are official institutional holidays and vacation periods (as listed in the institution's catalog) during which no practice or competition-related activities occur.

Permissible Activities for Prospective Student-Athletes

General Rule
Except as provided below, prospective student-athletes may not use Athletic Department facilities to work out. If a prospective student-athlete wants to work out on the University's campus, he/she must purchase a membership with Campus Recreation Services at the same rate as any member of the general public and use publicly open facilities (HPER, Field House) in the same manner as any member of the general public.

Exceptions
In all sports, a prospect that has signed a valid National Letter of Intent (within the last 18 months) or a four-year transfer prospect that has signed an institutional offer of admission or tender offer may work out at institutional facilities, provided:

No countable coaches are present
Strength coaches do not conduct workouts (though they may monitor the facility for health and safety purposes)

In basketball, a prospect that attends summer school at the University prior to initial, full-time enrollment in the fall may participate in voluntary workouts, provided:

The prospect has signed a National Letter of Intent or been accepted for full-time enrollment at the University, and
The prospect is receiving financial aid to attend summer school

Note that at no time may a prospective walk-on engage in any athletically-related activities at an Athletic Department facility.

Permissible Activities for Enrolled Student-Athletes

During the Playing Season
Student-athletes may engage in only 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week of countable athletically related activities. A countable athletically related activity is any activity with an athletics purpose involving student-athletes that occurs at the direction of or supervised by one or more institutional coaching staff members (including strength and conditioning coaches).

The following regulations apply to activities during the playing season:

Student-athletes must be given a day off during the playing season (except during post-season play and vacation periods)
A competition day equals three hours
Student-athletes may not practice following a competition
Weekly and daily hour limitations and the day-off requirement do not apply to practice before the start of the academic year (see below for football preseason regulations) or during vacation periods during the playing season
Weekly and daily hour limitations and the day-off requirement do apply during final examination periods
The four hours per day requirement does not apply to golf practice rounds (though the weekly limitation still applies)

Additional restrictions apply depending upon the sport.

Preseason Practice
In sports other than football, there are no daily or hourly requirements on permissible preseason practice activities occurring prior to the start of the academic year.

Outside the Playing Season - Academic Year

Student-athletes may be required to participate in up to 8 hours per week of required strength and conditioning activities and individualized skill instruction.
No more than 2 hours of the permissible 8 can consist of individualized skill instruction. No more than four student-athletes may be involved in skill instruction at all sites combined at any one time, except for women's basketball in which more than four student-athletes may be involved in skill instruction at any one time.
Student-athletes must be given two days off from required activities per week.

Outside the Playing Season - Vacation Periods

Student-athletes may engage in voluntary workouts at Athletic Department facilities. The University's strength and conditioning coaches (and NOT any countable coaches) may design and conduct specific workout programs for returning student-athletes, provided those workouts are entirely voluntary and are conducted at the request of the student-athlete.
In individual sports (cross country, track, golf, skiing, swimming/diving, and tennis), student-athletes may also engage in voluntary one-on-one workouts conducted and supervised by an institution's coach. If the workouts take place at a facility that charges a fee, the student-athlete must pay the fee in the same manner as any member of the general public.
In sports with a safety exception (gymnastics, skiing, swimming/diving, and field events for track & field), countable coaches may be present and provide safety and skill instruction when a student-athlete uses equipment related to the sport. More than one student-athlete may be present for this instruction. However, the coaches may not conduct the student-athlete's workouts.

Scouting Opponents

Basketball and Women's Volleyball
In basketball and women's volleyball, in-person off-campus scouting of opponents is prohibited except during a regular or postseason tournament in which Utah competes or (in basketball only) a double-header event in which Utah competes.

During the regular season, it is permissible to pay the actual expenses associated with exchanging game films (including the expenses of an individual traveling to pick up film) but is not permissible to pay any additional costs/premiums. This means, for example, that the University could provide a third-party with the costs of postage and a blank videotape, but could not pay a service fee or any other costs. In basketball and women's volleyball, subsequent to the selection of the postseason championship field, it is permissible to pay the costs of purchasing videotapes from an individual or scouting service.

Sports other than Basketball and Women's Volleyball
In other sports, there is no blanket prohibition on scouting. However, the institution is not permitted to pay any expenses associated with any in-person off-campus scouting activity except during a regular or postseason tournament in which Utah competes. Notably, this is true even if the coach is off-campus to attend a University of Utah competition or on a University of Utah recruiting trip! Thus, for example, if the Utah swimming/diving team is in San Diego for a swim meet, Utah's coaches are prohibited from scouting future opponents during the trip since they received expenses for the trip!

It is permissible to pay the actual costs of exchanging films (including the expenses of an individual traveling to pick up game film) but is not permissible to pay any additional costs/premiums. This means, for example, that the University could provide a third-party with the costs of postage and a blank videotape, but could not pay a service fee or any other expenses.

Countable Activities Log

Each coach must complete a Countable Activities Log (COMPpps_001) in order to ensure student-athletes only participate in permissible amounts of daily/weekly practice activities during the academic year. The log form must be signed by all student-athletes who participated in any countable activities during the week.

This form must be given to the Compliance Office after each week of practice during the academic year.
Note that the log should be completed for each week of the academic year, even if no activities occurred.

Season Declaration Form

The Season Declaration Form ensures that student-athletes only participate in permissible amounts of daily/weekly practice activities during the academic year. Each coach must complete the form and return the form, along with a copy of the proposed schedule, to the Compliance Office for review. The Season Declaration Form must be returned to the Compliance Office during the month of July prior to the academic year. Links to the available forms are below.

For more information regarding the Season Declaration Form, please see the Tipsheet: Playing and Practice Seasons Declaration (COMPtips_012).

Declaration: 132 Day Season (COMPpps_004)
Declaration: 144 Day Season (COMPpps_005)
Declaration: 156 Day Season (COMPpps_006)
Declaration: Basketball & Football Regular Season (COMPpps_007)

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