Need For NCAA Athlete Representation

Posted by athletedefendermia on March 10th, 2022

Being able to join the school/college of choice is not merely luck. One needs to be academically inclined as well. Sadly, not every student can obtain the right grades and receive offers from the top institutions across the nation. Earning a scholarship to continue education is limited to a handful of brilliant students. Not everything is dark and gloomy, though. On the contrary, students who prefer the playing field to the classroom can earn an athletic scholarship that grants them the right of admission to the college of their choice.  

The financial assistance remains in force as long as the said student represents the institution on the sports field. It is administrated by the NCAA, with the school coach being granted the authority of revoking and reducing the scholarship at the end of a year. The concerned student can always seek NCAA athlete representation to obtain justice in such circumstances.

It is essential to know that the NCAA has the student-athlete sign a contract that lays down the terms & conditions related to financial assistance. It is essential to carefully go through the assorted clauses and sign only after understanding the implications. Some of the common issues that may crop up once the student begins playing for the school/college may be pretty serious, warranting expert legal advice. The legal professional would be able to find the loopholes, if any, in the agreement and represent the student properly. Most student-athletes feel let down and distraught when they learn of:

NCAA Investigations- All violations by NCAA member institutions and students are investigated by the NCAA authorities. The concerned school may also be asked to conduct a preliminary investigation into the act of violation. The student is free to seek legal advice when the punitive action affects the future adversely.

Scholarship Revokement/Reduction- Many students find themselves in dire straits once they find the financial assistance drying up after a year. The coach is the one who makes the final decision, and the NCAA usually does not allow discontinuation of the amount within the stipulated period of one year. The terms will be rechecked at the end of the year, with the coach’s decision being final. While most coaches operate within the law, the student can seek legal help to argue a valid cause, thus regaining financial assistance.

Transfer – NCAA’s transfer rules are pretty stringent, with transferring schools being frowned upon by the authorities in mid-season. It is essential to study the applicable rules. Giving up the scholarship to transfer to another institution may seem to be unfair. Indeed the spate of legal suits against NCAA questioning transfers has increased substantially. Sitting out for an entire year hurts the career of student-athletes who are unable to perform optimally afterward. Proper legal representation can enable a student-athlete to fight against unfair transfer rules.

NCAA sports litigation is a complex subject, with only the most experienced legal professionals being adept at meeting the challenges.

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Joined: May 3rd, 2020
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