The NCAA Division I Council is considering re-classifying volunteer assistant coach positions for both softball and baseball into paid, full-time roles. The move brought by the NCAA Rules Modernization Committee earlier today initially prioritized lifting the pay restrictions on football graduate assistants. Currently NCAA Softball allows for two full-time paid assistant coaches along with a volunteer position (a total of four on-field coaches counting the head coach).
The move has long been pushed by Softball Politico as a way to supply more opportunities in the coaching profession. Concerns within the profession however have been young coaches immediately being placed in full-time positions with little experience, and the struggle to fill current allotted positions with qualified individuals. Other concerns have been institutes that don’t fund second positions currently (or even first positions well enough), creating a “rich get richer” situation and further increasing the Grand Canyon divide between Softball’s Haves and Have Nots.