cross country coaches manual

2018-19

Cross Country Coaches Manual

C R O S S C O U N T R Y C O A C H E S M A N U A L

NAIA National Office • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • 816.595.8000 NAIA Cross Country Coaches Manual / 2018-19 / page 1

Table of Contents Important Dates .....................................................................................................................................................................................2

Sport Calendar

Five Year Championship Calendar

Playing Rules and Regulations .................................................................................................................................................................4

Rulebook

Definition of a Cross Country Meet

Conduct in Competition ...........................................................................................................................................................................4

Ejections and Suspensions

Meet Director Reporting Responsibilities

Postseason Competition .........................................................................................................................................................................5

Declaration of Intent

Entry Procedures & Fees

How to Submit Online Entries

Team Qualifying Standards

Individual Qualifying Standards

Appeals on Selection Process

Additional National Championship Information

Travel .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10

Housing

Transportation

Sunday Play Policy ................................................................................................................................................................................ 11

NAIA Policy Handbook Information ........................................................................................................................................................ 11

Drug Testing…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12

Ratings Manual ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

General Information

Ratings Policies & Procedures

Selection of Raters

Rater Expectations

Contest Results & Reporting Period

National Oversight Committee

Ratings Grievance Procedure

Final/Rating/Seeding Rating Information

Conference Commissioner Expectation

Glossary

Awards ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 20

Runner of the Week

All-America

Daktronics NAIA Scholar Athlete

Scholar Team

Coach of the Year

National Championship Meet Awards

National Awards

Ordering Awards

Coaches Association ............................................................................................................................................................................. 23

Past Presidents

NAIA-CCA Voting

Annual Business Meeting & Sport Motions

Standing Committees .......................................................................................................................................................................... 24

Constitution ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 25

Statement of Philosophy ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28



Important Dates 2018-19 SPORT CALENDAR PRIOR TO ENTERING FIRST MEET: TEAM ROSTER MUST BE SUBMITTED TO TFRRS/Direct Athletics. All eligible athletes must be

on your TFRRS/DA roster with a TFRRS ID before you enter your first competition.

AFTER EVERY MEET: Meet directors are required to upload complete meet results to TFRRS or Direct Athletics by midnight (Central)

the day following the conclusion of the meet.

August 8 DEADLINE to submit Cross Country Team Preview online. August 28 RELEASE of pre-season men’s and women’s cross country ratings. September 18 Weekly ratings begin for men’s and women’s cross country – available after 5 p.m. (CST) Wednesdays at

www.naia.org October 25 DEADLINE for online entries for national championship and qualifier meets (conference/A.I.I./ unaffiliated

championships) through DirectAthletics. November 1 RECEIPT DEADLINE for Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete nomination forms. Submit online only. RECEIPT DEADLINE for submitting Buffalo Funds Five Star Champions of Character Team Award to NAIA

National Office. Submit online. November 5 DEADLINE for completion of national championship qualifier meets (conference/A.I.I./unaffiliated

championships). November 6 RELEASE of final men's and women's cross country ratings. November 7 RELEASE of NAIA National Championship Team and Individual Qualifiers by 5:00 p.m. (CST).

November 15 TEAM CHECK-IN/ROSTER CONFIRMATION for NAIA Cross Country National Championships. NAIA NATIONAL AWARDS CEREMONY RELEASE of NAIA Men's and Women's Cross Country Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes. November 16 NAIA MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS RELEASE of NAIA Men's and Women's National Coaches of the Year. November 20 RELEASE of NAIA Men’s and Women’s All-America teams. December 18-20 NAIA-Cross Country Coaches Association Business Meeting – USTFCCCA Convention – San Antonio, TX June 30 RECEIPT DEADLINE for Scholar Team nomination forms. Submit online.



FIVE YEAR CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR 2018

November 16 National Championships – Cedar Rapids, Iowa

2019

November 22 National Championships – Vancouver, Wash.

2020

November 20 National Championships – Cedar Rapids, Iowa

2021

November 19 National Championships – TBD

2022

November 18 National Championships – TBD

For Ratings/Championship Selection/Coaches Association/Rules contact: Hannah Harmon, [email protected]

816-595-8156

For National Championship Event Administration contact:

Hannah Harmon, [email protected] 816-595-8156

The NAIA Cross Country Coaches Handbook is published annually by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The name National Association of

Intercollegiate Athletics, initials NAIA, logo, and other NAIA symbols and insignia are registered in the United States patent and Trademarks Office. Thane name,

initials, and marks are fully protected and are the exclusive property of the Association. Expressed, written approval by the NAIA President/CEO is required for the use

of the NAIA initials, name or marks in connection with any items offered for commercial sale, awards, or promotion, including such use at NAIA events.

mailto:[email protected]




Playing Rules and Regulations RULEBOOK

Cross country rules as specified in the NCAA Men's and Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Rule Book shall be

followed. The rulebook can be downloaded from http://www.ncaapublications.com/

DEFINITION OF A CROSS COUNTRY MEET To be considered a cross country meet by NAIA standards, a competition must meet all of the following criteria: 1. A minimum of 2 collegiate teams participating and scoring;

2. Scored in the same manner as the NAIA Cross Country National Championships; and distance between 3k and 6k for women, and between 4k and 10k for men.

Contests not meeting the definition of a meet still count against contest limitations.

Conduct in Competition EJECTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS

An ejection is an action enforced in conjunction with competition by a game official consistent with the playing rules in that

sport. A suspension is required by NAIA bylaws (Article 6, Section B, Item 7) as an additional consequence related to

ejections in conjunction with competition.

Ejections are not subject to appeal. Some sport rules allow protests through an official process outlined in each sport rule

book.

Suspensions may be appealed starting with the Conference/Association of Independent Institutions. An institution must

submit an appeal to their conference within 72 hours of the completion of contest. The conference will submit a

recommendation to the national office within 72 hours of receiving the appeal from the institution. The Conduct and Ethics

Committee is responsible for all appeals related to suspensions due to ejections of a coach and/or student-athlete.

Once an appeal with appropriate signatures has been submitted to the conference, the student-athlete/coach may continue

to participate through the appeal process. If the appeal is not approved, then the student-athlete/coach must sit out of the

next scheduled contest(s).

A suspended person cannot be in the competitive venue the day of the contest or communicate with any team personnel

or game officials the day of the contest. The student-athlete/coach will be normally removed from the venue during a

suspension. However, the game manager will use their best discretion on what is appropriate to risk management

procedures regarding their venue.

Ejection reports must be completed by the NAIA game official ejecting a student-athlete or coach and the athletic director

of the ejected student-athlete or coach. The form must be submitted to the NAIA within 48 hours after the completion of

the contest. Ejection Report Form

MEET DIRECTOR REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES Institutions must ensure that the electronic submission of results for all meets in which their student-athlete compete are reported by the meet host to the Track and Field Results System for Cross Country (TFRRS-XC) through the online provider Direct Athletics.

Detailed account information and instructions to set up meets and download team rosters in preparation for uploading cross

country results are available for meet hosts, meet directors, and timers at www.TFRRS.org (select the link for Meet

Director/Timer Information). Meet hosts should note the following:

Meet hosts may use their method of choice to manage meet entries. It is NOT required to use DirectAthletics for meet entries.

It is the responsibility of the meet directors/timers to collect valid TFRRS IDs from their entering teams, regardless of the meet entry method.

http://www.ncaapublications.com/

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For the purpose of running a meet, any meet director/timer can download the rosters of TFRRS teams (with valid single-meet TFRRS IDs) at no cost to the meet director/timer.

Institutions registered with TFRRS can print out or download their TFRRS rosters (with IDs) to facilitate the entry process.

For problems using the TFRRS system, please contact DirectAthletics via email at [email protected] or by phone

at (617) 879-1797.

It is the responsibility of the meet HOST to electronically submit meet results to TFRRS by midnight Central

time, no later than one day after the completion of a competition.

POSTSEASON COMPETITION DECLARATION OF INTENT

Pursuant to policy upheld by the National Administrative Council (NAC) if an institution declared intent to participate in

postseason, it must send a full team (minimum 5 runners for each declared gender) to participate in post-season

competition in order to satisfy the declaration of intent to participate policy. A minimum of 5 athletes must start and finish

the post-season meet in order to fulfil the declaration of intern. Failure to do so is a violation. If the institution does not

honor its declaration of intent commitment, the institution shall be automatically suspended in that sport for the next

academic year.

If an institution wishes to undeclare participation in postseason, the NAIA Postseason Participation Undeclare Form must be

completed to fulfill the written notification requirement. The form must be submitted at least four weeks prior to the

beginning of postseason competition. You will receive a copy of your submission by email as confirmation. Should an

institution undeclare from the sport, the institution may still send an individual(s) to participate in the postseason com

petition.

Article I, Section L in the NAIA Official/Policy Handbook

Should the institution's chief executive officer determine that an earlier declared sport team does not meet institutional

standards to participate in any postseason competition, written notification of this decision must be sent to the NAIA

National Office at least four weeks prior to the beginning of postseason competition. Failure to adhere to these

procedures shall require the selected institutional team to fulfill its obligation of participating in postseason play to its

conclusion.

If an institution submits notification to remove itself from the obligation of participation in the postseason for a

particular sport for three consecutive seasons, the institution will be placed on NAIA suspension in that sport for the

following academic year. Suspension does not allow the institution to participate in postseason events in that sport.

