AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 12
Friday, September 12, 2008
NCAA rules spoil things for prospect
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thrashers seventh-round draft choice Zach Redmond was looking forward to playing in the Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament. Traverse City is his hometown.
But this story in the Traverse City newspaper says his college coach informed Redmond he couldn’t play in the tournament and retain his eligibility. Redmond plays for Ferris State.
It’s a weird situation. College players, Redmond included, could attend the prospects camp in Atlanta this summer as long as they paid their own way. I think the dividing line here is the difference between doing drills at a prospects camp and competing in games, regardless of whether the games mean anything.
Here, I think, is the NCAA rule that comes into play:
12.2.3.2 Competition with Professionals. An individual shall not be eligible for intercollegiate athletics in a sport if the individual ever competed on a professional team (per Bylaw 12.02.4) in that sport. However, an individual may compete on a tennis, golf, two-person sand volleyball or two-person synchronized diving team with persons who are competing for cash or a comparable prize, provided the individual does not receive payment of any kind for such participation.
It’s too bad. Clearly, if Redmond could compete in this tournament without missing class time, it would be good for him, and it’s hard to see how if he weren’t paid this would compromise his amateur status. The NCAA, obviously, sees it differently.
