DAVE’S TOP 10 THINGS TO DO
…(plus more) IF MAKING A CHANGE TO NCAA D2This list is a simple list of things to do and consider if your school is looking to move to NCAA D2 (also D3) in the future. The list is not meant to be the only items or issues you consider, but a helpful guide to things you may want to do or avoid. It is a good old fashioned to do list for your school to consider.
*Before you go public with a possible move to D2 you should inform the NAIA office, your conference commissioner and all conference members.
*Appoint one person to answer any questions on the possible move. The media is very good at getting statements from numerous members of your staff. Control the information that comes from your sight, but keeping the media updated during the process. The rumor mill on these type of issues are faster than a forest fire.
*Form a search committee of members from your school - from students, financial, athletic, board members, etc to discuss options on or if it is feasible to make the move.
*Invite NCAA D2 staff members to come to your initial meeting for a Q&A time. Keep the D2 person on your “must call” list in the future. When you have a question ask them, that is why they are there.
*You should study the minimum expectations document that accompanies the NCAA application and refer to it often. These are not suggestions.
*If you are really serious about becoming a D2 school, don’t wait to hire a full-time compliance officer. This does not mean that person teaches or coaches…but a full-time compliance officer. Hire this person before you apply.
*Begin the process of making your athletic director and all of your head coaches full-time coaches and that is all they do…no teaching, no part-time SID duties, but full-time.
*Do not let coaches recruit athletes on the assumption that you will be a D2 school, until at least after you are in the membership process. Should you be denied acceptance into D2 it causes some very uneasy moments between coach and student-athletes.
*Check and contact current D2 conferences who you think might be a good option for your school. You might not be able to find one that is looking to expand. This could lead you to being an independent for several years, you need to have a plan for this.
*Have all of your financial matters in place, don’t be relying on some future plan or idea on securing funding for your program. A strong financial setting is the key. Have your financial person talk to as many other D2 financial people as he/she can to know what cost expectations you might have.
*Set-up meetings with staff and administration from a long time D2 member school for insight on the actual operation and process they do.
*Set-up meetings with staff and administration of schools who are still in the D2 process to find out what you may want to do or avoid.
*Set-up meetings with staff and administration of schools who were denied membership for information on what they thought went wrong.
*Upgrade all of your athletic facilities if needed. This shows a commitment to your athletic program at the highest level.
The above is just a check-list for those of you who are considering a move in the future to NCAA D2. The key is to do this correctly the first time. The NCAA process to join D2 in the future will be fine tuned again this year and most likely a tougher process than this past year.
Don’t look for more than 10 schools a year to be accepted, so depending on the number of applications it is important to follow the exact process needed for acceptance. Talk is that several D1 programs will be stepping down to D2 in the future, these programs will not affect the number of schools accepted in the membership process of new applicants.
The above is to help you in a very simple way, you may see items or issues that you need to add to this list. We would appreciate any items be forwarded to us and we will update on this list.
Remember - “Set the example, don’t be the example.”
The above was written by The Senior Reports Dave Schmidt