Help dealing with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Has anyone had to problems dealing with the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)?
Can one hire an advocate or lawyer to deal with the NCAA?
Here's what's going on.... Last spring my daughter was accepted as a freshman to a Div 1 University to play sports. She hated high school, graduated a year early, attended a community college as she applied to different colleges. Upon being accepted she was told she had to apply to the NCAA. She did, and for the past six months she and the high district have been sending sending transcripts to the NCAA.
This is where things get crazy. From what I'm being told the High School district which has five high schools had only registered four of the five with the NCAA. Even though the school district has been around for 50 years or so and hundreds of students from the other schools have played in NCAA sports my daughter is the first from the fifth high school to play NCAA sports. The NCAA is telling us since the high school was never registered with the NCAA so it's a problem. To complicate matters since she graduated a year early the NCAA doesn't understand how she has college credits already since they think she just graduated from high school.
Dealing with the NCAA is worse than than the IRS. You can only call them, and the can't call you back. (And they don't use email either.) When you call you are placed on hold for 3-4 hours before some picks up the phone. Then the people you speak with don't seem to know what's going on. Each person we talk to tells us the NCAA needs something different. They are driving the administration at the school district my daughter attended crazy with all of their requests for documentation. The school administration has spent 40 hours in sending them documentation and letters of explanation. Several times the NCAA asks for the same documentation over and over. (They have had it with the NCAA.)
As of this week my daughter was told she does not meet the academic requirements to play Div 1 sports. NCAA is telling us the school district has not provided the required transcripts and documentation. They are also rejecting the transferable classes she took at the community college saying she could not have taken college classes if she just graduated.
She's enrolled at the university, taking classes and has been practicing with the team. She's been told if she can't get the paperwork straightened out with the NCAA she will be kicked off the team and kicked out of the university.
My daughter has worked so hard to get to this point. Seems crazy the NCAA has the power to destroy an person's future.
We've asked several times if we could talk to a supervisor and how to file an appeal. NCAA told use we can't do either.
Anyone have any ideas?
Parent Replies
I don't know if he would help but Joe Nocera at New York Times has written a number of columns on bad behavior by the NCA A you might at least try emailing him?
Good luck --these totally non-responsive bureaucracies are frustrating
Wow, sounds awful! I wonder if the university has someone with an in at the NCAA to get it straightened out? I had a problem with my son's transcript from a high school outside the US and that school had a contact at the NCAA they were able to call and get it fixed. Also I wonder if a sports advisor type would be able to help. They deal with the NCAA all the time and might have suggestions? All the best to you and your daughter.