Sarah Weaver
Staff Writer

In a recent decision, the NCAA has allowed Division III football programs including the University of La Verne’s, to play a “nontraditional” season for the first time this year.

The team is allowed to meet under the guidance of coaches for up to six hours a week and no more than two hours a session. In previous years, the NCAA prohibited any form of structured practice with coaches or footballs.

The change boiled down to a fairness issue for the football program.

“If we allow a soccer player to kick a soccer ball then we should give a football player the same opportunity,” athletic director Christopher Ragsdale said.

Due to this amendment change in the bylaws the team is allowed to meet during the spring semester rather than meeting in August, two and a half weeks before the first game.

Under these new guidelines the teams practice is limited to passing, catching and kicking related drills and the use of helmets, pads, blocking sleds or any other form of sport-related equipment is prohibited.

“Now we can use the football and practice rather than us watching each other run around,” senior free safety Gabe Segovia said.

Some of the worries over implementing spring ball were that it would affect the athlete’s academics or limit them to the number of sports they could participate in. There would also be a higher demand on staff and would pose a safety issue for the athletes. The rationale of the NCAA is that with the specific equipment limited and very little physical contact the possibility of injury is minimized. The football athlete should have the same opportunities in the nontraditional segment as other students in different sports.

“I fully supported the legislation,” Ragsdale said.

La Verne’s coaching staff along with the players can see nothing bad coming from this new legislation.

“I think it’s great that the NCAA implemented spring practice but more importantly, spring contact with our athletes,” head coach Don Morel said. “I completely believe that it’s good for our players to be around me and our coaching staff.”

Another guideline for the team is that workouts cannot be scheduled at any times that conflict with class time.

“That’s why you’ll find our team practicing at some God awful time in the morning,” Ragsdale said.

The football team meets at 6 a.m. twice a week to stay within the NCAA bylaws. Almost the entire team makes it to each practice.

“There are 50 very committed returnees that care about the sport,” Morel said. “I am thrilled with our participation this spring, its built excitement for the football season.

None of the players are complaining about the early practice time.

“It’s the perfect time early before classes start,” Segovia said.

“It shows how committed we are,” sophomore quarterback Brian Guerrero said. “We have a good team effort.”

Spring ball is uniting these individual players as a team.

“It will most definitely be a huge improvement,” Segovia said. “We’re building trust with the players and the coaching staff.”

The nontraditional season is helping the first year football players to get to know the other players and how ULV football works.

“I am very sensitive to the 17 or 18 year old freshman coming in and not knowing anyone,” Ragsdale said. “Having a group to identify with is very important in the first semester.”

“The new guys are getting an idea of what to expect next year,” Guerrero said.

Overall, the players feel that spring ball is going extremely well and have high expectations for next season.

“The team is very productive, we are way ahead of schedule,” junior running back Mike Anello said. “We have great team chemistry.”

Morel is extremely confident in his football players and feels they are physically stronger and a much better football team.

If the motivation and optimistic attitude of the coaching staff along with the players are any indication of the upcoming season, La Verne is in for a treat. Maybe spring ball is what ULV football needed to get back on track.

Sarah Weaver can be reached at sarahulv@hotmail.com.