NCAA green lights on-campus training for football, basketball

The NCAA has good news for college football and basketball players who have been sidelined like so many due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Division I student-athletes for both sports have been given the green light to participate in on-campus voluntary athletics activities starting June 1 as long as local, state and federal regulations are followed, the organization decided in a virtual meeting on Wednesday.

The Division I Council also extended its blanket waiver that allows teams to require eight hours per week of virtual nonphysical activities through the end of June for students who aren't able to return to campus just yet.

“We encourage each school to use its discretion to make the best decisions possible for football and basketball student-athletes within the appropriate resocialization framework,” Council chair M. Grace Calhoun said in a press release. “Allowing for voluntary athletics activity acknowledges that reopening our campuses will be an individual decision but should be based on advice from medical experts.”

Coaches are not allowed to be present unless a sport-specific safety exception allows it, and activity cannot be directed by a coach or reported back to a coach.

A decision for other sports and activities is expected to be made soon.

The Council also recognized that each student-athletes' circumstance varies and "remains committed to providing appropriate flexibility to support students, schools and conferences during these challenging times."