Triathlon was approved earlier this year as the latest sport be added to the NCAA's list of emerging sports and it will begin its trial period in fall 2015. It had strong support from schools very interested in adding the program and was also bolstered by the existence of club teams already in existence.
As a reminder, the list of emerging sports is meant to grow the participation opportunities for female students. Emerging sports are listed as NCAA-approved, and thus can be counted towards Title IX calculations. The sport is given a period (10 years) in which to grow into championship status. Forty schools must implement the sport for this to happen (28 for DIII).
Some sports have been more successful than others in gaining championship status, but the process seems to assist at least in the process of figuring out which sports are viable. Two caveats, though.
One: as has been noted repeatedly in the research about women's participation in sports in the Title IX era, the addition of sports has mostly benefited white, middle class women. I don't see triathlon as changing that dynamic at all given the demographics of those who participate in the sport at the recreational and elite levels.
Two: the emerging sport may not make it to championship status because it does not have enough promotion by a national governing body or other interested parties. In other words, it may fail because of lack of information, not necessarily interest.
USA Triathlon is addressing the second issue (and perhaps, by extension, the first?) by putting money into programs that begin triathlon programs. The group makes so much money off of adult participants that is pushing some of these funds into college programs via $2.6 million in grants. Interested schools will fill out an application. USA Triathlon will award 20 grants in total among all three divisions. 20 grants among schools in all three NCAA divisions. Division I teams will be eligible for up to $140,000 over four seasons. Division II and III schools, up to $70,000.
It is not a large amount of money, but it could provide some incentives to schools interested in trying out the sport.
Showing posts with label emerging sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emerging sports. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 09, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Triathlon Is NCAA's Newest Emerging Sport for Women
At the annual NCAA convention taking place this week in San Diego, the Division I Legislative Council voted to add triathlon to the NCAA's list of emerging sports for women. 95% of the votes cast were in favor of the proposal. The Division II and Division II councils will also vote on triathlon's status later at the convention.
The NCAA created the "emerging sports" designation in 1994 as a way to promote new opportunities in women's sports and help universities close the gender gap in athletic opportunities available to students. A university that adds an emerging sport may count it towards the NCAA's minimum sport sponsorship requirements, and in Division I, towards the minimum financial aid requirements. The NCAA's Committee on Women's Athletics proposes emerging sports based on evidence of interest and potential interest at the varsity level. Once a sport is added to the list, it has 10 years to meet the requirements for championship status. In Division I, that means 40 institutions will have to add the sport. Rowing, ice hockey, bowling, and water polo are all current NCAA championship sports that came out of the emerging sports program.
USA Triathlon, the sport's governing body, predicts that triathlon will be an attractive sport for athletic departments to add, because of its potential to generate revenue and community relations by allowing members of the public to register and compete in the same race alongside college participants. This is a valid selling point, but it is important for Title IX compliance that universities do not allow such public participation to overshadow or dilute the collegiate varsity competition.
Division I schools that have reportedly committed to adding a women's triathlon team include Stanford University, the U.S. Air Force Academy, Denver, Drake, Monmouth, North Carolina-Asheville and University of Northern Iowa. Division I schools that add triathlon can offer up to 10 scholarships for athletes on the team.
The NCAA created the "emerging sports" designation in 1994 as a way to promote new opportunities in women's sports and help universities close the gender gap in athletic opportunities available to students. A university that adds an emerging sport may count it towards the NCAA's minimum sport sponsorship requirements, and in Division I, towards the minimum financial aid requirements. The NCAA's Committee on Women's Athletics proposes emerging sports based on evidence of interest and potential interest at the varsity level. Once a sport is added to the list, it has 10 years to meet the requirements for championship status. In Division I, that means 40 institutions will have to add the sport. Rowing, ice hockey, bowling, and water polo are all current NCAA championship sports that came out of the emerging sports program.
USA Triathlon, the sport's governing body, predicts that triathlon will be an attractive sport for athletic departments to add, because of its potential to generate revenue and community relations by allowing members of the public to register and compete in the same race alongside college participants. This is a valid selling point, but it is important for Title IX compliance that universities do not allow such public participation to overshadow or dilute the collegiate varsity competition.
