the USL has announce that a team can carry up to five academy players. great for developing players For those that dont know, two of the players from the Battery's match up with Vancouver were on the Battery's developmental academy side. three others were on the roster that night. http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/scripts/runisa.dll?M2:gp::72013+L3/Display+E+NDX+NDX+697017 In reality, I don't think many of these players will get much game time and doubt many even make away trips but it will give the academy players some great experience going forward.
The Kickers' release on this says "new USL PRO rules will allow Kickers Academy players to play for the professional team, while maintaining their collegiate eligibility." Has the NCAA recently changed its rules in this regard? Because according to NCAA Rule 12.2.3.2 -Competition with Professionals - "An individual shall not be eligible for intercollegiate athletics in a sport if the individual ever competed on a professional team (per Bylaw 12.02.4) in that sport." (Emphasis mine.) Has there been a relaxing of this rule? The USL notice on this says players can't have competed collegiately, and most players who would take on an Academy/pro team role would likely be those eschewing the college route, but I can't see how - as I have understood NCAA rules for years - they could play and still maintain college eligibility.
I am by no means an expert but I thought there were some changes that allowed players to play with prosas long as they are not paid and haven't played in college. Last season the Battery had a couple players from the SCU Battery team that were on the roster during the CCC. On player (now a senior at a local HS)was called on during the year as a back up keeper and was the number two on thebench against the Red Bulls in the USOC. The Battery also have five players from SCU Battery on the roster this year.
It does speak to it, but only because of the rules change in 2010 that Mikey rightly points out and that I wasn't fluent in. 12.2.3.2.1 "In sports other than men's ice hockey and skiing, before initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual may compete on a professional team (per Bylaw 12.02.4), provided he or she does not receive more than actual and necessary expenses to participate on the team." Effective 8/1/2010. So these Academy players - providing they have never enrolled full-time in college - could play in USL Pro, on a professional team, as long as they're not being given more than expenses. That was a change. Because the bylaw that 12.2.3.2.1 refers to said you'd be ineligible for competing on a pro team. The exception is a recent change. Thank you!
Now, all that said...given these are likely to be teenagers who probably aren't interested in college, how interested are you in seeing them play for your team?
thanks for posting the rules. I was going on hearsey so its always good to see it in black and white. As for the Battery academy players, most of them have college plans and I would imagine this will be one more thing to put on the application and a possible way to get scouted. But like I said, I would be surprised to see them get more than a few minutes if any.
According to the Orlando City article on the change, "academy players" cannot have played for an NCAA school before. I am asking them if this affects future NCAA eligibility.