If the institution fails to undeclare from the sport in the manner above, but then sends an individual(s) to participate in

postseason competition, it is in violation of its declaration of intent.

ENTRY PROCEDURES & FEES All entries for the national championships and postseason qualifying meets are to be submitted online through

DirectAthletics no later than October 26. Entries submitted after October 26 shall be charged a $25.00 late fee payable at

the post season qualifier meet. No late entries will be accepted after November 1. (Deadlines may vary based on the

postseason qualifying meet date.)

In order to participate in the conference/independent/unaffiliated or national meets, competitors must be

registered through DirectAthletics. No other meet entry procedures are permitted.

All runners are prohibited from running in conflicting meets on the dates of the qualifying/national meets. Violations shall

result in disqualification from the national meet.





Entry fees for the national championships are payable at registration on Thursday, November 15. If you are not sure which

team members will qualify, enter all team members by October 26. You can scratch individuals without penalty. Entry fees

for the national meet are $80.00 per team (5-7 runners) and $20.00 per individual (1-4 runners).

Teams are required to compete in four regular season meets to be eligible to compete at the national championship.

HOW TO SUBMIT ONLINE ENTRIES Complete all THREE steps to enter athletes in conference/independent/ unaffiliated and national championships.

STEP 1—Access your DirectAthletics Account

Each coach must have a DirectAthletics username and password for his/her school. If you do not know your

username and password, you will be able to create one or retrieve your existing account by following the

instructions below.

If you already have a DirectAthletics account for

your Cross Country team, and know your username

and password…. If you do NOT know your username and password…

Go to www.directathletics.com

In the login box, enter your username and

password and click Login.

(Remember, your password is case sensitive)

Go to www.directathletics.com

Click on the link “New User? Click HERE”.

Follow onscreen instructions. You will be able to create

an account online or retrieve forgotten information for an

existing account.

NOTE ABOUT ACCOUNTS: Most coach accounts control a school’s Men’s AND Women’s team. You control only

one gender at a time, so you will complete the below steps for your Men, and then switch to your Women’s team

and repeat the process (or vice versa). The team you are controlling is listed on the blue navigation bar across

the top of your account, for example:

Sport: Cross Country Team: Bacone College (M)

This indicates that you are controlling the Bacone College MEN’S team (M=MEN). To switch to your Women’s

team, you would select “Bacone College (W)”.

STEP 2—Edit/Set up Your Online Roster

Before entering an athlete into a meet, you must add all attending athletes to your roster. If an athlete is already on your

roster (from previous seasons) you do not need to add him/her again. Most schools will just need to add new athletes and

delete athletes no longer on the roster.

1. Upon logging in, click the TEAM tab.

2. If you have used DirectAthletics before, you will see last year’s roster. School years are automatically moved

forward one year. You can click “Import Track Roster” which is listed on the left. You will be able to add athletes

from your Track roster to your Cross Country roster. If you do not see this link or you are new to DirectAthletics,

skip this step.

3. Click the green “Add Athletes” link under the Team Roster header. Select an approximate number of athletes

you would like to add (you can add more at any time).

4. Enter your athletes First Name, Last Name and School Year (all other information is NOT necessary) and click

“Submit”

5. You may add, edit or delete athletes on your Team Roster at any time before the deadline by click the TEAM tab.

STEP 3—Submit Online Meet Entries

Once your athletes are added to your roster, you must declare your athlete entries for your postseason qualifier meet to

complete the entry process.

http://www.directathletics.com/

http://www.directathletics.com/



1. In the HOME tab (under Upcoming Meets) or in the SCHEDULE tab, click the green Register button next to the

meet you wish to enter.

2. Check off the box for each athlete you wish to enter. You can check the “All” box to select (or un-select) your

entire roster.

3. When you have completed your entries, click “Submit”. You MUST click “Submit” to submit your entries.

4. You will see your current, submitted entries on the “View Entries” page. At any time before the entry deadline,

you may edit your entries by clicking the “Edit Entries” link.

5. For entry confirmation, simply print the “View Entries” page or click the Email Confirmation link at the top of the

“View Entries” page. An Email Confirmation will be sent to the email address in your account.

TEAM QUALIFYING STANDARDS The national championship field is limited to 36 teams for men and 36 teams for women. All teams have the opportunity to

qualify for nationals as stated below. Visit the Coaches Corner at www.naia.org/coaches to view 2018-19 Qualification

Plans.

Automatic Berths

For each gender, conferences/independents will receive one automatic berth per six teams listed in the

qualification plan, two berths per twelve teams participating in postseason, and three berths per eighteen teams

participating in postseason.

NEW: conferences/independents will not receive a second or third automatic bid if the team in question finished outside of the top 30 in the final rankings.

Conferences with fewer than six teams are considered “unaffiliated” and grouped geographically by the NAC.

Each grouping may qualify for an automatic berth as follows:

1. Conference Qualification Plan with six or more teams. The grouping will receive one automatic

berth for the winning team. At least six teams must declare and be listed on the Qualification Plan to get

the berth. Groupings with five or fewer declared teams on the Qualification Plan can qualify through the at-

large selection process only, or

2. Do not contest a qualifying event. The grouping will receive one automatic berth to the highest rated

team on the national rating used for selection.

If no qualifying meet is held and no team in the grouping is rated in the top 25 in the national rating used for

selection, an additional at-large berth will be added.

If there is a tie for first place at a conference/A.I.I./unaffiliated group qualifying meet, then the tied first place

teams qualify for the national championships. This will not affect the number of at-large berths.

At-Large Berths

Once all automatic berths have been assigned, the remaining berths will be awarded through the at-large

selection process. For consideration for an at-large berth, a team must score in at least four meets prior to its

national championship qualifier meet (conference/A.I.I./unaffiliated championships). Reporting requirements are

outlined in the General Information Section VI-D-Reporting Results of this manual.

At-large selections are determined by the final rating which takes place the day following the deadline for national

championship qualifying meets.

If there is a tie in the rating for the last at-large berth position, then all teams tied in that position will qualify for

the national championships. The national championship field size will be increased accordingly.

National Championships Host Institution

If the host is an NAIA institution that has declared its intent to participate in cross country, its teams shall receive

automatic berths to the national championships (men's and women's) if they do not qualify through automatic or

at-large qualifying procedures.

http://www.naia.org/coaches



INDIVIDUAL QUALIFYING STANDARDS For each gender individuals must qualify for the national championships at a postseason conference/independent/

unaffiliated championship meet, based on the following standards:

Conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings with 6-11 teams

• Top 4 finishers not on a qualifying team (automatic or at-large)

• Individual overall finish must be 15th or better

Conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings of 12 or more teams

• Top 6 finishers not on a qualifying team (automatic or at-large)


Unaffiliated groupings of 5 or fewer teams

• Top 2 finishers not on a qualifying team (at-large)


If 5 or more individual qualifiers are from the same team they will be scored at the national meet as an additional team.

This does not reduce the number of at-large berths.

APPEALS ON SELECTION PROCESS If there is misapplication of NAIA policy and procedures regarding championship selection, an institution may appeal to the

NAC via the NAIA national office.

Criteria for Filing an Appeal

1. A written appeal citing the specific NAIA policies and/or procedures that have been misapplied must be submitted

to the NAIA National Office - Department of Championships within 24 hours (or noon Central time of the next

business day if the end of the 24 hour period falls on a non-business day) from the time the tournament field has

been released.

2. Once an appeal has been submitted a response will be provided within 24 hours from receipt of appeal.

3. Appeals must be submitted and signed by the Athletics Director and President of the institution.

NOTE: The NAC sport liaison will observe selection procedures. The liaison will report any concerns to the National

Office immediately following the application of the final selection procedures. The oversight committee will review

ratings to prevent any ratings process violations or unethical use of the ratings process.

ADDITIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION Check-In/Roster Confirmation

Team check-in and roster confirmation of entered individuals must be completed on Thursday, November 15. A

$100.00 late check-in fee shall be charged for Saturday morning check-in.

Participation in Mandatory Functions at National Championships

All participating teams and individuals competing in a national championship must attend all mandatory functions

including; coaches meetings, championship celebrations, and Champions of Character activities. Failure to comply will

result in a penalty of a $1,500 fine to the institution.

Jury of Appeals

The Jury of Appeals for these championships shall be composed of appropriate committee members attending the meet.

It shall be the responsibility of these individuals to review appeals of decisions made by the meet referee.

Disqualification

The NAIA-Cross Country Coaches Association officers may recommend to the NAIA Conduct and Ethics Committee any

or all of the following for misconduct of student-athletes or institutional representatives:

1. A reprimand publicly or privately.

2. Disqualification from future participation in championships.



3. Banning from participation in subsequent championship competition, a student-athlete or a representative of an

institution who is guilty of misconduct occurring at any time preceding or subsequent to the competition during

the official dates of the championships.

Misconduct shall mean any act of dishonesty, unsportsmanlike conduct in practice or competition, or breach of policy

(law) which tends to discredit the championship and intercollegiate athletics that may be found upon an informal

hearing granted the student-athlete or institutional representative involved.

If the act of misconduct occurs during the competition under normal circumstances, the individual shall be allowed to

complete the competition in which the individual is participating at the time of the incident. At the conclusion of the

event, the informal hearing shall be held.

