Wisconsin women's volleyball coach Kelley Sheffield is all for the NCAA's decision to allow women's volleyball to begin practices a week earlier than normal.
“I think the science will say that that’s better for us,” Sheffield said the Big Ten Media Days, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We’re certainly happy about that.”
Sheffield didn't stop there. He's also advocating for limited practices during the summer months, similar to what's allowed for basketball.
“I think it handcuffs our sport that we’re not able to have access to our players in the summer like other sports do,” Sheffield said at Big Ten volleyball media days. “ … Our program can’t even post anything about them working out. These guys are in the gym or in the weight room working out.”
Sheffield said extra workout time and team activities during the summer would translate to more time for athletes to produce NIL content, when they're not immersed in a grueling regular-season schedule.
“You see other sports that are able to post that and promote their sports, and the impact that that has on NIL,” Sheffield said. “We haven’t gotten to the part in our sport where we’re able to be out there 365. We have these quiet periods — the opening of our tournament where we’re not nationally broadcast, and we’ve got times in the summer where other sports are able to have access with their players and promote their teams and their players. We can’t do that.”
Aside from more workout time, Sheffield also advocates for the NCAA to allow athletes five years of eligibility.
“That would impact way more people than NIL does,” Sheffield said. “Every player being able to basically leave with a free graduate degree would be amazing.”
Sheffield said the issue is a Title IX equity issue, noting that football players can play four games without burning their red shirt status.
“How is that allowed from a Title IX perspective that you’ve got over 100 male athletes that are being able to get not only that head start, but also being able to build a brand with NIL?” Sheffield said. “Now that you’ve got money in there, that seems to be the most winnable lawsuit there is.”
