Ferrum College is committed to abide by NCAA rules and regulations as they relate to all aspects of its athletic program. The College will ensure all of its coaches, administrators, faculty and staff, and student-athletes are aware of and follow NCAA rules. In addition, Ferrum College will be responsible for educating individuals who are representatives of the institution's athletics interests. Compliance with NCAA rules requires the effort of everyone associated with the Ferrum College athletic program and requires a shared responsibility for the education of and compliance with NCAA and College policies and procedures. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the athletic compliance office.
STAFF
Alexis Anderson
Deputy Athletic Director for Compliance
540-365-4451
ananderson@ferrum.edu
Karen Harvey
Assistant Compliance DirectorÂ
540-365-4511
kharvey@ferrum.edu
Faculty Athletic Rep
Dr. Karen Carpenter
Faculty Athletic Representative
(540) 365-4335
ktcarpenter@ferrum.edu
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CARA REGULATIONS
NCAA rules regulate the number of hours a student-athlete can participate in countable athletically related activity (CARA) per week and per day. The amount of CARA that a student-athlete is allowed to participate in varies from championship season to out of season to non-championship season. Below is a review of the NCAA rules pertaining to CARA.
What is countable athletically related activity (CARA)?
CARA is any required activity with an athletics purpose, involving student-athletes and at the direction of, or supervised by, any member or members of an institution's coaching staff.
What are the limitations on CARA?
| Championship Season/ Traditional |
Non-Championship Season/ Non-Traditional* |
Out of Season |
Practice, Games, Strength & Conditioning
Limited to 20 hours/week (Games count as 3 hours towards this maximum) |
Practice, Games, Strength & Conditioning
Limited to 20 hours/week (Games count as 3 hours towards this maximum) |
No Competition
8 hours/week for weight training, individual workouts/ team activities and conditioning supervised by staff |
| Maximum 4 hours/day |
Maximum 4 hours/day |
No more than 2 of the 8 hours can be used for individual workouts/team activities |
| One day off/week |
One day off/week |
Two days off/week |
| Student-athlete cannot miss class for practice |
Student-athlete cannot miss class for practice |
Student-athlete cannot miss class for practice |
|
Student-athlete cannot miss class time for competition in team sports |
*In general the Non-Championship/Non-Traditional Seasons restrict activity to 24 days that occur within a period of 45 consecutive calendar days. The Championship/Traditional Season is the season that concludes with the NCAA championships.Â
What are some examples of CARA?
- Competition (always counts as 3 hours)
- Individual workouts (as required or supervised by a member of the coaching staff)
- Participation of student-athletes in permissible tryouts involving prospective student-athletes
- Required weight training and conditioning activities held at the direction of or supervised by an institutional staff member
- Chalk talk (as required or supervised by a member of the coaching staff)
- Visiting the competition site
- Captains practice that was required by a member of the coaching staff
What are some examples of activities that would NOT be considered CARA?
- Study hall
- Compliance meetings
- Attendance at an awards or celebratory banquet
- Voluntary weight training and conditioning activities monitored by the institution's strength and conditioning coach (a student-athlete's attendance at such an activity cannot be recorded for purposes of reporting their attendance back to a coach)
- Fundraising activities
- Community engagement
- Student-athlete requested individual summer workout session with a member of the coaching staff (in golf and track and field)
- Captains practice that is not required or directed to occur by a member of the coaching staff
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