Any action may be reviewed by the governing sports committee upon request of any institution participating in the

championships. The games committee chair shall review and explain the policy at the championship meeting with all of

the coaches.

Protests

The NAIA Bylaws do not allow for a protest regarding the eligibility of a student-athlete within 15 calendar days prior to

the beginning of conference/independent/unaffiliated postseason competition. The protest shall be investigated

following the event.

Practice

Participants are allowed to practice on the course on which the championships are conducted. The host shall set

practice times. Vehicles shall not be allowed on the course.

Administration

The NAIA Cross Country National Championships are under the direct control and supervision of the NAIA Games

Committee and Meet Director. These individuals are responsible for the management of competition and the general

welfare of participants and coaches. They conduct championship coaches’ meetings and coordinate both pre- and post-

championship ceremonies.

All national champions should be determined in competition, with national championships contested to conclusion.

Playability should be determined by the onsite games committee in consultation with the national office, making every

effort to conclude on schedule. The committee should make every possible effort to finish in the timeliest fashion

possible.

Publicity and Program Material

It shall be the duty of each institution that enters participants to see that complete information is sent to the host sports

information director by the posted deadline.

Squad Size

Participating teams at the national meet are limited to a maximum of seven runners in uniform. An institution that is in

violation of this regulation and does not promptly conform to it shall automatically forfeit the competition. There shall

be no inordinate delay of the competition to allow the institution to conform to the rule.

Institutions qualifying as a team shall enter five to seven runners in the national championships and MUST compete as a

team. If fewer than five runners from a team finish the race, those finishing shall be scored as individuals. Individuals

qualifying as individuals shall be scored as individuals.

Tickets & Credentials

The host, with approval of the NAIA national office sport manager, shall establish appropriate guidelines for the issuing

of tickets and working passes. Credential passes will be provided upon request to coaches, athletic trainers, managers

or other members of the participating institution's official party. Competing student-athletes will use race numbers to

gain entrance into the facility.



Athletic Training

Athletic training facilities will be made available to the participating institutions by the host. The host will also provide

athletic trainers to cover the championships. An ambulance will be provided at the course the day of the championships.

Medical Procedures

Both during the practice (warm-up) of race day and the competition of the NAIA Men's and Women's Cross Country

National Championships there will be:

1. A person qualified and delegated to render emergency care to stricken athletes, preferably a certified and/or

licensed athletic trainer.

2. Access to a physician, preferably a team physician by phone or nearby presence for prompt medical evaluation, if

the situation is warranted.

3. Planned access to a medical facility, including a plan for communication and transportation between the athletic

site and the medical facility for prompt medical attention, if warranted.

4. A thorough understanding by all parties of the personnel and procedures involved.

Uniforms

Uniforms for all cross country team members must meet the following criteria:

1. School issued;

2. Singlets are identical; and

3. Pants may be of any length but must have identical color and markings.

It is recommended that visible undergarments be of an identical solid color. Bare midriff tops are not allowed during

competition. All uniforms must allow competitor’s numbers to be placed above the waist (front and back). Refer to the

NCAA Track and Field/ Cross Country Rule Book for additional details.

Radio, Television and Internet

The broadcast of any post season competition is governed by NAIA broadcast policies as printed in the NAIA Policy

Handbook. This includes audio broadcasts and video broadcasts through conventional outlets and new media avenues.

Each fee covers both men’s and women’s races for a given event.

RADIO TELEVISION WEB BLOGGING*

Commercial $150 $300/day (live or

delayed)

$75

Non-Commercial $100 $ 300/day (live or

delayed)

$50

*Web-blogging includes any form of live updates typed on the computer in a public forum where anyone with internet

has access.

TRAVEL HOUSING

All participating teams and individuals in an NAIA national championship event must stay at the designated hotel or

assigned properties on the approved host-site list of participating hotels for the duration of the championship in order to be

eligible for the event. An online portal has been created to book hotel rooms for the 2018 National Cross Country

Championships in Vancouver. Do not book rooms outside of this portal. The link can be found on the Potential Qualifier

Packet webpage.

TRANSPORTATION Travel arrangements to and from the site of the competition shall be made by the participating institutions. All travel

expenses incurred to attend the men’s and women’s cross country championships shall be the financial responsibility of the

institution.

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Shorts Travel Management The Official Travel Bureau of the NAIA is Short’s Travel Management. Please visit

http://www.shorts.travel.com/NAIAchamps to upload team rosters and contact information, then call Short’s Travel at

844-619-7044 to book your travel arrangements.

Short’s Travel Management can also be used for regular season travel planning.

National car rental

National Car Rental/Enterprise Rent-a-Car is offering special rates for the NAIA National Championship. Teams will be

able to access these special rates by providing the special NAIA contract ID #: XZ05146.

Master’s transportation

Master's Transportation is the official provider of all shuttles/buses for your sales, lease and rental needs. Please

contact Matthew Winston at (816) 651-7121 or [email protected] for more information.

Sunday Play Policy As a matter of policy, NAIA national qualifying and national championship competition will not be scheduled on Sunday. See NAIA

Policy Handbook, National Administrative Council, Article XXIII for additional information.

NAIA Policy Handbook Information The NAIA POLICY HANDBOOK can be found at here. Please refer directly to the NAIA policy handbook for the following:

Competition:

A. Declaration of Intent to Participate – Bylaws, Article I, Section L B. Frequency of Play and Scheduling – Bylaws, Article I, Section F

C. Criteria for Countable Contests – National Administrative Council, Article XXV, Section A, Item 12 D. Reporting Results – National Administrative Council, Article XXV, Section A E. Forfeits – National Administrative Council, Article XI F. Conduct in Competition Guidelines – National Administrative Council, Article IV G. Ejection Policy – Bylaws, Article VI Section B Item 7 H. Drug Testing and Reinstatement Procedures – Bylaws, Article VIII

Eligibility:

A. Definitions for Eligibility – Bylaws, Article V, Section B B. Eligibility Requirements – Bylaws, Article V, Section C C. Transfer Rules – Bylaws, Article V, Sections F-H D. Amateur Rules and Reinstatement – Bylaws, Article VII

Recruiting & Financial Aid:

A. Recruitment –Bylaws, Article II, Section D B. Campus Visitations and Tryouts of Prospective Students – Bylaws, Article II, Section C C. Financial Assistance – Bylaws, Article II, Section B D. Financial Aid Limits – Council of Presidents, Article XII

http://www.shorts.travel.com/NAIAchamps





DRUG TESTING Drug testing may be done at any randomly selected NAIA National Championship competition for performance enhancing drugs.

In accordance with the guidelines set forth by the National Drug Testing and Education Committee, the National Office will select

which championships will incorporate drug testing each year. Student-athletes may be tested before, during and/or after NAIA

National Championships.

For more information regarding championship drug testing, the National Administrative Council Drug Testing Policy Manual, the

safety of supplements and over-the-counter medications and resources to increase awareness on your campus, please visit –

www.naia.org/wellness

DRUG TESTING CONSENT FORM

Each academic year all eligible NAIA student-athletes must sign a Drug Testing Consent Form in which he or she consents to be

tested for the use of drugs prohibited by the NAIA Banned Substance List to participate in any NAIA National Championship

competitions. This consent form shall be administered by the institution.

To ensure all student-athletes participating in NAIA National Championship competitions have signed a consent form and such

form is on record with the institution, a representative of each institution participating in any NAIA National Championship

competition must sign an Official Certification of Student-Athlete Consent Form at check-in. An institution has not completely

checked in at a NAIA National Championship until this form is signed and submitted along with a copy of the institution’s official

postseason roster.

It is recommended that before the season begins that an institution has all student-athletes complete the form to minimize the

possibility of issues occurring when the postseason roster is submitted at a NAIA National Championship.

MEDICAL EXEMPTION FORM

The NAIA recognizes that some banned substances are used for legitimate medical purposes. Accordingly, the NAIA allows

exemptions to be made for those student-athletes with a documented medical history demonstrating the need for regular use of

such a drug. Exemptions may be granted for substances included in the following classes of banned drugs – Stimulants, anabolic

agents, beta blockers, diuretics, peptide hormones, anti-estrogens, and beta-2 agonists. Medical Exemption Form

http://www.naia.org/fls/27900/wellness-center/pdf/NATIONAL-ADMINISTRATIVE-COUNCIL-DRUG-TESTING-POLICY-MANUAL_20170719.pdf

http://www.naia.org/wellness

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vsvXn4ipH-aFVMbXgNMjaHAE9a0p65kKbnMkTp3efs441RTTzjd7luWR2-jbeCpd4UP2A99QBsWmmnXDwff-4nj3QzUQ03r5Xg9ZVBg6s4couf9KtTkNo2NuScoEeirCVkcGX6a3MVlIsNELpxicd8bZuENggTy_lR3i4DUncdjUCELgRPfSQsZBxIDgy8YM98Yel3P0KgFyambv5VoYTBUTEtr-GWhyPHsPDFNdJa1pjBNYFCS4GYKuzwGoFfWd&c=ty_XHlcband4O3DR1IZ_BC1lICsHQBRdoDbHeLOjYSeMqEVznFnUTQ==&ch=OjGm2gx5zxh-KqR1faF5vu3S8H3oHxmAVBxGQB21_G8CbWnAkWgf9g==

http://www.naia.org/pdf9/5441507.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=27900



NAIA Cross Country Ratings Manual 2018-19

GENERAL INFORMATION A. Overall philosophy: Sport ratings are the cornerstone for championship selection and seeding (excluding Baseball,

M/W Soccer, M/W Tennis) and overall NAIA publicity of their sports programs. The ratings process is a complex one

and every step is vital to the integrity and accuracy of all ratings. The NAIA National Office appreciates the knowledge

and time commitment put forth by all members of the ratings committee, conference oversight committee, national

oversight committee and conference commissioners. The entire ratings process is constructed by membership,

specifically the National Administrative Council (NAC). If a rater is interested in the process and wishes to make

changes, each sport Coaches’ Association has the authority to propose changes at their annual sport coaches’ business

meeting.

a. NEW: During the 2017 National Convention, the NAC established a 3-year sunset period on the bi-weekly

ratings calendar for all sports (excluding Football, M/W Soccer), which would end the sunset period after the

third year of implementation after the 2018-19 academic year. The Council’s rationale regarding their decision

is to give the process a fair amount of time to evaluate across the board and gather data. Currently, there is

no significant difference in the rankings and NAIA staff time is saved.

