Built for NAIA Athletic Operations

How to Track the NAIA Day-Off Policy

The NAIA Day-Off Policy applies to every student-athlete, every team, and every week of participation.

For compliance staff and athletic administrators, day-off compliance isn’t a one-time policy document or a preseason reminder. It requires continuous monitoring as schedules change, participation shifts, and teams operate independently.

The policy only works when it’s visible, documented, and enforced consistently across the department.

‍This content is informational and does not replace official NAIA rules, conference guidance, or institutional policy.

What This Article Covers: 
What the NAIA Day-Off Policy Requires
Institutions must define, publish, and enforce a written one-day-off-per-week policy.
How the NAIA Defines a Week
A week runs Monday 12:00 a.m. to Sunday 11:59 p.m., and each athlete must get one day off within that window.
Institutional Responsibility for Monitoring Compliance
Schools, not the NAIA, are responsible for monitoring, enforcing, and self-reporting policy compliance.
Why Manual Day-Off Tracking Breaks Down
Manual or informal tracking fails when schedules change and records aren’t centralized.
How WinWon Monitors the NAIA Day-Off Policy
WinWon tracks day offs directly on shared athletic calendars to simplify compliance.

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What the NAIA Day-Off Policy Requires

Under National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Article I, Section H, Item 7, each NAIA institution must establish a written day-off policy that provides every student-athlete with one day off per week from athletic participation.Key requirements include:Each institution must define what constitutes a “day off”

The policy must be published in the student-athlete handbook

The policy must be published on the athletics website

The policy must be provided to the conference

A point of contact or reporting process must be identified

Institutions have autonomy in how the policy is defined, implemented, and enforced. The responsibility for compliance rests with the institution.
WinWon helps schools operationalize the NAIA Day-Off Policy by tracking mandatory day off expectations directly on the athletic calendar. Compliance staff can define team-by-team rules, monitor days off alongside classes practices and competition blocks, and keep the published policy requirements connected to the schedules that actually change.

How the NAIA Defines a Week

For day-off compliance purposes, the NAIA defines a week as:

- Monday at 12:00 a.m. through Sunday at 11:59 p.m.

Any practice or competition during this window counts toward participation for that week. Each student-athlete must receive one day off during this defined period.

The policy must clearly state whether the day off is:

1. Consistent each week, or
2. Allowed to fluctuate based on scheduling

Institutional Responsibility for Monitoring Compliance

The NAIA Day-Off Policy is not centrally enforced.Each institution is responsible for:

1. Monitoring compliance across all teams
2. Self-reporting violations to the conference or national office
3. Providing a clear process for student-athletes or others to raise concerns

A violation occurs if an institution does not have a published policy. Enforcement of the policy itself is handled internally by the institution.

This makes internal tracking, documentation, and consistency critical.
WinWon provides department-wide visibility into day-off coverage across teams, including when schedules shift, travel is added, or a completed event is moved. That shared view reduces policy drift between coaching staff, athletic staff, and athletic administration, and supports clearer documentation if questions come in through your designated point of contact.

Where Schools Commonly Get This Wrong

Day-off issues rarely stem from misunderstanding the policy language. They happen when enforcement and visibility break down.

Common gaps include:

1. Assuming coaches self-police day-off compliance
2. No centralized view of day-off adherence across teams
3. Schedule changes quietly eliminating assumed days off
4. Different interpretations of “day off” between programs
5. No clear audit trail if questions arise

Without shared visibility, institutions often don’t realize there’s a problem until after the fact.

Why Manual Day-Off Tracking Breaks Down

Many NAIA programs rely on informal or manual methods to manage day-off compliance.

These approaches don’t scale.Manual tracking fails because:

1. Day offs are documented inconsistently or not at all
2Spreadsheets don’t adjust when schedules change
3. Coaches and compliance staff work from different systems
4. Reviewing historical compliance is time-consuming and incomplete

As teams add practices, adjust travel, or reschedule competitions, confidence in compliance erodes.

How WinWon Monitors the NAIA Day-Off Policy

WinWon treats the Day-Off Policy as a scheduling and visibility challenge, not a paperwork exercise.

Day offs are managed directly within the athletic calendar, alongside participation and competition.

With WinWon:Day offs are tracked at the team level

1. Compliance staff see day-off status across all programs
2Schedule changes automatically update day-off visibility
3. Coaches and administrators share the same calendar view

By connecting day-off tracking to real schedules, WinWon supports flexible enforcement that aligns with institutional autonomy while reducing compliance risk.

