Single-Parent, Mother Of Five-Star Recruit Starts Petition To Overturn NCAA Satellite Camp Ban

DETROIT, April 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Within 24 hours, over 10,000 signatures were attained in an online petition for the NCAA to overturn its satellite camp ruling that restricts FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) coaches to work camps at sites away from their campuses. 

Rozlyn Peoples, mother of Detroit Cass Tech's five-star WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, created this petition beckoning support in efforts to stop the NCAA and its Power Conferences from reducing and restricting college scholarship opportunities for high school student-athletes. 

Peoples' goal is to gain rights for student-athletes so they are included in the decision making process.  "Currently, the NCAA's Power Conferences are making decisions with no consideration of what impact they have on every American high school student and their families.  Students and parents have no power, no voice and no ability to speak on their own behalf.  Our only chance is to garner support via the online petition," says Peoples.

Link to petition: https://plataformawww.change.org/p/mark-emmert-memmert-ncaa-org-overturn-ncaa-ban-on-satellite-camps

Peoples further states, "As a single parent of a high school student, I am initiating this petition on behalf of all students and parents around the country and Canada. If you can relate to the struggles of being a parent and encouraging your child to do all they can to prepare for college scholarship opportunities, or if you know the importance of using athletics as a way for high school students to earn a college scholarship, continue reading the message below explaining what is happening to our youth."

On Friday, April 7, 2016, the SEC, ACC, PAC12, BIG12, Sunbelt and MWC conferences voted not to allow FBS coaches to work camps at sites away from their campuses.  This new rule will restrict and reduce educational opportunities for high school students and their parents by lowering the opportunities for youth to showcase their athletic talents and earn a college scholarship.

If college coaches are only allowed to work camps on their campus, there will be far less scholarship offers to high school students, reasons being:

1. Student-athletes will be prohibited from speaking with and exerting their athletic ability before multiple college coaches within the physical and financial convenience of one location.
2. The conflicting institutional camp schedule makes it impossible for students to attend multiple camps.
3. The majority of students and parents that this affects come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. 

The goal is to raise awareness to key decision makers within the NCAA governance structure and urge them to act in a manner that is in the best interests of all student-athletes.

The solution is to encourage the NCAA Division I Board of Directors to withhold confirming the vote in favor of proposal 2015-59 by the NCAA's Division I Council. 

Peoples ask that you please:

1. Sign the petition today in an effort to overturn this legislation.
2. Share this petition via email and on every social media platform including the hashtag (#) "#ChangeNCAA."

The petition will go to every member on the NCAA Board of Directors.

Media inquires, please contact:

Jennifer Payne
[email protected]
(248) 770-9163

SOURCE Rozlyn Peoples