B. Frequency of Ratings: A bi-weekly conference and national rating will be conducted beginning with the preseason

poll. The NAIA releases a preseason rating on August 28. NAIA Cross Country ratings are conducted on a bi-weekly

basis beginning on September 18. The “final” rating (AFTER affiliated conference/group national qualifying

tournaments) used for seeding and/or at-large selection will still be referred to as the final rating; and the post-

championship rating will be referred to as the postseason rating. The postseason rating will be the order of finish from

the national championship meet.

C. Dates of Ratings:

Preseason August 29th

Poll 1 September 19th

Poll 2 October 3rd

Poll 3 October 10th

Poll 4 October 24h

Final November 6th (Tuesday)

Postseason November 22rd (Thursday)

D. Ongoing Bi-Weekly Ratings Deadlines || Weekly Rating Schedule:

By Monday Noon (CDT) Submit conference/group ratings using SIDHelp

(www.naiasports.org/admin).

Monday 4:01 p.m.

(CDT)

National voting open in SIDHelp (www.naiasports.org/admin).

Tuesday Noon (CDT) National ballots due in SIDHelp (www.naiasports.org/admin).

Tuesday Noon to 5

p.m. (CDT)

National Oversight reviews grid.

Wednesday 8 a.m. to

Noon (CDT)

Raters available for rationale requests - raters should have

access to their email during this time. If raters are unable to

access e-mail, they must notify the national office prior to

submitting conference/A.I.I./unaffiliated group ratings.

Wednesday 5 p.m.

(CDT)

Release of national rating on-line at www.NAIA.org.

A. Total Number of Raters: Men’s and Women’s cross country have separate committees. The rating committee is

comprised of 21 raters. Each rater is expected to submit both the conference/group and national ballots. Each

affiliated conference/unaffiliated group and the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) have one rater.

http://naiasports.org/admin/



http://www.naia.org/



B. The ratings are compiled from the balloting of each of the two 21-member rating committee.

C. Three conference calls will be conducted during the season to exchange information. All calls will be at 12:30 p.m.

(CDT). Dates of these calls and more information will be sent by the NAIA National Office.

D. Although this is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended by the Cross Country Coaches Association that each week

the conference/group cross country rating committees collect competition results for the week and then convene via

conference call each Monday for a consensus rating of their respective areas.

E. There is a mandatory preseason (educational) conference call and webinar. Each rater must have computer access

during this call. The national office will facilitate this training session and review SIDHelp during this call and computer

access is mandatory. Instructions and the date will be sent to all raters at least one week prior to the call.

F. If the conference/group rater cannot participate on a scheduled ratings conference call (either during the season or

the preseason webinar) they must do one of the following:

a. Provide a written conference/group report to the NAIA National Office prior to the conference call or

b. Find a replacement from their conference/group oversight committee to represent the group on the call.

i. If neither of those 2 items occurs, then no teams in that specific conference/group are eligible for

ratings that week and the rater is penalized for not participating on the conference call.

G. The weekly ratings national grid (a spreadsheet that shows the top 30 rating and votes from each national rater) will

be sent to all national raters after the weekly rating is posted on-line and released to the media. The information

included in this grid is confidential and raters must not share this grid with anyone.

1. If the grid is shared via any electronic means by the rater, that rater is removed from their position for the rest

of the year.

H. Coaches are permitted to send information to their respective conference/group rater only. If, as a rater, you are

receiving correspondence from coaches outside your conference/group, please contact the NAIA National Office.

I. If information is inaccurate on any conference/group/national rating, here is the process for any school administrator

to take:

2. For incorrect information on the conference/group rating (such as win-loss record; scores), contact the

respective rater.

3. For incorrect information on the national rating, contact both the respective rater and the NAIA National Office.

4. For concerns regarding the conference/group rating, contact the respective rater and the conference/group

commissioner.

5. For concerns regarding the national rating, contact your rater, a National Oversight Committee member and

the NAIA National Office.

J. Any questions regarding information in this manual should be directed to the NAIA National Office.

B. RATINGS POLICIES & PROCEDURES A. Both the conference/group and national ballots need to be submitted in SIDHelp (http://www.naiasports.org/admin/)

by their appropriate deadlines.

B. Each rater submits their conference/group rating, which is then used by all national raters to compile a Top 30 national

ballot.

C. Raters can rate any team on their conference/group ballot and any number of teams that merit top-30 national rating

consideration. Teams not listed in a conference/group ballot are ineligible for that rating. Here is recommended ratings

criteria, created by the NAC:

1. If a sport-specific ratings committee does not have established group and national ratings criteria that has

been approved by the NAC, then the NAC recommends that each sport ratings group uses the following (non-

weighted) criteria when compiling both conference/group and national ratings:

a. Overall win-loss record

b. Head-to-head results (with most recent result taking precedence)

c. Win-loss record vs. common opponents

d. Win-loss record vs. nationally-rated teams

e. Strength of schedule (based on the NAC-approved strength of schedule component per sport)

D. Raters are allowed one tie of only two teams at any position in their conference/group rating.

E. Raters are not allowed any ties to their conference/group rating in the final rating. You must use the tie-breaking

criteria, found in Section J, for the final rating and breaking ties.

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F. When a rater submits a tie in any conference/group rating, the rater is required to submit rationale pertaining to those

ties. That rationale is a programming requirement in SIDHelp.

G. Conference/group ratings and national ratings received after the deadline will not be included in the officially published

Top 25 rating.

H. In order for any team to be eligible for ratings, all contest results must be reported by that institution to the NAIA

Scoreboard (www.naiasports.org/admin/) within 24 hours of completion. Institutions failing to report results for two

consecutive weeks, or four total weeks during the season will not be eligible for ratings for the remainder of the

season.

I. Campaigning for ratings votes for one’s own team shall be considered inappropriate and unethical. Campaigning shall

be construed as using fax, mail, e-mail or telephone to contact a coach or group of coaches to solicit support for one’s

team or players. Organized public relations campaigns dedicated to that same end shall also be deemed unethical.

J. NEW for 2018-19: For the postseason poll, each rater is expected to consider the entire season for each team and not just take into account postseason play.

K. Follow this step-by-step process on a bi-weekly basis (see deadlines in Section A):

1. Conference/Group Oversight submission: Prior to conference/group rating submission deadline, the rater is

required to share their conference/group rating with their Conference Oversight Committee for review. This must

occur prior to official submission of conference/group rating in SIDHelp.

2. Conference/Group rating submission: Submission of the conference/group rating is done in SIDHelp


a. Raters are allowed to make an unlimited amount of changes to the conference/group rating in SIDHelp

prior to the submission deadline. You can save your work in SIDHelp and come back to make changes

prior to the deadline.

b. Conference/group ballots received after the deadline will not be included in rating.

c. The following information must be included for every team on the conference/group rating:

i. Team’s overall win/loss/tie record

ii. Result of each contest for the rating period – win/loss and the score

iii. Site and opponent

iv. National rank of opponent (including non-NAIA opponents)

v. Opponent affiliation, if not an NAIA member institution (NCAA DI, DII, DIII, NCCAA, Other)

vi. Team’s national rating in the previous week’s national poll.

3. Top 30 national rating submission: Submission of the Top 30 national rating is done in SIDHelp


a. Raters must vote in rank order specified by each conference/group rater (i.e. the #2-rated team in a

conference/group rating cannot be ranked higher than the #1 team in that same conference/group on any

national ballot).

b. No ties are allowed on national ballots.

c. In the event of a tie on the conference/group rating, the national rater has a choice to rate that tied team

on the national ballot in the order they deem appropriate, provided the tied teams follow the overall

conference/group order. Here is an example: Team A and Team B are tied at #2 from a conference rating.

