A question about NCAA policies regarding taking a year...

Kirk/Chris S - what is your opinion as to why you forfeit a year of eligiblity by sitting (non red shirt) for a year after HS? There has to be some reasoning here but I can't figure it out.

I think a lot of these rules came about because schools were recruiting older (usually non-American) swimmers. Other coaches objected to having a 21 year old freshman with international meet experience still getting four years of eligibility. As to redshirting, that's sort of a different deal. My reading on the original question was a case where a swimmer took a year off between HS and college. If someone DOES matriculate then, yes, you can redshirt a year. Athletes have five years to complete their four years of eligibility--but you've got to be enrolled as a full time student.

I think a lot of these rules came about because schools were recruiting older (usually non-American) swimmers. Other coaches objected to having a 21 year old freshman with international meet experience still getting four years of eligibility. As to redshirting, that's sort of a different deal. My reading on the original question was a case where a swimmer took a year off between HS and college. If someone DOES matriculate then, yes, you can redshirt a year. Athletes have five years to complete their four years of eligibility--but you've got to be enrolled as a full time student. It is funny how swimmers have all these rules yet football doesn't. You can be a college football player in your late 20s and if I am not mistaken, you can only swim college til you are 25. I Just remember a college teammate had to quit because he turned 25 or something. Of course, I am just going about what I saw on my college team or when I read a article about an over 25 year old football player who was up for the Heisman or something. So, if you don't start college two years after you graduated high school, you lose a year or two of eligilibity of swimming?

My recollection is the clock starts ticking when an athlete graduates from high school. The athlete must start college within one year or else they lose eligibility. The rules for this might vary for Divisions I, II and III, so definitely check out the exact wording in the rulebook. ncaa.org/.../ncaahome edit: here's the exact rule from the DI rule book I was thinking of: 14.2.3.2 Delayed Enrollment—Tennis, Swimming and Diving and Women’s Volleyball. A studentathlete who does not enroll in a collegiate institution as a full-time student in a regular academic term during a one-year time period after his or her high school graduation date or the graduation date of his or her class (as determined by the first year of high school enrollment or the international equivalent as specified in the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility and based on the prescribed educational path in the student-athlete’s country), whichever occurs earlier, shall be subject to the following: (Adopted: 1/9/96 effective 8/1/97, Revised: 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04 for competition occurring on or after 8/1/04, 1/17/09 effective 8/1/10, for student-athletes initially enrolling full time in a collegiate institution on or after 8/1/10, 4/20/09) (a) The student-athlete shall be charged with a season of intercollegiate eligibility for each calendar year after the one-year time period (the next opportunity to enroll after one calendar year has elapsed) and prior to full-time collegiate enrollment during which the student-athlete has participated in organized events per Bylaw 14.2.3.5.3. (Revised: 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04 for competition occurring on or after 8/1/04, 1/17/09 effective 8/1/10, for student-athletes initially enrolling full time in a collegiate institution on or after 8/1/10) (b) After the one-year time period, if the student-athlete has engaged in organized events per Bylaw 14.2.3.5.3, on matriculation at the certifying institution, the student-athlete must fulfill an academic year in residence before being eligible to represent the institution in intercollegiate competition. (Revised: 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04 for competition occurring on or after 8/1/04, 1/17/09 effective 8/1/10, for student-athletes initially enrolling full time in a collegiate institution on or after 8/1/10) Let's say an athlete graduates HS in June, 2010. If they wait out a year and don't start college until September, 2011 then they will lose a year of NCAA eligibility. That's my understanding based on the wording of the rule.

I believe your right Kirk, Im not sure on how all the rules work. But I believe if its possible, depending on what coach told you to take a year off, you can reshirt your first year and still maintain 4 years of eligibility. I know this is a very common practice for the elite NCAA swimmers to do during an OT year.

Thanks a lot! I appreciate it.

I believe it's ok to take time between HS & college, Nathan Adrian did to train for 2008 & came to Cal as a freshman. Texas State had a 27 yr old QB. I believe the clock starts when an athlete begins the sport at the University. There's also rules for red shirting. Waiting a year would have helped me & any late bloomer type athlete. I was 52.0 in the 100 fly out of hs & 49.9 after my freshman year which ranked me 9th in the nation. I would have had many more schools recruiting me a year later. If a coach has a choice between potential and proven ability, guess what they'll pick everytime? one of my good friends went to prep school the year after his sr year in hs then had 4 years at UT. Athletes go in the military then do a sport once their service is done. I'm pretty sure the eligibility clock doesn't start ticking till the athlete begins at the university but one deal breaker is that athlete can't go pro in a sport then do that same sport on the university level. But athletes can switch sports, baseball players can play in the Show or the minors for a few years then play another sport at a university.

You're wrong, Ande. Read the rule I posted. In Adrian's case he swam his freshman year at Cal then swam a year with the Race Club before Beijing. This is OK because you've got five years to complete your eligibility once you start school. Next time you see Eddie Reese ask him about it.