Leading off today: Tracking some developments on topics I've blogged about recently ...
Going in-depth in Section 3 on New York and NIL concerns
Reporter Kenny Lacy Jr. of
Syracuse.com went digging into Name, Image and Likeness -- specifically, Monday's NYSPHSAA memo over concerns about one business in particular -- and came up with a startling find: More than 2,500 Central New York students, with most if not all of them likely being athletes, are registered with NIL Club.
The schools with the largest number of registrations are Jamesville-DeWitt (85), West Genesee (75), Whitesboro (68), and Sandy Creek (46).
NIL Club says it helps connect student-athletes with financial supporters and fans by promoting their self-created clubs and sharing content. It's a start-up made possible as the NCAA rule allowing athletes to benefit from the NIL rights trickled down to scholastic sports; In 2021, the NYSPHSAA became the country's first state association to allow it.
On Monday, NYSPHSAA Executive Director Robert Zayas advised sectional administrators that student-athletes risked forfeiting their amateur status if they join NIL Club because it ties individuals to their schools and/or teams, which goes against the NYSPHSAA's amateur status rules. When the reporter attempted to create an NIL Club account, he found options to select a school and sports affiliation to complete the registration process.
However, NIL Club CEO and co-founder Mick Assaf told Syracuse.com users can create their own clubs and do not have to "necessarily form it around a school or a team." Still, the implications of not availing themselves of that option may have put tens of thousands of New York athletes as risk of forfeiting their eligibility should they make money through NIL Club.
"You just can't really expect every student at the college or high school level to read a rule book and understand exactly how bylaws work," NIL Club CEO and co-founder Mick Assaf said.
Assaf added that NIL Club scans applications for content that refers to an athlete's school team. However, Syracuse.com found NIL Club social media postings featuring high school athletes who are stating what school they're from and what sport they play.
As of Thursday afternoon, Section 3 Executive Director Jason Czarny reported there were no known NIL violations or potential violations in Central New York.
Guardian Caps are being embraced on Long Island
Newsday sent a squadron of reporters in to look at the use of the Guardian Cap in high school football and banged out more than 3,000 words after finding the protective helmet shell in use at about a quarter of schools on Long Island.
The newspaper surveyed the 112 public and private schools with football programs and found:
• 31 schools use Guardian Caps for some or all of their players.
• 81 do not have any Guardian Caps; players could purchase their own and wear them in practices and games if they choose to do so.
Some schools, such as Amityville and Westhampton, purchased the caps at a cost of $55-75 per shell. Other schools, such as Herricks, Longwood and Miller Place, ran fundraisers to help pay for them.
One interesting find: Numerous players told Newsday they were fine wearing the cap in practice but not in games.
"The whole team wears the caps in practice," Miller Place quarterback Shane Kiernan explained. "When it's game time, I want people to see the color of my helmet and our logo."
The NFL has covers for the Guardian Caps that show the team's logo, and Guardian Sports COO Jake Hanson said his company is working toward a high school model that can be customized with artwork.
The second half of the story takes on the subject of how much additional safety Guardian Caps provide against concussions and long-term brain injuries, noting that the manufacturer stops short of saying the product is intended to reduce concussions.
Researchers at the respected Virginia Tech Helmet Lab said testing showed the Guardian Caps reduced the linear and acceleration impact, but cautioned that the net positive effect is not drastic.
"We don't use them in our district," said former Carey coach Matt McLees, the athletic director for five Sewanhaka district high schools. "I don't know that they have proven to reduce concussions. ... I guess I would like to see some more data and see what exactly the numbers are regarding what it is or is not preventing."
Added Section 8 Executive Director Pat Pizzarelli: "I'd be the first to support the use of the Guardian Caps if there was proof. I would push for their use throughout the county if that was the case."
Tension easing on the Section 3 soccer front
The game officials who work Section 3 soccer games have reached an agreement with five of the eight schools involved in a dispute over payment method,
Syracuse.com reported, citing a source with the Central New York Soccer Officials Association.
Administrators at West Genesee, Central Square, Jamesville-DeWitt, Baldwinsville and Fayetteville-Manlius reportedly have agreed to return to the use of paper vouchers rather than paying officials fees through the ArbiterPay online system. However, Liverpool, Cicero-North Syracuse, and East Syracuse Minoa are continuing to use ArbiterPay.
The issue flared up last week with approximately 15 games postponed after officials turned down assignments at schools using the new payment system. Pressed for specific objections, the officials source said their group is concerned about the security of the online system, Syracuse.com reported. Also, accepting payment by check rather than a direct bank payment incurs an $8 fee.
