Tag Archive for: Medical Hardship Waivers

Medical Hardship Waivers – What You Should Know

If your student-athlete becomes injured or ill to the point they won’t be able to continue competing during the season, it is possible to receive a Medical Hardship Waiver to get a season of competition “over again.” This includes:

  • DI & DII Student-athletes who have competed for their team during the season and
  • Division III athletes who have continued practicing with their team after the first game of the season

There are specific conditions and restrictions that apply for these types of waivers, and they vary between the NCAA, NAIA and JUCO rules. In fact, even within the NCAA, the guidelines and requirements for such a waiver can differ between Division I, Division II, and Division lII.

In very general terms, to qualify for a Medical Hardship Waiver, an athlete can’t participate in more than 30% of the number of games or “dates of competition” in their regular season and can’t appear in a game after the midpoint of their season.

However, the method of calculation for the “midpoint of the season” is not the same for NCAA Division I compared to Division II or for a team sport compared with an individual sport.

The most important factor when considering whether your athlete will qualify for a Medical Hardship Waiver is the supporting medical documentation to verify that the injury or illness is “season ending” in its severity.

Medical documentation is especially important if an athlete is hoping to receive a Medical Hardship Waiver for mental health concerns.

I frequently advise our clients whose athlete is dealing with a mental health situation, they need to think of the supporting documentation the same as if it were an illness like pneumonia or a physical injury much like a torn ACL.

While this trend is thankfully changing, many student-athletes still don’t want to share with their coach, their athletic department or even a medical professional that they have been dealing with mental health issues. However, many cases I’ve assisted with, the NCAA has approved medical waivers for student-athletes who have provided appropriate medical documentation.

Do You Have Questions or Need Professional Advice?

To discuss your athlete’s specific situation in a confidential consultation to see if they might qualify for a Medical Hardship Waiver (or for other types of Waivers such as for a family illness or a financial hardship), schedule a Waivers and Appeals Consult online, e- mail rick@informedathlete.com or call our office at 913-766-1235.

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Medical Hardship Waiver Reminders for Fall Sport Athletes

Many college fall sport teams are approaching the midpoint of their season and some teams may have already started the second half of their season.

It’s important to know that a student-athlete can’t compete in their sport after the midpoint of their season if they hope to qualify for a Medical Hardship Waiver.

The rules for a Hardship Waiver differ somewhat between the various levels of college athletics (NCAA Division I, Division II, etc). However, the general rule of thumb is that student-athletes can’t appear in more than 30% of the season for their sport.

We shared another article about Medical Hardship Waivers a few weeks ago, but if you missed it, you can find it through the link below:

https://informedathlete.com/medical-hardship-waivers-does-your-student-athlete-qualify/

If you have questions about Hardship Waivers (whether Medical or otherwise), schedule a Waivers and Appeals Consult online, or you can call us at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.

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Medical Hardship Waivers – Does Your Student-Athlete Qualify?

If a student-athlete is injured or becomes ill to the point that they won’t be able to compete any more during the season, it’s possible for them to receive a Medical Hardship Waiver to get that season “over again” even if:

  • They have competed for their team during the season.
  • Or in the case of Division III they’ve continued practicing with their team after the first game of the season.

If your athlete has already received a significant injury or illness early in the Fall season, you may be wondering about the possibility of a Medical Hardship Waiver.

  • It’s important to know that there are specific conditions and restrictions that apply for these types of waivers, and they vary between the NCAA, NAIA and JUCO rules.
  • In fact, even within the NCAA, the conditions and guidelines for such a waiver can differ between Division I, Division II, and Division lII.

Examples of some of the questions we are asked during a confidential consultation about Medical Hardship Waivers include:

  • If I missed out on a large portion of the early-season schedule with my injury but then am re-injured after playing in the second half of the season, can I still receive a Hardship Waiver?
  • What can I do if my doctor hasn’t cleared me to return to competition but our team trainer is telling our coach that I’m able to play?
  • How much medical documentation will I need for my Hardship Waiver to be approved?
  • If I sat out this past Spring season due to injury but couldn’t see my doctor until after the season was over, can I still receive a Hardship Waiver?
  • Is the “off-season” portion of our team schedule included in the calculation of the 30% requirement or the midpoint of the season?
  • Are the requirements the same for a Hardship Waiver for mental health issues?

If you have any of these same or other questions and need objective advice and accurate information, we can help!

Schedule a Waivers & Appeals consultation online, call our office at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com

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Student-Athlete Mental Health Issues and NCAA Medical Hardship Waivers

Over the last few years, there has been much more attention and awareness on the subject of mental health issues that impact student-athletes.