The national rater can choose to rate Team B ahead or behind Team A on their national rating, provided

Teams A and B are listed after the #1 team from that conference.

d. Raters have one chance to save and submit their national rating in SIDHelp. They are not allowed to save

their work half-way through submission to come back to it. It is encouraged to write out your Top 30 on

paper and then submit in SIDHelp.

e. National ratings received after the deadline will not be included in rating.

f. Prior to tabulating each weekly Top 30 rating by the national office, the highest and lowest ratings (a non-

rating is a low rating) for each team (including those receiving votes) will be removed and the rating will

be recalculated with a bonus rating point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted

ballots) that appear on the weekly tabulation. Non-submitted ballots and/or removed ballots are NOT

factored into the above tabulations (i.e. a non-submitted ballot cannot serve as a low rating).

g. Teams who receive only one point in the national ballot will not be listed in the “Receiving Votes” category

of the press release distributed to the public and posted on NAIA.org.

h. A rating will not be conducted if 50% of the raters do not submit a national ballot. Ratings that fail to

reach the 50% participation standard cannot be delayed or postponed.


http://www.naiasports.org/admin




4. National Rating Request for Rationale process: Raters are expected to be available via email and cell

phone during the communicated request for rationale timeline (see deadlines in Section A).

a. This step of the process will be done either via email or in SIDHelp and is sport specific.

b. The National Office will facilitate this step of the process, which includes the National Oversight

Committee.

c. If a member of National Oversight requests rationale from a rater, that rater is required to provide

detailed written explanation for those team(s) in which rationale is requested.

d. Any appeals and the final decision to remove a rater are handled by the National Oversight Committee.

e. See “National Oversight Committee” section for the entire National Oversight Committee process.

5. Removal of a rater is authorized when any combination of the following four (4) incidents occur three (3) times

during a ratings calendar year:

a. Failure to submit a conference/group OR national ballot.

b. Failure to respond to a National Oversight rationale request.

c. Failure to represent conference/group on a rating conference call – preseason webinar or regular-

season calls.

d. Removal of a conference/group or national rating ballot.

6. Standard protocol to follow when a rater/group is penalized and ultimately loses rating privileges:

a. First Offense: Warning letter (e-mail correspondence) sent to rater after first offense/incident (See

section above). Respective Conference/group commissioner and national oversight committee copied on

all correspondence.

b. Second Offense: Warning letter to rater after second offense/incident and the rater is informed that they

will lose their national rating privileges following a third offense/incident. The NAIA National Office

contacts conference/group commissioner for procedures in submitting conference/group ratings if the

affected group loses their rating privileges.

c. Third Offense: Rater is removed and conference/group loses national rating privileges after third

documented offense. Respective conference/group commissioners and national oversight committee

copied on all correspondence.

If a conference/group has its rater removed, that conference/group loses its rater voting privileges for the remainder of the

current ratings season. However, the conference/group must still submit a conference/group rating so that teams in the

conference/group can receive ratings votes from all other national raters.

SELECTION OF RATERS A. All raters are selected by their respective conference/group Commissioner. Each Commissioner is required to send both

rater and conference/group oversight committee contact information to the NAIA national office via NAIAHelp by Aug. 1

of each year. Each Commissioner establishes appropriate selection criteria and guidelines for their rater.

B. For the selection of a rater from an Unaffiliated Group, it is the responsibility of all Commissioners within that Group to

agree on one rater representing that Group.

C. It is strongly recommended for the rater to be a current NAIA head coach in that sport.

RATER EXPECTATIONS A. The NAIA expects every rater to have an unbiased and objective opinion as to conference/group status. Each rater is

expected to rate the top-30 teams in the nation, regardless of affiliation (conference/A.I.I./unaffiliated group).

B. The NAIA expects every rater to submit requested information by the designated deadlines. Any ratings submitted

after the deadline or submission of incomplete ratings will not be counted.

C. Raters are expected to submit both their conference/group and national ballots, according to the deadlines.

D. Share your conference/group rating with your Conference Oversight Committee prior to official submission in SIDHelp.

Each commissioner assigns the Conference Oversight Committee.

E. Raters will monitor teams in their weekly conference/group rating to make sure those teams are posting results and

updating their win/loss records within 24 hours after each scheduled contest. If the rater finds that a team is NOT

reporting scores/updating their record, they must contact the institution (Head Coach and Athletic Director) via email

and copy the Conference/Group Commissioner(s) and the NAIA National Office.

F. Encourage communication amongst coaches within their conference/group. However, it is unacceptable and unethical

for coaches to campaign for their school to another conference/group rater.

G. If a rater is unable to fulfill this commitment, the NAIA National Office must be notified immediately.



H. Raters are recommended to:

1. Attend the National Championship

2. Have consistent exposure to teams in several conferences

3. Have a willingness to serve

4. Have the support of the conference/independent sport chair

CONTESTS RESULTS & REPORTING PERIOD A. The ratings period follows the timeline of Monday through Sunday contests. In cases of bi-weekly ratings, all results

from Monday through Sunday of the following week will be considered for that rating period. (i.e. A rating occurs on

Tuesday, Nov. 18, contest results will be considered from Monday, Nov. 3 through Sunday, Nov. 16.)

B. In cases such as a long break (more than 1 week) between the preseason rating and the regular-season #1 rating, all

contests during that time frame will be considered. (e.g. in basketball, the preseason rating is Oct. 24 and the regular-

season #1 rating is Dec. 5. In that case, all contests from Monday, Oct. 23 through Sunday, Dec. 3 will be used for the

first regular-season rating).

C. In order for any team to be eligible for ratings, all contest results must be reported by that institution to the NAIA

Scoreboard (via naiasports.org/admin/) within 24 hours of completion. Institutions failing to report results for two

consecutive weeks, or four total weeks during the season will not be eligible for ratings for the remainder of the season.

This policy is a mandate by the NAC and listed in the NAIA official & policy handbook.

D. Raters and coaches should coordinate with your school administration (such as sports information personnel) to report

results using only one of the following methods. Reporting at more than one level can cause previously submitted

results to be overwritten.

1. School websites that use SIDHelp: Reporting here automatically reports to the conference scoreboard (if the

conference uses SID Help) and national scoreboard.

2. Conference Websites that use SIDHelp: reporting here automatically reports to the national scoreboard.

3. National SID Help website (www.naiasports.com/admin): report here only if neither the school nor the

conference uses SID Help.

NATIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE A. The NAIA National office will work with sport coaching officers to recruit and appoint National Oversight Committee

members. The National Oversight Committee will consist of three (3) members: 1. A member of NAC Postseason Selection & Ratings Committee. 2. Two coaches from appropriate sport with the following criteria:

a. One coach must have prior rating experience and can be an active or former coach still involved in the NAIA.

b. One coach must be a current officer in coaches’ association B. The NAC Postseason Selection & Ratings Committee liaison is an active member of each National Oversight Committee. C. National Oversight Committee will review each national rating grid prior to the official announcement of the rating. This

typically is a 2-4 hour process during each ratings period. D. Here is recommended criteria for the National Oversight Committee to consider when reviewing rationale:

1. Look for inconsistencies on an on-going weekly basis from a specific rater 2. Is there a concern about a rater(s) consistently ranking their conference/group higher/lower than the average? 3. Does the rater consistently consider the ranking criteria recommended by the NAC and apply that philosophy to

their rating? 4. Is there a clerical error by the rater where he/she unintentionally placed that team, or didn’t rate that team, in

error? 5. Is there value to request rationale, even when it is considered that the grid throws out the highest and lowest

(non-ranking) ballot? It’s important to make this differentiation and not get “nit-picky” about an outlier team because that vote is already thrown out in the tabulation of the grid.

E. Here is the process the National Oversight Committee takes when a request for rationale occurs on a national rating: 1. Upon completion of national ballot submission by all raters, the NAIA National Office will begin the process by

alerting National Oversight Committee the grid is ready to be viewed within the SIDHelp system. 2. At this point, there are two processes, dependent upon the sport. The process will be determined during the

preseason webinar. For those sports where we use the traditional email method, use the following steps. If you don’t use the “email” method, but instead the automated SIDHelp process, move to section (c).




a. Each member of the National Oversight Committee e-mails their vote (approval/denial). If they do not approve of the grid, the Oversight member is required to do the following in an email to the National Office: name of rater, conference, teams and reasons for needing rationale.

b. If written rationale is requested for the rater, then the rater(s) in question is required to email the entire Oversight Committee, and copy NAIA National Office, with their rationale in explicit detail.

c. The Oversight Committee will then either accept that rationale by majority decision (2-of-3 members need to accept), and if that occurs, the process is complete. If 2-of-3 members reject that rationale, then the rater is asked to provide further clarification.

d. The process continues until one of the following occurs: the Committee is satisfied with the rationale, or the ballot is removed (only after 2nd occurrence of rejected rationale) due to the rater not willing to change their rationale/ballot..

3. For those sports where we use the automated SIDHelp process, use the following steps. a. National Oversight Committee will log into the SIDHelp system (naiasports.org/admin) and review the

master grid within SIDHelp. 1. Note: National Oversight Committee members must create a SIDHelp account and request

certain access. Do this at least 48 hours prior to the first ratings period. b. After viewing the grid, select the link to “view who voted for the week”. c. If rationale is needed for a specific rater’s ballot, click the “submit rationale request” button located

next to their name in the system. This will open a dialog box where you can write the specific items that you need additional information on from the rater.

d. Once your rationale request is submitted, an automatic email will be sent to the email address linked to the rater’s SIDHelp account. Additionally, the other oversight members linked to that specific sport will receive an automated email letting them know that rationale has been requested.

e. The rater will log into the system and provide their rationale. Once a response is received by the national oversight committee, they will review and vote to accept or deny.