Division I schools that have reportedly committed to adding a women's triathlon team include Stanford University, the U.S. Air Force Academy, Denver, Drake, Monmouth, North Carolina-Asheville and University of Northern Iowa. Division I schools that add triathlon can offer up to 10 scholarships for athletes on the team.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Triathlon Poised to Be Newest NCAA Emerging Sport
The NCAA website reports that its Committee for Women's Athletics has proposed to add triathlon to the list of Emerging Sports for Women. The Emerging Sports list promotes the development of new collegiate athletic opportunities for women by allowing them to count towards NCAA requirements even in their provisional status. If forty institutions add the emerging sport in a ten year period, it becomes an official NCAA championship sport. Ice hockey and rowing are examples of women's sports that have "graduated" from the Emerging Sports list. Sand volleyball is the most recent sport added to the list, in 2009.
The CWA based its triathlon proposal on letters from a dozen institutions that have expressed plans to add or at least strongly consider adding triathlon as a sport in the near future. These twelve schools are: Air Force, Arizona, Denver, Drake, Monmouth, UNC-Asheville, Northern Iowa, and Stanford in Division I; Adams State and Colorado-Colorado Springs in Division II; and Maine-Farmington and Marymount in Division III. Another good indication of the sport's popularity is that over 150 club programs already offer participation opportunities for female triathletes, and that USA Triathlon, the sport's governing body, already holds a collegiate competition.
Supporters of varsity triathlon advocate that the sport is easy to add, by simply adding a college wave to existing triathlon events. That said, it will be important for athletic directors to keep in mind that in order to count for Title IX purposes, the sport would have to ensure a similar level of college-varsity level competition that other sports receive. The most recent Quinnipiac decision, for example, refused to let the university count rugby, notwithstanding its inclusion in the Emerging Sports list, because the team competed mostly against clubs and did not have enough varsity competition. Athletic departments should not get the idea that they can simply shuttle a group of athletes to a nearby USAT event and then count them for Title IX purposes as members of the school's triathlon team. The sport will need a competitive season, dedicated coaching and resources, and all of the other indicia of varsity status that institutions bestow upon their other athletic teams.
The CWA based its triathlon proposal on letters from a dozen institutions that have expressed plans to add or at least strongly consider adding triathlon as a sport in the near future. These twelve schools are: Air Force, Arizona, Denver, Drake, Monmouth, UNC-Asheville, Northern Iowa, and Stanford in Division I; Adams State and Colorado-Colorado Springs in Division II; and Maine-Farmington and Marymount in Division III. Another good indication of the sport's popularity is that over 150 club programs already offer participation opportunities for female triathletes, and that USA Triathlon, the sport's governing body, already holds a collegiate competition.
Supporters of varsity triathlon advocate that the sport is easy to add, by simply adding a college wave to existing triathlon events. That said, it will be important for athletic directors to keep in mind that in order to count for Title IX purposes, the sport would have to ensure a similar level of college-varsity level competition that other sports receive. The most recent Quinnipiac decision, for example, refused to let the university count rugby, notwithstanding its inclusion in the Emerging Sports list, because the team competed mostly against clubs and did not have enough varsity competition. Athletic departments should not get the idea that they can simply shuttle a group of athletes to a nearby USAT event and then count them for Title IX purposes as members of the school's triathlon team. The sport will need a competitive season, dedicated coaching and resources, and all of the other indicia of varsity status that institutions bestow upon their other athletic teams.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Qunnipiac Adds Rugby and Golf
The AP is reporting that Quinnipiac University filed its court-mandated Title IX compliance plan in federal court, in which it announced its decision to keep women's volleyball through 2011-12, s well as to add golf and rugby in order to balance women's athletic opportunities with men's. Quinnipiac will also retain its competitive cheer team -- renamed "stunts and tumbling" -- even though these opportunities do not (yet) count towards the university's Title IX compliance under the district court's recent ruling.