Based on some of the questions raised and concerns being expressed by families we speak with, two points about mental health concerns are the most commonly discussed:

  • Student-athletes, especially male student-athletes and even more for those in contact sports, are reluctant to reveal mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression.
  • For those student-athletes who choose to reveal their mental health concerns, some coaches respond as if they don’t want to hear it, or they take some kind of action which only makes the student-athlete feel worse, such as isolating them from the rest of the team, or telling them “maybe you’re not cut out for college athletics at this level.”

What we are seeing is a pattern of athletes who missed a season of competition because of poor performance related to depression, anxiety, etc. and then when they try to get that season “over again” through a hardship waiver, it isn’t approved. That’s because at the time they were dealing with their issues, they didn’t want to divulge a “weakness” to their coaches or athletic trainers and therefore they don’t have the required documentation of a “season-ending” mental illness.

The Importance of Medical Documentation for Mental Health Issues When Applying for a Medical Hardship Waiver

If a student-athlete is hoping to receive a “medical redshirt” (or what is officially called a Medical Hardship Waiver) in order to get a season of competition “over again” for limited participation, the proper documentation will be even more important than it is when a physical injury is involved.

As we all can understand, if an athlete has undergone Tommy John surgery or has had a torn ACL, there will usually be sufficient medical documentation to support a request for a Medical Hardship Waiver.

However, a student-athlete dealing with mental health concerns like anxiety or depression may not have revealed to their medical professional that it is severely impacting their ability to perform at the level that they need to.

Or, even if they have shared this with their medical professional, the student-athlete may be reluctant to share a note from their doctor with the coaching staff that they should be withheld from competition.

I certainly understand that when a student-athlete is dealing with a mental health issue the last thing on their mind is probably whether they will have an extra season of eligibility later on in their college career.

But for families who may be dealing with such a situation, it can be important to share with the doctor/therapist how the mental health issue is impacting their athlete.

If the student-athlete doesn’t think they can continue through the rest of their season at their best, they should consider asking whether the doctor or therapist believes that their situation is serious enough to be considered “incapacitating” or “season-ending” in its severity. If so, it may help them to gain back a season later on if the student-athlete’s situation meets the other criteria for a hardship waiver.

As stated in the NCAA guidelines for a Medical Hardship Waiver:

“Contemporaneous medical documentation from a physician or medical doctor that establishes the student-athlete’s inability to compete for the remainder of the playing season as a result of an injury or illness shall be submitted with any hardship-waiver request…..For circumstances involving psychological or mental illnesses, the required contemporaneous or other appropriate medical documentation may be provided by an individual who is qualified and licensed to diagnose and treat the particular illness (e.g., psychologist).”

Do you Have Questions?

If your student-athlete is struggling in their sport because of mental health issues, we can help. In a confidential Waivers & Appeals Consultation, we’ll discuss your student-athlete’s situation and inform you if they meet the criteria for a Medical Hardship Waiver. We can also advise on how best to navigate through the Medical Hardship Waiver process and assist with things like helping you write or edit your personal statement, and reviewing your medical documentation.

Schedule your confidential Waivers & Appeals Consult online or by sending an email to rick@informedathlete.com or calling us at 913-766-1235.

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NCAA Season of Eligibility Rules Reminder as Spring Sports Begin

With NCAA DI & DII spring sport seasons starting up, we’re reminding college athletes and parents that any amount of participation in a game or contest against another team will count as a season of eligibility used.  (The NCAA DIII Redshirt rule is quite different). 

The only way to get that season “over again” is through a hardship waiver if the athlete incurs an injury or illness that is serious enough to be documented by a physician as a “season-ending” injury or illness.

There are also specific limitations for the number of contests that an athlete can participate in and still qualify for a hardship waiver.

To be fully informed on the rules and requirements for a Medical Hardship Waiver, schedule a Waivers & Appeals Consult online, call us at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.

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Options for Student-Athletes Who are Injured Early in Season

If you’re a college athlete who is a few weeks into your winter sport season, currently injured, and not sure what your options are for this season, you may want to contact us to discuss whether you might qualify for a Medical Hardship Waiver.

There are specific rules that must be satisfied to receive a Medical Hardship Waiver and those rules vary between the different levels of college athletics.

In addition, for athletes who have the misfortune to miss two different seasons in their sport due to “circumstances beyond their control” it may be possible to receive a waiver for a 6th year of eligibility.

In a private, confidential phone consult, we can discuss the guidelines for obtaining a Medical Hardship Waiver and/or an “extension of eligibility” waiver and advise you on how to request a waiver. Schedule a confidential Waivers & Appeals Consult online, call 766-1235 or write to rick@informedathlete.com.

