ELI5 - DAP waiver

[Unregistered]

I am missing something with the DAP waivers. Does anyone have a link to a DAP authority that explains the waiver process and who is eligible?

As I understand it -- which is not based on any DAP material -- is that the waiver might be available if a DAP player was required by his school to play soccer in order to obtain or continue a scholarship. I am assuming that cannot be correct though as that would be an improper inducement by the school (play soccer or no scholarship) and would make the player ineligible for high school soccer as well as get the school in trouble.

[OB1]

One would assume that the schools in question have a requirement that all students who are physically capable participate in a sport.

[Unregistered]

One would assume that the schools in question have a requirement that all students who are physically capable participate in a sport.

That's fine. It does not have to be soccer. I used to live in Michigan. Some of the private schools there used to have a requirement that a kid needed to play a sport. I think all have since revised that to include participation in some substantive and active school group, i.e. marching band, debate team, robotics team, etc. . But, even if it was still -- play a sport -- the requirement is participation so kids playing DA all did some other sport. Usually it was a winter sport -- basketball and wrestling were pretty common because they have a strong fitness component. You don't have to be "good" at the sport. When schools have a everyone must play requirement they take into account that lots of kids will be sub-varsity.

If a MA school said to a basketball player -- "we will give you a scholarship of X, but you must play basketball for us to get it" wouldn't you say that was a blatant violation of the recruitment/inducement rules?

[Unregistered]

That's fine. It does not have to be soccer. I used to live in Michigan. Some of the private schools there used to have a requirement that a kid needed to play a sport. I think all have since revised that to include participation in some substantive and active school group, i.e. marching band, debate team, robotics team, etc. . But, even if it was still -- play a sport -- the requirement is participation so kids playing DA all did some other sport. Usually it was a winter sport -- basketball and wrestling were pretty common because they have a strong fitness component. You don't have to be "good" at the sport. When schools have a everyone must play requirement they take into account that lots of kids will be sub-varsity.

If a MA school said to a basketball player -- "we will give you a scholarship of X, but you must play basketball for us to get it" wouldn't you say that was a blatant violation of the recruitment/inducement rules?

What "recruitment/inducement rules" are you referring to?

[Unregistered]

MIAA. If a school gives a kid an inducement to attend -- that is not available to everyone -- it is a violation and the player is suspended for a year, and the school placed on probation. A second violation can lead to the school being dropped from the MIAA (unlikely) or other penalties (no post-season play in the sport, for any team, etc. . . )

[Unregistered]

I am missing something with the DAP waivers. Does anyone have a link to a DAP authority that explains the waiver process and who is eligible?

As I understand it -- which is not based on any DAP material -- is that the waiver might be available if a DAP player was required by his school to play soccer in order to obtain or continue a scholarship. I am assuming that cannot be correct though as that would be an improper inducement by the school (play soccer or no scholarship) and would make the player ineligible for high school soccer as well as get the school in trouble.

DAP and the clubs don't like the waivers so you're not going to find it in a manual or likely on the club's website. Originally it was styled as available only for prep school kids on scholarship. I think they may have gotten away from that in practice and let the clubs do what they want (the club needs to figure out how to have enough kids to play and actually compete in the fall- if they hold out waivers as being available then lots of people would want them). Would be great to here from some DAP people on this.

[Unregistered]

MIAA. If a school gives a kid an inducement to attend -- that is not available to everyone -- it is a violation and the player is suspended for a year, and the school placed on probation. A second violation can lead to the school being dropped from the MIAA (unlikely) or other penalties (no post-season play in the sport, for any team, etc. . . )

All the private schools do this though so how is it that the rules can be so blatantly unenforced?

[Unregistered]

DAP and the clubs don't like the waivers so you're not going to find it in a manual or likely on the club's website. Originally it was styled as available only for prep school kids on scholarship. I think they may have gotten away from that in practice and let the clubs do what they want (the club needs to figure out how to have enough kids to play and actually compete in the fall- if they hold out waivers as being available then lots of people would want them). Would be great to here from some DAP people on this.

You'll never find anything in writing on the DA or any club website because it is a contentious issue. It is individually based club to club, and even within a club it isn't always handled consistently (the better the talent the more likely you'd be to get one). In general clubs do not like them at all and some flat out refuse them. It's a tricky thing because a player needs to prove he's getting money to play soccer and that not playing would mean he'd lose his money. But schools claim they don't give money for athletics, rather "academic" and "need" based.

[Unregistered]

MIAA. If a school gives a kid an inducement to attend -- that is not available to everyone -- it is a violation and the player is suspended for a year, and the school placed on probation. A second violation can lead to the school being dropped from the MIAA (unlikely) or other penalties (no post-season play in the sport, for any team, etc. . . )

Where is this rule? Does it apply to private schools that don't participate in Miaa events?

[Unregistered]

ISL schools are not governed by MIAA rules. They have their own.

[Unregistered]

ISL schools are not governed by MIAA rules. They have their own.

Just taking a quick look and isl rules expressly ban any sort of athletic scholarship.

[Unregistered]

To me it just looks like a tremendous red flag if the dap rule really is limited to play for pay situations. I am not aware of any high school sports governing body that would allow that to occur. So I am back to wondering if the dap requirements for a waiver are more akin to "play high school if you really want to, and if we can do without you".

[Unregistered]

The rule is more "if we really need you and are afraid you'll go elsewhere if we don't let you play high school we will let you play high school."

[Unregistered]

The rule is more "if we really need you and are afraid you'll go elsewhere if we don't let you play high school we will let you play high school."

Bingo. That is exactly what happens. Needless to say it can create issues so clubs or right ban it.

[Unregistered]

Just taking a quick look and isl rules expressly ban any sort of athletic scholarship.

Correct. And yet some ISL players receive waivers.

When the no-HS soccer rule was created, US Soccer was certainly trying to create the impression that waivers would only be allowed when a player would lose what amounts to an athletic scholarship if he didn't play HS soccer ... but US Soccer left some weasel words in so they can permit the rules to be bent when they feel like it.