D3 Practice Start Date

madzillagd · September 27, 2013, 12:39:53 PM

I know the D1 folks are starting practice earlier this year, I believe this Saturday is the first day of practice but wasn't sure if that is also true of the D3 teams as well. Anybody know if teams are starting practice this weekend or does the 10/15 date stand for most teams? The NESCAC teams already start 2 weeks behind (self-inflicted rule) with an 11/1 start data, just curious if they are going to be a whole month behind other teams now with this new change.

Pat Coleman · September 27, 2013, 02:36:24 PM

Oct. 15 is still the Division III basketball practice start date. I don't see that changing any time soon, really. We just locked in the Nov. 15 game date a few years ago and we wouldn't see a change in the practice start date before a corresponding change in the game date.

MaroonDad17 · September 27, 2013, 02:48:06 PM

Interesting...

Seems like if you were playing a D1 in an early season "exhibition" game you should at least be able to match their start date. At the very least have that as an option.

One could argue that further minimizes the slim opportunity to get an "upset of the century" type of situation going on.

Pat Coleman · September 27, 2013, 02:52:57 PM

That's not really in the spirit of Division III. Similarly, NAIA schools start earlier and they even start playing games on Nov. 1. If you play an NAIA team in the early season, you get what you get -- your team against a team that has played four or five more games.

Division III's rules are set up to emphasize Division III vs. Division III games and that's really the way it should be.

John Gleich · September 27, 2013, 02:54:09 PM

Quote from: MaroonDad17 on September 27, 2013, 02:48:06 PM
Interesting...

Seems like if you were playing a D1 in an early season "exhibition" game you should at least be able to match their start date. At the very least have that as an option.

One could argue that further minimizes the slim opportunity to get an "upset of the century" type of situation going on.

D-3 has mandated a maximum practice period though (don't remember exactly how long that it...). Teams are only allowed to practice a certain number of weeks. So, even if a team DID start earlier, they'd need to take weeks off during or before the season (so practice for a few weeks, then take a few weeks off?)

MaroonDad17 · September 27, 2013, 03:14:46 PM

Quote from: Pat Coleman on September 27, 2013, 02:52:57 PM
That's not really in the spirit of Division III. Similarly, NAIA schools start earlier and they even start playing games on Nov. 1. If you play an NAIA team in the early season, you get what you get -- your team against a team that has played four or five more games.

Division III's rules are set up to emphasize Division III vs. Division III games and that's really the way it should be.

Thanks for the response. I get that the standard should be D3 to D3. That makes sense. Just offering another viewpoint. I'll have to brush up on this more it looks like. I will probably throw all kinds of "crazy" ideas/thoughts out there. Just slap them down when they are too out there!

Pat Coleman · September 27, 2013, 04:17:04 PM

No problem -- we like new posters and new voices, and we haven't had anyone really represent Roanoke in a couple years.

There are a lot of long-established posters on here since we started a message board in 1998. Don't let them get you down.

ronk · September 27, 2013, 10:29:02 PM

The new D1 practice rule is to start 42 days before 1st game(max 30 actual practice days of those 42 days); many started today.

Greek Tragedy · September 28, 2013, 11:07:19 AM

That just really boring. 30 practices and a month and a half before playing your first game? Wow!

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · September 28, 2013, 11:34:02 PM

I am starting to wonder if basketball actually has too many practice days. In fall sports like soccer and field hockey (can't remember the football rule), they are only allowed to start practice basically ten days before their first game if I have that right. Even two-a-days give only 20 practices at MOST (and a team doesn't tend to go two-a-days every day before their first game). If they are going to abbreviate how many practices the fall teams get... why does basketball need 30 days ahead of time. Even if they only practice 6-days a week, once a week... we are talking about 25 or so practices?

Just Bill · September 29, 2013, 08:22:25 PM

Particularly in Division I when you consider that they can utilize small group skill work with a coach and a preseason strength and conditioning program. I'd be curious if we see a higher rate of injury and late season fatigue this year in D-I.

Really, I think any more that 2-3 weeks is unnecessary.

MaroonDad17 · September 29, 2013, 09:04:11 PM

Quote from: Greek Tragedy on September 28, 2013, 11:07:19 AM
That just really boring. 30 practices and a month and a half before playing your first game? Wow!

Yes, when you state it that way it does seem like it can get stale.

Injury potential is an interesting point across all sports I think. Not sure what the true cause is but the apparent increase in them across all siports is alarming. Especially with the focus on nutrition, weight training, etc that is the norm in this era.

Pat,

Very much looking forward to discussing Roanoke, the ODAC and D3 bball in general.

George

madzillagd · September 30, 2013, 02:24:24 PM

The other side of it is these guys are in the gym already anyway, so really how much difference does it make if the coaches get to be there too for some of it? Reality is the players on any team start voluntary workouts the day they step on campus in August/September and they continue those workouts until the first day of practice. Most teams are going to do at least 3 days of open gym work with lifting at least 3 days - basically 2 hours a day no matter what. By making some of it formal practice time with a coach, then limiting the # of hours they can do it, you could possibly eliminate some of the injuries by limiting the amount of time players spend in the gym. I would guess there's more chance of players getting hurt in an unsupervised open gym session where they are trying to establish a pecking order than would happen in a practice session doing primarily drills.

Pat Coleman · September 30, 2013, 03:50:38 PM

Depends on how good your captains are, I guess.

7express · October 04, 2013, 12:29:10 PM

I know at Western Connecticut, there were a few people in the gym the first day school started (August 29) and a lot of them held summer jobs at the school, and were in the gym then as well. Yah, 42 or so days before your first game, that's a little too much. Even I think 30 is a bit too much, especially since what a few people have mentioned already: the players are already in the gym anyways. NESCAC (starting November 1) seems like the right amount of time for me to begin actually practices.