1. Note – a majority vote (2-out-of-3) by the oversight committee to accept will close the rationale dialog.

f. Steps three through five above will be repeated until the rationale process is complete. F. If a rater does not provide written rationale prior to the deadline, the penalty system is as follows:

1. 1st instance – written warning (ballot is still included in that week’s rating) 2. 2nd instance – rater(s) ballot is removed for that week 3. In each of the two instances, the NAIA National Office copies all parties (rater, national oversight,

conference/group Commissioners). a. NOTE: National Oversight Committee members have the ability to remove the national ballot in ONLY

the final regular-season rating, if rationale is not provided by rater or rationale is not accepted by majority of national oversight. This ballot removal may occur during the first instance of the penalty system (ie, ballot removal doesn’t have to wait until the second instance during final regular-season rating).

G. No email vote or email communication from a National Oversight Committee member for a two-week period constitutes NAIA National Office contact. National Oversight Committee members are held to the same guidelines as conference/group/national raters in terms of completing their weekly responsibilities.

H. National Oversight Committee has the authority to remove a rater’s ballot if the ballot is deemed to jeopardize the integrity of the rating. Removal of ballot must be approved by at least two National Oversight Committee members. In the event of the removal of a ballot, the rater, Conference/Group Commissioner(s), NAIA National Office and all Oversight Committee members will be notified.

RATINGS GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE A. Conference/Group Oversight Committee is responsible for monitoring conference/group weekly rating.

B. Rater-to-Rater grievances are facilitated through the NAIA National Office with National Oversight Committee serving as

a resource.

C. Appeals are processed through NAC Ratings & Postseason Selection Committee.

D. Here is the process to take for a rater to submit a grievance:

1. email the NAIA National Office your grievance within the constructed timeline

2. the NAIA National Office will work with National Oversight to process the grievance

FINAL RATING/SEEDING RATING INFORMATION A. The final rating occurs after the completion of the specific sport qualifying conference/group tournaments.

B. Results of every contest (including affiliated conference/group qualifying tournaments) up to submission of final

Conference/group rating are included for the final rating



C. The final rating is used to determine the national championship tournament at-large qualifying teams in all sports (with

the exception of baseball, men’s and women’s tennis, and men’s and women’s soccer which uses a modified RPI rating

or selection committee).

D. The NAC has mandated all sports to follow the established final rating calendar.

E. Tie-breaking criteria is required to be used for all final ratings and stops at any time the tie(s) is broken. This criteria

should be used by all conference/group raters to determine the order to list tied teams in any weekly Conference/group

rating. NOTE – Listing of tied teams is NOT alphabetical…the tie-breaking criteria MUST be used to determine order of

tied teams in the conference/group rating. The following criteria will be used to break ties in the final rating for all

sports:

1. Head-to-head result between tied teams. If still tied (one win/one loss) go to second criteria

2. Win/Loss percentage vs. common opponents

3. Accumulated ratings points in the previous four ratings grids (not including current weekly grid).

4. Calculate differential between highest/lowest rating after displacement (removing high/low ratings) for both

teams. Team with smaller differential is rated above team with larger differential.

5. Vote of National Oversight Committee.

F. In addition to serving as the selection mechanism for at-large team qualification, the final rating (with the exception of

baseball, men’s and women’s tennis, and men’s and women’s soccer which uses a modified RPI rating or selection

committee) ) will also serve as the mechanism to seed the national championship tournament field. National

championship qualifying teams that are not rated in the final rating will be seeded at the discretion of the Seeding &

Bracketing Committee in each sport. Based upon additional seeding/bracketing criteria in each sport, the seeding rating

may not always mirror the final rating.

CONFERENCE COMMISSIONER EXPECTATIONS A. You must have an account in SIDHelp (www.naiasports.org/admin) since that is the only location for you to view the

details and comments of all conference/group ratings (see instructions below on how to access SIDHelp) of all conferences.

B. Designate a three-person conference/group oversight committee to monitor their weekly ratings. The commissioners

must provide names and contact information for their respective conference/group oversight committee members to the

national office and submit in NAIAHelp prior to Aug. 1 each year. If a conference/group does not have a designated

oversight committee in place, they will not be able to submit conference/group and national top-30 ratings.

C. Submit your sport rater representative (current head coach) for all sports your conference sponsors. This assignment is done by you in NAIAHelp prior to Aug. 1 each year.

D. For the selection of a rater from an Unaffiliated Group, it is the responsibility of all Commissioners within that Group to

agree on one rater representing that Group.

E. Remind all of your sport raters about their mandatory attendance at the preseason instructional webinar and the in-season conference calls. Failure to attend these by your rater (or assign a fill-in for that webinar) will result in a strike.

F. Each Commissioner will get an email (generated automatically from SIDHelp) that is sent two-hours PRIOR to any sport

conference/group rating deadline. This action is a friendly reminder to the Commissioner that your conference/group

rating has not been submitted and there is two hours remaining to submit.

G. Each Commissioner has the opportunity to submit a conference/group rating on behalf of your rater. This submission must

be done in SIDHelp prior to the scheduled deadlines.

H. It is your choice to access and view any conference/group ratings. Here are instructions on how to access all

conference/group ratings:

1. Between 12:01 p.m. CST and 2 p.m. CST every Monday that a rating is conducted – Log in to SIDHelp admin (www.naiasports.org/admin) – many of you may need to click there and create a username and password to get started. Once you sign-up, give the national office 24 hours to provide appropriate access.

2. Click on “View conference ratings” under “Conference ratings” headline 3. Keep “all conferences” on your first dropdown menu. 4. On dropdown menus, choose your sport, date (should default to current week) 5. Suggestion is to NOT check the boxes on right side so that you can view all comments from raters and the

results

GLOSSARY A. Frequently Used Terms





1. Conference Oversight Committee = a committee, created by each Conference Commissioner, to review,

analyze and approve each conference/group rating prior to official submission in SIDHelp.

2. Final Rating = the rating that occurs after all qualifying conference/group tournaments. This rating determines

the at-large championship qualifiers and championship seeding for a variety of sports (excluding Baseball,

Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Tennis and Women’s Tennis as these sports use a National Selection

Committee).

3. NAC = National Administrative Council. A membership group comprised of athletic administrators representing

all of the conferences. This Council has the authority to oversee all policies and procedures related to ratings.

4. National grid = a spreadsheet that shows the national rating and votes from each national rater. This is not to

be shared with anyone.

5. National Oversight Committee = a committee, comprised of a NAC member, a former rater and current head

coach/officer, with a mission to review, analyze and approve each national rating prior to official

announcement.

6. Postseason Rating = the rating that occurs after the sport National Championship. The national champion team

will be the #1-ranked team in the national rating.

7. SIDHelp = database where all conference/group and national ratings are submitted. The website is

www.naiasports.org/admin.

Questions Regarding Rating Procedures: Any questions regarding ratings procedures (SIDHelp, log-in access,

etc.) should be directed to the NAIA Director of Atheltic Communications & Media, Brad Cygan [email protected]

AWARDS RUNNER OF THE WEEK

Conference/Independent/Unaffiliated Runner of the Week

There is conference recognition of outstanding performances on select dates. Nominations for

Conference/Independent/Unaffiliated Runner of the Week must be submitted to the NAIA Department of Sports

Information by 5:00 p.m. (CST) Tuesdays (during the honors calendar) by the conference sports information director or

his/her designated representative. Conference/Independent/Unaffiliated Runners of the Week are considered for National

Runner of the Week honors. All nominations must be submitted via the SIDHelp admin website

(www.naiasports.org/admin), in the “Player of the Week” section.

National Runner of the Week

There is weekly recognition of outstanding performances at the national level. Honorees are selected from

Conference/Independent/Unaffiliated Runners of the Week. Honorees are released by 5:00 p.m. (CST) on Wednesdays

during the season.

Honorees are selected by the NAIA Department of Sports Information and a national voting committee. Nominations must

be made by the conference/independent information director, or their designated representative. The National Office

will NOT accept nominations from anyone but the conference/independent information director or their

designated representative. Conferences/All groupings may nominate only one athlete weekly for national consideration.

ALL-AMERICA The top 30 individual finishers at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships earn All-America status.

DAKTRONICS-NAIA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE

Criteria:

• Nominee is junior or above in academic standing.

• Nominee has been in attendance at the nominating institution two full academic years as a non-transfer student or a

minimum of one full academic year as a transfer student.

• Nominee has a minimum grade point average of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of the nomination deadline (for

transfer students the GPA is only at current NAIA institution).




• Nominee has been certified as eligible and is listed on the eligibility certificate submitted to conference eligibility chair.

• Nomination form is complete and submitted through SIDHelp.

• All the above information is to be received by November 1 to be eligible for national press release/website, certificate

and honors database. All criteria must be met by this date.

NOTE: There are no statistical/playing requirements needed to receive this award.

Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete nominations will continue to be filled out via the SIDHelp admin website at

www.naiasports.org/admin. You must have an account in order to fill out nomination forms as the forms are no

longer available through coaches’ manuals. SIDHelp is the only way to nominate student-athletes as a

Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete. If you don’t have an account, please sign up and create your own. Your access will

be granted (usually) within 24 hours.

Nominations will be processed entirely electronically. In order to complete a nomination, the student-athlete must have

approved and signed a release of their cumulative grade point average for nominating purposes. If you or your sports

information office does not have a signed release form from the nominated student-athlete on file, a blank document

(PDF) will be available for download. This release form does not need to be turned into the NAIA National Office. You are

asked to retain it for your institutional records. The administrator nominating the student-athlete will sign electronically.