Qunnipiac's choice to add rugby is an interesting one. The NCAA designated rugby an "emerging sport" in 2002, as part of its initiative to support colleges' efforts to add athletic opportunities for women. The emerging sport designation means that sport will obtain national championship if 40 schools (across all three divisions) add the sport by 2012. In the meanwhile, opportunities added in that sport count toward NCAA requirements, as well as enjoy the presumption of counting as a varsity opportunity for Title IX purposes. Emerging sport status has successfully launched women's championships in sports like ice hockey and rowing, but rugby may not be following the same path. Though there is a widespread interest in rugby among female students, there is less interest from within the sport, which has a strong tradition of independence, to submit to institutional control. As a result, rugby has made slow progress towards the "4o by 2012" benchmark. By my count, Quinnipiac is only the sixth school overall, and the second in Division I, to add rugby as a varsity sport. If rugby loses its emerging sport status in 2012, Quinnipiac could potentially have two women's teams (stunts & tumbling and rugby) that do not count for Title IX purposes. We can only guess what effect this would have on the university's overall compliance strategy.
Qunnipiac's choice to add rugby is an interesting one. The NCAA designated rugby an "emerging sport" in 2002, as part of its initiative to support colleges' efforts to add athletic opportunities for women. The emerging sport designation means that sport will obtain national championship if 40 schools (across all three divisions) add the sport by 2012. In the meanwhile, opportunities added in that sport count toward NCAA requirements, as well as enjoy the presumption of counting as a varsity opportunity for Title IX purposes. Emerging sport status has successfully launched women's championships in sports like ice hockey and rowing, but rugby may not be following the same path. Though there is a widespread interest in rugby among female students, there is less interest from within the sport, which has a strong tradition of independence, to submit to institutional control. As a result, rugby has made slow progress towards the "4o by 2012" benchmark. By my count, Quinnipiac is only the sixth school overall, and the second in Division I, to add rugby as a varsity sport. If rugby loses its emerging sport status in 2012, Quinnipiac could potentially have two women's teams (stunts & tumbling and rugby) that do not count for Title IX purposes. We can only guess what effect this would have on the university's overall compliance strategy.
Monday, August 10, 2009
More details on the status of sand volleyball
So not too long ago we got wind that sand volleyball was not a shoo-in for emerging sport status; that there were some concerns. But we didn't get a lot of information about the situation. Then I read a piece by Graham Watson at ESPN.com where it seemed that sand volleyball was a go. In email correspondence with her, she told me that things were proceeding as planned, but that were a few details to be ironed out.
Now I have read that a second vote as to whether to approve sand volleyball for the NCAA's emerging sport designation will be taken in January. The second vote (the first was in April) is because there are issues over what exactly sand volleyball will look like--as in will it just be an additional season of indoor volleyball similar to indoor/outdoor track. And whether this is desirable. Also schools with indoor volleyball are concerned that they will lose recruits if they do not or cannot add sand volleyball.
In other words, stay tuned.
My concern, which I could not find echoed anywhere, is over sand volleyball as a revenue producer. Some believe the sport could quickly become a revenue-generating sport. And I think we all know how they intend to get those dollars--all we have to do is look at how sand volleyball and its female athletes are promoted at the Olympic and professional levels.
Now I have read that a second vote as to whether to approve sand volleyball for the NCAA's emerging sport designation will be taken in January. The second vote (the first was in April) is because there are issues over what exactly sand volleyball will look like--as in will it just be an additional season of indoor volleyball similar to indoor/outdoor track. And whether this is desirable. Also schools with indoor volleyball are concerned that they will lose recruits if they do not or cannot add sand volleyball.
In other words, stay tuned.
My concern, which I could not find echoed anywhere, is over sand volleyball as a revenue producer. Some believe the sport could quickly become a revenue-generating sport. And I think we all know how they intend to get those dollars--all we have to do is look at how sand volleyball and its female athletes are promoted at the Olympic and professional levels.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sand volleyball recalled
Somehow we missed the news that sand volleyball, the newly named NCAA emerging sport, has been called back to the drawing board.
