The NCAA, is a private, voluntary organization comprised of Universities across the United States. Founded in 1910, it was created “to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body and, by so doing, retain a clear line of demarcation between intercollegiate athletics and professional sports.” Membership is required to compete in most tournaments and national championships, and is considered an achievement by most schools.
Member institutions may be categorized into any of three divisions, depending on a number of factors, such as enrollment size or game attendance. Division I is the most prestigious, with Division II, and Division III receiving less prominence in athletic communities. Because NCAA membership is so highly sought after, member schools usually grant broad power to
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In effecting their policies, the NCAA provides extensive services to member schools. Additionally, the NCAA begin working with students far before they ever enroll at a university, monitoring recruiting contacts and student grades. High School students are often unaware of the extensive rules they must follow to ensure eligibility, and only become aware of the far-reaching monitoring when evaluated academically prior to recruitment.
Everything in athletics that can be regulated is assessed by the NCAA. To do this, the association enacts bylaws which are then subject to official interpretation. At over 400 pages, the NCAA Division I Manual is more than simply a lengthy tome; it’s a how-to manual for amateurism under the NCAA. It includes rules for administrators, professors, boosters, coaches, students, student-athletes, agents, family, and friends. Moreover, the NCAA provided interpretations and education about these bylaws, and each bylaw has hundreds of interpretations and