To be eligible for listing on website, honors database or receive a certificate, forms MUST BE SUBMITTED BY November

1. Late nominations will be accepted through June 30th of each year, but will not be listed on the website, honors

database or receive a certificate.

NOMINATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED ELECTRONICALLY FOR CONSIDERATION. PAPER COPIES ARE NOT TO

BE SENT TO THE NAIA NATIONAL OFFICE VIA EMAIL, POSTAL MAIL OR FAX.

SCHOLAR TEAM In recognition of academic achievement, the NAIA names a Scholar Team for all sports in which Scholar-Athletes are

recognized. Based on a 3.0 season GPA on a 4.0 scale, all members of the team who appear on the eligibility certificate

will be included in the GPA compilation.

Online nomination form must be submitted by the institution’s registrar only. NAIA Scholar Team Award Form

COACH OF THE YEAR The NAIA-Cross Country Coaches Association recognizes conference/independent/unaffiliated and national cross country

coaches of the year for men and women.

Cross country coaches’ vote for conference/independent/unaffiliated coaches of the year by the conclusion of their

respective postseason championship meets. National Coach of the Year ballots are distributed prior to the national

championship and subsequently collected and counted by the 1st Vice President and Secretary of the NAIA-CCCA at the

conclusion of the national championship meet.

Conference/Independent/Unaffiliated and National Coaches of the Year are recognized at the Awards/Hall of Fame

Ceremonies during the national championships.

BUFFALO FUNDS FIVE STAR CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER INDIVIDUAL AWARD The Buffalo Funds Five Star Champions of Character Award is an annual award given at the end of each sport season. A single student-athlete is selected from participating teams at the National Championship.

Criteria: Documented display of exemplary character and sportsmanship on the field, on campus, and in the community that exemplify the core values of Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship and Servant Leadership.

Teams must be nominated by their institutions by November 1st.. Team Buffalo Funds Five Star Champions of Character

Team Award Form


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http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?&SPSID=824810&SPID=138908&DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=205503478



NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MEET AWARDS The NAIA maintains a standardized awards program for the national championship meet. National championship awards

are presented to the official parties (maximum eight) of the top four teams (men's and women's divisions). The top 30

competitors at the national meet will receive individual plaques. In addition, the NAIA recognizes the top four combined

programs (men and women) at the national championships.

The men’s and women’s national champion teams are each presented the traditional championship banner.

NATIONAL AWARDS Nomination details and forms for the following national award can be found on the NAIA Awards webpage.

• NAIA-CTSA “All That’s Right in Sport” Award

• Coach of Character Award

• Dr. Leroy Walker Character Award

• A.O. Duer Scholarship Award

• Wally Schwartz Award

• Charles Morris Award

• Hall of Fame

• Larry Lady Officiating Award

ORDERING AWARDS Conference/independent/unaffiliated awards are ordered by the Conference/Independent Commissioner or unaffiliated

representative and are the financial responsibility of the conference/independent/unaffiliated group or postseason host

institution.

Official NAIA awards MUST be ordered from:

Collegiate Awards, 18081 E. Trafficway St., Springfield, MO 65802

Contact: Matt Miller, [email protected], 417-873-9280

NAIA National Office Staff Awards Liaison – Kelli Briscoe – [email protected]






Coaches Association NAIA-CROSS COUNTRY COACHES ASSOCIATION

The NAIA-Cross Country Coaches Association (NAIA-CCCA) is an organization of collegiate cross country coaches at NAIA

institutions. The NAIA-CCCA meets annually and conducts its business meeting in conjunction with the USTFCCCA

Convention. The NAIA-CCCA is charged with the responsibility of carrying out programs beneficial to the sport of cross

country and the members of the NAIA-CCCA. The NAIA-CCCA elects officers (president, first vice president, second vice

president and secretary) who serve two-year terms and provide the leadership for the Association.

PAST PRESIDENTS

1956-

61

Ernie Goor, Omaha (Neb.) 1986-

88

Jim Crakes, Point Loma Nazarene (CA)

1961-

62

Alex Francis, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 1988-

90

Larry Maddox, Anderson (Ind.)

1962-

63

Dick Abbott, Western Illinois 1990-

92

Jack Hazen, Malone (Ohio)

1963-

65

Eldon Fix, Lewis & Clark (Ore.) 1992-

94

Diane Philipp, Hillsdale (Mich.)

1965-

67

Stan Wright, Texas Southern 1994-

96

Russell Smelley, Westmont (Calif.)

1967-

68

Pat O'Brien, Eastern Illinois 1996-

97

Brad Moore, Pacific Lutheran (Wash.)

1968-

69

Bruce Drummond, Western Illinois 1997-

99

Jim Helmer, Southwestern (Kan.)

1969-

70

Arnie Pelluer, Whitworth (Wash.) 2000-

01

Bob Willey, Rio Grande (Ohio)

1970-

73

Art Hutton, Central Washington 2001-

03

Kregg Einspahr, Concordia (Neb.)

1973-

76

George Glass, Taylor (Ind.) 2003-

05

John Foss, Indiana Wesleyan

1976-

78

Dave Suenram, Pittsburg (Kan.) 2005-

07

Tim Bauer, Siena Heights (Mich.)

1978-

80

David Noble, Angelo State (Tex.) 2007-

09

Ben Welch, Eastern Oregon

1980-

82

Jack Hazen, Malone (Ohio) 2009-

11

Mike Collins, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)

1982-

84

Dave Little, Black Hills State (S.D.) 2011-

13

Rod Wortley, Cornerstone (Mich.)

1984-

86

Dick Naylor, Hanover (Ind.) 2013-

15

Mike Rosolino, Embry Riddle

2015-

17

Brad Jenny, Doane University

NAIA-CCA VOTING

NAIA Coaches Associations must have a quorum (at least 50% of eligible voters) in order for a sport motion to be heard by

the National Administrative Council. All voting will be completed using an online process following the business meeting in

order to ensure all head coaches have an opportunity to vote. Motions will still be presented and discussed at the Annual

Business meeting. If desired, a “straw poll” can be taken by those present to determine if a motion will be opened for vote

to the full coaches association.

ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING & SPORT MOTIONS The annual business meeting for the NAIA-CCCA will take place in conjunction with the USTFCCCA Convention. The 2018

USTFCCCA Convention will be held December 18-20 in San Antonio, Texas. Refer to the CCCA Constitution and Bylaws for

the organization of the annual business meeting.

Coaches are able to submit sport motions to the NAIA sport manager prior to the annual business meeting. All sport

motions from the coaches’ body affecting the NAIA National Cross Country Championship will be distributed to all head

coaches 1 week prior to the annual business meeting.



2018-19 NAIA-CCCA STANDING COMMITTEES

OFFICERS

Two of a two year term

President: Heike McNeil Northwest Christian 541-359-8390 [email protected]

First Vice President: Eric Putnam Shawnee State 740-351-3280 [email protected]

Second Vice

President: Ryan Sommers Bethel (Ind.) 574-807-7076 [email protected]

Secretary: Nate Wolf Dordt 712-722-6427 [email protected]

Past President: Brad Jenny Doane 402-826-8656 [email protected]

COMMITTEES/LIASONS

Hall of Fame

Russ Smelley, Westmont College, Chair

Bob Willey, Rio Grande

Jury of Appeals (3 year terms)

Jim Simpson, Webber International (3rd year)

Dan Tomlin, St. Ambrose University (2nd year)

Lindsey Connolly, Westmont College (1st year)

National Championship Officials

Meet Committee: Officers of the NAIA-CCCA (see above)

NAC Liaison

Rob Cashell, Commissioner – Cascade Collegiate Conference












NAIA Cross Country Coaches Association Constitution

ARTICLE I - NAME Section 1 - The name of this association shall be the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Cross Country Coaches

Association (NAIA-CCCA).

ARTICLE II - ORGANIZATION Section 1 - The membership of this association is comprised of cross country coaches whose institutions are current

members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Coaches’ membership in NAIA-CCCA is an allied

association of the NAIA organization. The NAIA-CCCA is charged with the responsibility of carrying out programs beneficial

to the sport of cross country and the member coaches of this sport. The activities of this association shall be in accordance

with the aims and objectives of NAIA, and under the guidance of the NAIA-National Administrative Council.

Section 2 - The NAIA-CCCA shall submit to the NAIA-National Administrative Council, through the NAIA sport manager,

statements governing the NAIA-CCCA, plans and practices for approval, and in every way cooperate with the NAIA-National

Administrative Council in furthering the stated aims and objectives of this parent organization.

ARTICLE III - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Section 1 - The NAIA-CCCA shall supervise and conduct programs utilizing the guidance of the NAIA- National

Administrative Council, who will foster and promote interest and enthusiasm in cross country programs which will produce

international (Olympic and other foreign competition), national and affiliated conference recognition for teams, competitors

and coaches.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP Section 1 - Active membership in NAIA-CCCA shall be open to any cross country coach whose institution holds membership

within the NAIA.

ARTICLE V - BUDGET Section 1 - A portion of NAIA membership dues shall be assigned to the NAIA-CCCA to conduct its business. The NAIA-

CCCA shall submit an annual budget to the NAIA President/CEO by June 1 of each year.

ARTICLE VI - VOTING POWER Section 1 - Current membership in the NAIA-CCCA entitles the member to one vote in all democratic action held in open

assembly of the Association.