It seems San Diego State University had been planning to add sand volleyball along with women's lacrosse. SDSU must meet the gender equity standards established for all California state universities. In particular SDSU must raise the number of scholarships female student-athletes receive.
But it won't be doing it with sand volleyball (though lacrosse is still a go) because of concerns raised over the costs of sand volleyball (not sure the specifics of this concern) and that it would essentially turn into an additional season for indoor volleyball players and thus not in the true spirit of adding opportunities for women. And so the Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet has put on hold plans to develop, well a plan, for sand volleyball. The fate of sand volleyball will not be decided until next year.
It seems San Diego State University had been planning to add sand volleyball along with women's lacrosse. SDSU must meet the gender equity standards established for all California state universities. In particular SDSU must raise the number of scholarships female student-athletes receive.
But it won't be doing it with sand volleyball (though lacrosse is still a go) because of concerns raised over the costs of sand volleyball (not sure the specifics of this concern) and that it would essentially turn into an additional season for indoor volleyball players and thus not in the true spirit of adding opportunities for women. And so the Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet has put on hold plans to develop, well a plan, for sand volleyball. The fate of sand volleyball will not be decided until next year.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Delaware State cuts wrestling
DSU announced yesterday that it is cutting its wrestling team due to economic issues, gender equity concerns, and issues around the team's academic performance.
The last is a problem plaguing several DSU teams and will likely result in some NCAA sanctions.
But it was the wrestling team that received the bad news. No word on the criteria used to make the decision, but it seems like there was very little department support for the team in recent years. Four coaches in the past four years, no dedicated facility and the increasing awareness that the team needed more than the school was able to provide. In the end, the department will save just under $40,000 by eliminating the team (not including, of course, projected costs to make improvements).
The Delaware wrestling community is taking the news hard given that now no state school will field a wrestling team. University of Delaware cut their team in the early 90s.
A local high school coach, Dicky Howell, spoke repeatedly of the lack of institutional support for the team and the student-athletes but turned around and blamed Title IX anyway citing the loss of wrestling teams since the passage. But as many of us know, and as Donna Lopiano reiterated last week in her talk at Western New England College, wrestling's demise isn't because of Title IX. It just is not as popular of a sport any more. There are certainly pockets of interest but other sports have overtaken it in terms of participation. And with the increasing emphasis on specialization at earlier and earlier ages, less popular sports see an even sharper decrease in participation. Maybe more kids would wrestle if they weren't playing soccer or lacrosse year-round.
And, of course, we are only speaking of men's wrestling. Women's wrestling seems to be growing. It remains to be seen how the sport, which the NCAA still has not recognized as an emerging sport, grows in the coming years.
The last is a problem plaguing several DSU teams and will likely result in some NCAA sanctions.
But it was the wrestling team that received the bad news. No word on the criteria used to make the decision, but it seems like there was very little department support for the team in recent years. Four coaches in the past four years, no dedicated facility and the increasing awareness that the team needed more than the school was able to provide. In the end, the department will save just under $40,000 by eliminating the team (not including, of course, projected costs to make improvements).
The Delaware wrestling community is taking the news hard given that now no state school will field a wrestling team. University of Delaware cut their team in the early 90s.
A local high school coach, Dicky Howell, spoke repeatedly of the lack of institutional support for the team and the student-athletes but turned around and blamed Title IX anyway citing the loss of wrestling teams since the passage. But as many of us know, and as Donna Lopiano reiterated last week in her talk at Western New England College, wrestling's demise isn't because of Title IX. It just is not as popular of a sport any more. There are certainly pockets of interest but other sports have overtaken it in terms of participation. And with the increasing emphasis on specialization at earlier and earlier ages, less popular sports see an even sharper decrease in participation. Maybe more kids would wrestle if they weren't playing soccer or lacrosse year-round.