NAIA Rules, Explained and Operationalized

These guides break down the most common NAIA compliance rules and how schools actually track them day to day. Each article focuses on practical workflows, common mistakes, and how to maintain consistent visibility across staff.

Eligibility Rules

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NAIA Eligibility Rules Explained
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Compliance Hub

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NAIA Compliance Hub
A centralized starting point for NAIA compliance resources, rule explainers, and operational best practices.

24-Week Rule

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How to Track the NAIA 24-Week Rule.
Practical guidance on monitoring participation weeks, avoiding miscounts when schedules change, and keeping coaches and compliance aligned.

One Platform for Day-Off Visibility

Day-off compliance works best when it’s connected to participation, scheduling, and eligibility context.

WinWon brings calendars, participation tracking, and compliance visibility into one system used across the department, reducing reliance on informal enforcement and manual checks.

“It’s not just faster—it’s cleaner. I can see everything from one dashboard, and I know the data is right. That gives us peace of mind.”

Brandon Perry, Athletic Director, Johnson University

How Does WinWon Support NAIA Athletic Departments?

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Automated academic tracking that’s more accurate, less painful, and easier to keep current across teams. Coaches and compliance staff see the same status without chasing transcripts one by one.

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Every Athlete, One Source of Truth

Give student-athletes a single app for eligibility, schedules, announcements, and every key connection across the department. WinWon ties it all together—so communication, compliance, and coordination never fall out of sync.

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NAIA Calendar and Time-Tracking

Where Schedules Become Compliance

If your department is juggling Outlook, GCal, and spreadsheets just to manage off-day rules, you’re not alone. WinWon replaces that chaos with one centralized calendar that syncs instantly and turns every event into a compliance record—so tracking stays accurate when schedules change.

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Questionnaires & E-Sign Documents

Paperwork That Files Itself

E-sign documents and smart questionnaires automatically attach to athlete profiles the moment they’re submitted. WinWon builds your audit trail for you—no chasing attachments, no duplicate uploads, just time saved and accuracy gained.

Explore The Features  ⟶The Faulkner Case Study ⟶

Common Questions

See below for frequently asked questions and their answers.

What is the NAIA Day-Off Policy?
The NAIA day-off policy is a mandatory day-off policy that requires each institution to provide every student-athlete with one mandatory day off per week from athletic related activities. The policy involves student athletes across all sports and applies throughout the academic year. Institutions must define, publish, and enforce the policy internally.
How is a week defined under the NAIA Day-Off Policy?
For day-off compliance, a week is defined as Monday at 12:00 a.m. through Sunday at 11:59 p.m. (often referenced as defined as Monday 12). Any practice or competition during this period counts toward participation within the team’s 24 week season.
What activities are prohibited on a mandatory day off?
Each institution defines its own policy, but the day off generally prohibits student athletes training or participating in required activity. Many policies restrict or prohibit: Physical practice, film sessions involving coaching instruction, mandatory team meetings, required team attendance.

Some institutions allow limited exceptions, such as medical examinations, rehabilitation events, or non athletic matters, if clearly defined in the written policy.
Can coaching staff schedule optional activities on the day off?
Institutional policies often address whether coaching staff, including any member of the coaching staff, may organize optional activities such as open gyms or skill work. If allowed, these activities must not be mandatory, tracked as required participation, or tied to team competition expectations. Policies may also restrict communication between coaching staff and student-athletes on the mandatory day.
Does the policy apply during preseason practice and postseason competition?
Yes. The day-off requirement applies during preseason practice, regular season, and any postseason competition schedule that spans a period equal to a week. Whether during fall term, spring term practices, or postseason play, institutions must ensure that each student-athlete still receives one mandatory day off per defined week.
How does the policy apply during breaks like spring break or holiday vacation?
Institutional policies should address how the day off is handled during: Spring break, holiday break or holiday vacation, other vacation periods on the college academic calendar. If athletic participation continues during these times, the mandatory day off must still be provided and documented.
Does the policy apply to junior varsity or dual-sport athletes?
Yes. The policy applies to junior varsity participants and dual-sport athletes unless otherwise specified by the institution’s policy. Institutions must ensure that every student-athlete receives a day off, even if participation spans multiple teams or a competition schedule that spans multiple sports.

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