Section 2 - All NAIA-CCCA members shall be identified before being allowed to vote. Non-members may attend the

meeting but may not vote.

Section 3 - Coaches of men's and women's teams are to vote on all matters pertaining to their respective teams only. The

president of the NAIA-CCCA shall decide in all questionable situations which group will vote.

ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS Section 1 - Officers shall be elected from the active membership of the Association at the annual meeting as follows:

president, first vice president, second vice president and secretary. Such elected officers shall be from institutions which

are in good standing in the NAIA and must be members of the NAIA-CCCA.

Section 2 - Term of office of the president, first vice president, second vice president and secretary shall be for two years.

Section 3 - The progression in office shall be from secretary to second vice president to first vice president to president.

Each office is to be held for two years, from one NAIA-CCCA annual meeting to the next annual meeting. In the event a

vacancy occurs, the normal progression from secretary to president shall be accelerated to fill the vacant office. The NAIA-

CCCA Executive Committee is empowered to appoint officers from the membership-at-large to fill the remaining position.

Such appointee shall not succeed in the normal progression of offices unless duly elected by the membership in the next

annual NAIA-CCCA meeting.



Section 4 - The nominating committee shall consist of a chairperson and two or more additional members. The

chairperson shall be the immediate past president. The additional members (two or more) shall be selected from the past

presidents. In addition to nominations from the nominating committee, nominations for office may be accepted from the

floor. A candidate for the office of secretary shall be determined by the highest number of votes. The election shall be

under the direction of the chairperson of the nominating committee.

Section 5 - The meet committee shall consist of the officers of the NAIA-CCCA.

ARTICLE VIII - DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS Section 1 - The duties of the president are to afford leadership and guidance to the NAIA-CCCA through all possible

channels and to direct efforts specifically to conducting general meetings and committee meetings. The president is an ex-

officio member of all appointed and standing committees of the Association.

The individual serving in the role of President for the NAIA-CCCA during the 2021-22 academic year will also be a

member of the Council for Student-Athletes (CSA). This role on the CSA is a two year responsibility. For this two

year term, the individual must be the coach of a men’s cross country program. If the President of the NAIA-CCCA

does not coach men’s cross country, the next available officer who fits this criteria will serve on the CSA. If no

officers fit the criteria, the NAIA-CCCA President will appoint a men’s cross country coach to fill this spot on the

CSA.

Section 2 - The duties of the first vice president are to assume the leadership at all meetings unattended by the president.

Section 3 - The second vice president assumes the leadership designated to the president or first vice president in the

event neither is available to perform their required duties.

Section 4 - The secretary shall make an annual report to the NAIA-CCCA membership, taking the minutes at all meetings,

supervise the Association correspondence, and perform other duties pertinent to his/her office.

Section 5 - The past president shall serve on the executive committee of the NAIA-CCCA and act as a consultant to the

president. The past president acts as the chairperson of the nominating committee.

ARTICLE IX - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Section 1 - The executive committee of the NAIA-CCCA is composed of the officers of the Association and the immediate

past president.

ARTICLE X - MEETINGS

Section 1 - The annual business meetings of the Association will be held in conjunction with the USATFCCCA at the time

and place designated by the executive committee of the NAIA-CCCA.

Section 2 - An annual clinic may be held in conjunction with the NAIA Cross Country National Championships at a time and

place designated by the executive committee of the NAIA-CCCA.

Section 3 - NAIA Coaches Associations must have a quorum (at least 50% of eligible voters) in order for a sport motion to

be heard by the National Administrative Council. All voting will be completed using an online process following the business

meeting in order to ensure all head coaches have an opportunity to vote. Motions will still be presented and discussed at

the Annual Business meeting. If desired, a “straw poll” can be taken by those present to determine if a motion will be

opened for vote to the full coaches association.

Section 4 - Usual order of business at the open business meetings shall be as follows:

1. Reading of minutes

2. Reports of officers

3. Committee reports

4. Old business

5. New business (all new business must be submitted in writing to the president prior to the business meeting)

6. Adjournment



Section 5 - All sport motions from the coaches’ body affecting the NAIA National Cross Country Championship will be

distributed to all head coaches 2 weeks prior to the annual business meeting.

ARTICLE XI - CONSTITUTION CHANGE Section 1 - A proposed constitutional amendment shall be presented, in writing, to the president of the NAIA-CCCA. The

president must see that the proposal is presented to the membership at the next annual meeting. The amendment must

win two-thirds vote of approval by current members of the NAIA-CCCA present at the annual business meeting before

amending of the constitution will occur. All changes of the constitution must have approval of the NAIA National

Administrative Council.

ARTICLE XII - STANDING COMMITTEES Section 1 - The president of the NAIA-CCCA is empowered to appoint committees which will assist in programs designed to

produce international or national recognition for teams, competitors and coaches. The president also is encouraged to

appoint competent NAIA-CCCA members, who shall assist in any and all ways to foster the aims and objectives of NAIA as

they related to the sport of cross country, the participants, the coaches, the spectators and the institutions represented by

these groups.

Section 2 - Ad-hoc committees shall be appointed by the president.

Section 3 - Rating Committee:

The chairperson of this committee shall be elected by the committee at the annual rating committee meeting. For each

gender, there will be one rater per conference/independent/ unaffiliated group. Each group will retain its rater even if it

drops below the sponsorship threshold, in order to retain representation for potential at-large qualifiers.

Section 4 - Hall of Fame Committee:

The chairperson and committee members of this committee are appointed by the president and executive committee of the

NAIA-CCCA. Their function is to recommend and screen desirable candidates for the NAIA Hall of Fame.

Section 5 - Jury of Appeals:

The jury of appeals shall consist of three NAIA-CCCA members whose sole function is to be final authority on any referee's

decision that is appealed. Each member shall serve three years with one being added and one exiting each year.

Revisions:

January 1974

November 1985

August 2005

August 2006

August 2008

August 2011

August 2015



Statement of Philosophy

NAIA Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Associations

The purpose of the NAIA is to promote the education and development of students through intercollegiate athletic participation. Member

institutions, although varied and diverse, share a common commitment to high standards and to the principle that participation in athletics serves

as an integral part of the total educational process (NAIA Official Handbook, Section A).

The NAIA Official Handbook begins with the opening statement of philosophy above and follows in Section B with the NAIA Coaches Code and in

Section C with the Code of Ethics. Those codes of conduct will follow some more specific concerns for NAIA Track & Field and Cross Country

coaches and our relationship together within our sports, the NAIA and the various organizations around the country.

NAIA Track & Field and Cross Country coaches have enjoyed a unique camaraderie nationwide which has allowed us to have outstanding

National Championships and long-term personal friendships. Competition has been something we have been able to enjoy together without

having to elevate or diminish the accomplishments of fellow coaches. This camaraderie makes the National Championships a highlight of the

academic and athletic year.

With the success we have enjoyed as an NAIA Coaches Association in regards to the conduct of National Championship competitions and the

governing of our sports, we must nevertheless continue to remind ourselves and educate new coaches about the responsibilities and duties of

being an NAIA coach. It requires the work of many coaches each year to conduct the business of Track & Field and Cross Country and the

National Championships. Many are elected to positions, but many are volunteers in the system who give of their time and energy to make our

tremendous organization thrive as it does.

Therefore, we as coaches need to be governed, individually and corporately, by a philosophy of competition which surpasses our individual

interests. The desire to serve, along with a commitment to involvement nationally, aids each of us in avoiding provincial thinking and actions.

We need to look out for the best interests of our sports with progressive ideas that improve each sport as a whole. To promote our sports and to

maintain them in a healthy manner takes vigilance, foresight, cooperation and a willingness to set aside the ever-present desire to protect or

promote a personal agenda or provincial idea. To this end, we should continue to promote a strong philosophy that helps us set aside our

differences and personal desires in order to maintain the long term viability and health of our sports.

Some suggestions for promoting a philosophy and individual responsibility follow:

1. Attend annual national meetings and become an active participant.

2. Volunteer to assist in the conduct of the national meets.

3. Support the Hall of Fame, the NAIA’s highest honor, with nominations and attendance at the annual Hall of Fame awards

ceremonies.

4. Promote ideas and legislation that can spark debate about how our sports might be improved.

5. Be willing to support higher standards that uphold the significance of achievement at the national level.

6. Learn about how the NAIA is organized and governed from the sports level through administration.

7. Seek first to pose questions rather than to level criticism at your peers or administrators of the NAIA or national events.

8. Conduct ourselves in a professional manner which reflects respect for individual dignity.

9. To make no immodest effort to promote an agenda which ignores the national best interests of the sport.

10. Become a member of the United States Track Coaches Association and maintain communication and positive relationships with

NCAA, NJCAA and high school coaches.

As we continue to work together in a profession that promotes the development of Character and achievement, we can have a great and positive

effect nationally. As Track & Field and Cross Country coaches we have tremendous opportunities to influence and promote the leaders of

tomorrow. Whether an athlete earns the valued distinction of All-American or not, they should have captured a greater vision of the possibilities

for their lives by their participation at any level within our sport. Coaching is about more than winning the competition, it involves our assistance

in helping students win in their lives. We can and should help one another to achieve this goal for as many students as possible.

Submitted by Ad Hoc Committee on Status of NAIA Track and Field Coaches Association, Russell Smelley (Westmont College), Chair.

cross country coaches manual

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