And, of course, we are only speaking of men's wrestling. Women's wrestling seems to be growing. It remains to be seen how the sport, which the NCAA still has not recognized as an emerging sport, grows in the coming years.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Flip-flops, Part II
The news that the NCAA has named sand volleyball has created some discussion--and concerns. With the economy in the toilet and so many athletic departments struggling, some are wondering how sand volleyball is going to get started. And it's true that discussions such as facilities and scholarships need to happen. But they need to happen whenever there is the possibility of adding a team--men's or women's. Discussions about building multi-million dollar stadiums are happening right now as many schools consider adding football in an attempt to raise revenues.
And we have to remember that this new designation is not a requirement. All it means is if schools are considering adding a sport, this is one of the options.
I also discovered that sand volleyball is going to be played in the spring. This opens the door to indoor players transitioning to outdoor in the spring as well as coaching staffs if a school does not want to seek out new coaches. But the hitch to this is that indoor coaches do their recruiting in the spring. So there may be some scheduling issues.
Also sand volleyball will be like professional and Olympic beach volleyball in that it will be played in teams of two. This still leaves open the issue of scoring. Will it be like wrestling and tennis in which there are individual (or duo in this case) contests and these wins contribute to an overall team score.
Still unresolved--uniforms. Good to see others have concerns over this:
...it remains to be seen how a game that banked on sex appeal will translate to the collegiate sports world.
And we have to remember that this new designation is not a requirement. All it means is if schools are considering adding a sport, this is one of the options.
I also discovered that sand volleyball is going to be played in the spring. This opens the door to indoor players transitioning to outdoor in the spring as well as coaching staffs if a school does not want to seek out new coaches. But the hitch to this is that indoor coaches do their recruiting in the spring. So there may be some scheduling issues.
Also sand volleyball will be like professional and Olympic beach volleyball in that it will be played in teams of two. This still leaves open the issue of scoring. Will it be like wrestling and tennis in which there are individual (or duo in this case) contests and these wins contribute to an overall team score.
Still unresolved--uniforms. Good to see others have concerns over this:
...it remains to be seen how a game that banked on sex appeal will translate to the collegiate sports world.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Break out the flip-flops!
The NCAA has approved "sand volleyball" as an emerging sport. (That's beach volleyball for all you with quizzical looks on your faces; they are calling it sand volleyball to appeal to landlocked institutions.) Competition is slated to begin in the 2010-11 school year.
I did not see anything on the format (2-person as in the Olympics? or more?). What season will they play in? Same as indoor volleyball? Will there be a lot of overlap between indoor and sand players?
Or the uniforms. Are bikinis going to be the norm? Are they going to be required? Female beach volleyball players are probably one of the most sexualized groups of female athletes out there in part because they don't have to go out of their way to pose in skimpy outfits, they play in skimpy outfits.
A few years ago I heard a good presentation about indoor volleyball uniforms worn by women (the short shorts and tight tops) and I am sure this will be a popular topic of inquiry at future academic conferences.
I did not see anything on the format (2-person as in the Olympics? or more?). What season will they play in? Same as indoor volleyball? Will there be a lot of overlap between indoor and sand players?
Or the uniforms. Are bikinis going to be the norm? Are they going to be required? Female beach volleyball players are probably one of the most sexualized groups of female athletes out there in part because they don't have to go out of their way to pose in skimpy outfits, they play in skimpy outfits.
A few years ago I heard a good presentation about indoor volleyball uniforms worn by women (the short shorts and tight tops) and I am sure this will be a popular topic of inquiry at future academic conferences.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Changing emerging sports
The NCAA has been meeting this past week on a myriad of issues, including women's emerging sports. Beach volleyball (which they are calling sand volleyball in an attempt to get greater interest; so if we call ice hockey frozen sheet of water hockey it could become, by this logic, less regional?) was up for consideration as an emerging sport but it did not receive the 2/3 votes required for such a distinction. It does appear though that it will be added in April after the requisite comment period when the vote only requires a simple majority.
Voted off the list of emerging sports were archery, synchronized swimming, badminton, and team handball.
My question, of course, is: when are they going to start talking about wrestling??
Voted off the list of emerging sports were archery, synchronized swimming, badminton, and team handball.
My question, of course, is: when are they going to start talking about wrestling??
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