Skip To Main Content

William & Mary Athletics

Playing Seasons

Table of Contents

The NCAA has set limits on the length of the playing and practice season to include daily and weekly hour limits for athletically related activities. Outside of the playing season, there are also established limits for permissible athletically related activities. Although exact guidelines are sport specific, the general limits during the declared playing season are provided below.
 
Talk with your coach or an administrator if you have questions or concerns.
  • Playing Season: 132 days for team sports and 144 days for individual sports.
  • Maximum 4 hrs. /day of athletically related activities.
  • Maximum 20 hrs. /wk. of athletically related activities.
  • Mandatory one day off per week, which may be a travel day provided there is no practice, competition, film review, etc. on that day.
Outside the declared playing season, you cannot be required to spend more than eight (8) hours per week on conditioning activities. If you make the request, and it is permissible in your sport, you may spend two (2) of the eight (8) hours on skill instruction with your coach. You are required to have two days off of athletically related activities outside of the playing season.
 
Athletically related activities include practice, conditioning, weight lifting, film review, opponent strategy sessions, and competition. Competition counts as three (3) hours per day regardless of the actual duration of the competition. Voluntary activities, without your coach present, are not included in the 20 hour limit. Administrative meetings, academic meetings, training room treatments, and travel time to away competition are not included in the weekly limit either.
Â