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Fall Sport Mid-Season Reminders Regarding Redshirting

Now that the Fall sports season is about 5-6 weeks along, here are reminders for athletes who have questions about redshirting and the possibility of receiving a Medical Redshirt or what is officially called a Medical Hardship Waiver.

  • The “4-game-rule” which permits an athlete to appear in up to 4 games and still be eligible for a redshirt season ONLY applies to NCAA DI athletes in FBS or FCS football. There is no “4-game-rule” in any other sport at the Division I level, or for any sport at other college levels.
  • Entering a game for one minute or one play will “burn” a season for an athlete unless they have an injury or illness that will qualify them for a Medical Redshirt. There are very limited exceptions for this rule in certain sports.
  • At all college levels (except the NAIA), for an athlete to qualify for a Medical Hardship Waiver, their injury of illness must occur before the midpoint of the athlete’s season and they must have medical documentation of the injury or illness dated prior to the midpoint of the season.

Do You Have Questions?

To find out if your student-athlete might qualify for a waiver or appeal, we offer a confidential Waivers & Appeals consult. During the confidential private consult, Rick will ask questions to determine if your student-athlete qualifies and provide available options and best set of “next steps.”

Click here to learn more and schedule online or contact us at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.

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Best Case Scenario for Getting a Medical Hardship Waiver Approved

The most important factor in a Medical Hardship Waiver request is the quality of medical documentation to substantiate the injury.

The best case scenario for an athlete to be granted a medical hardship waiver is when the medical documentation from the actual time of the injury or diagnosis includes a statement such as: “This athlete is not released to return to full competition in their sport.”

When no such physician statement is included and it is unclear whether the injury is serious enough to be considered a “season-ending” injury, it is much less certain that the waiver will be approved.

The documentation can also be very important in the future if the athlete happens to become injured again and misses a second season of competition.

In that situation, it would be possible for the athlete to obtain an extension of their eligibility “clock” and add another year of eligibility. This is possible when an athlete has missed not just one, but more than one season of competition due to injury or illness.

How We Can Help

We prepare Medical Hardship Waivers when a college athletic department is not experienced with that process or they don’t have the time or manpower to prepare the waiver.

To discuss your athlete’s specific situation and their opportunity for a Medical Hardship Waiver or even an extension of their eligibility “clock”, schedule a consult online, by calling us at 913-766-1235 or sending an e-mail rick@informedathlete.com.

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Medical Hardship Waivers – What You Should Know!

We’ve been receiving many calls recently with questions about the rules for a “medical redshirt” or what is officially called a Medical Hardship Waiver.

Many spring sports are quickly approaching the midpoint of their season. For an athlete to qualify for a Medical Hardship Waiver, one of the rules is that the injury or illness must have occurred prior to the first game of the second half of their season. Also, the injury must be medically documented to be “season-ending.”

It’s very important that an athlete see a doctor sooner than later when they are injured or ill.

For example, let’s say that an athlete is injured before the midpoint of their season but doesn’t get to the doctor for an evaluation (x-ray, MRI, etc) until they are two or three weeks PAST the midpoint of the season. Waiting that long to see a doctor may jeopardize their chances that a Medical Hardship Waiver is approved.

Injured or ill athletes who are concerned that their condition might be serious enough to be “season-ending” in nature, should see a doctor as soon as possible rather than waiting to hope the condition improves. Waiting may cost them a chance to receive a Medical Hardship Waiver.

Do you have questions?

For information on how we can help, click NCAA Medical Hardship Waiver Prep & Assistance or call us at 913-766-1235.

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Does your athlete qualify for a Medical Hardship Waiver?

If a student-athlete appears in competition in the early part of their season but is injured or ill to the point that they are not able to complete their season due to “circumstances beyond their control” it’s quite possible that they might qualify to get their season of eligibility “over again” through a Medical Hardship Waiver.

A Medical Hardship Waiver is possible at most every level of college athletics – from junior college, to NAIA, and to each division of the NCAA – but some colleges don’t have a good procedure in place to make sure that the waiver is submitted in a timely manner.

I have seen cases where the head coach of a sport thought it was the responsibility of the sports medicine staff to prepare the medical hardship waiver, while the sports medicine staff thought the responsibility was on the coach to inform the compliance office of an athlete’s need for such a waiver.

Don’t let your athlete lose valuable time and possibly their eligibility status if it’s unclear what office or staff member is responsible for getting the Medical Hardship Waiver prepared and submitted.

If you want to know if your athlete qualifies for a Medical Hardship Waiver, contact us for a confidential consultation to explain the rules and guidelines for a waiver, and to describe how the process should work. Contact us at 913-766-1235, or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.

To schedule a private consultation or email consultation online, click Waivers & Appeals Consult Options.

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