Buckeye Beat – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 20, 2000
Many student-athletes have had the unfortunate experience of a severe injury during an athletic practice or competition and found themselves having to pursue a medical hardship waiver in order to preserve that season of eligibility. When a medial hardship waiver is granted, the student-athlete is given an additional year of competition eligibility. Receiving a medical hardship waiver is commonly known as a “medical red shirt year” or “red shirting.” However, a medical hardship and a red shirt season are not the same. The following is a brief list of rules and regulations regarding the two situations:
Q. What is the definition of a medical hardship? What are the conditions that must occur in order to request a medical hardship?
A. A medical hardship is defined as an incapacity resulting from an injury or illness that has occurred during practice or competition. A student-athlete will not be charged with the loss of that season of competition eligibility by the conference or the Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet if all the following criteria are met:
1. The incapacitating injury or illness occurs in one of the four seasons of intercollegiate competition at any two-year or four-year collegiate institution,
2. The injury or illness occurs prior to the completion of the first half of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship in that sport and results in incapacity to compete for the remainder of that playing season, and
3. The injury/illness occurs when the student-athlete has not participated in more than two contests or dates of competition, or 20% of the institution’s completed contests or dates of competition in the student-athletes sport (whichever is greater.)
Q. What is considered a countable contest or date of competition when dealing with medical hardships?
A. Only competitions against outside participants during the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship, or if so designated, during the official NCAA championship playing season in that sport shall be countable. Medical hardship waivers are measured by the number of completed contests, or dates of competition, not by scheduled contests or dates of competition. Scrimmages and exhibition contests are also excluded.
Q. Can an institution submit a medical hardship waiver during the second half of the season if the student-athlete was injured during the first half?
A. Yes, an institution can file for a student-athlete’s medical hardship waiver during the second half of the season, as long as the institution presents appropriate medical documentation establishing the time of the injury and the student-athlete’s inability to compete in further competition. However, if a student-athlete suffers an injury in the first half of the season, attempts to return to competition during the second half of that season and then is unable to participate further as a result of aggravating the original injury, the student-athlete would not qualify for a medical hardship waiver.
Q. The term “red shirt” is not used in the NCAA compliance manual. Where did this term originate and why is it used?
A. The term “red shirt” actually originated on the football field. In the past, at the beginning of each season, coaches would decide which student-athletes would be permitted to compete during the season, using a year of eligibility, and which ones would only be permitted to practice. The ones who did not compete during the season preserved a year of eligibility. These student-athletes wore red jerseys at practice so the coaches could easily identify which student-athletes were not going to compete that year.
Q. How many years of eligibility are student-athletes permitted?
A. A student-athlete shall not engage in more than four seasons of intercollegiate competition in any one sport. A student-athlete must complete his/her seasons of participation within five calendar years from the beginning of the term in which the student-athlete first registered for a minimum full-time program of studies in a collegiate institution.
Q. Can a student-athlete qualify for a medical hardship waiver even though he had been granted a red shirt waiver the previous year?
A. Yes, a student-athlete is able to employ both waivers. However, because of the five calendar year limit on participation, the student-athlete would only be permitted to participate in 3 more years of competition.
For example: Joe, a football student-athlete, decided to red shirt his freshman year. As a result, he practiced but did not compete during his freshman year, and has four years of eligibility remaining. During the second game of Joe’s sophomore year, he broke his leg, which ended his season of participation. Joe could be granted a medical hardship waiver because his injury occurred: (a) during one of his four seasons of eligibility, (b) during the first half of the season, and (c) when he had not participated in more than two contests that season. Even though Joe’s medical hardship waiver would be granted, he has three years of eligibility remaining due to the five-year limitation on his competition eligibility. Since Joe “redshirted” his freshman year, sustained an injury during his sophomore year, and has a five-year limitation on competition eligibility, he has only three years of eligibility remaining.
Please remember that the above information addresses only the key issues of the extensive NCAA Bylaws concerning Initial-Eligibility and the NCAA “Clearinghouse” and is not an exhaustive discussion. For questions or to receive more information, please contact Heather Lyke, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at (614) 292-2681.
