Sims Appointed To NCAA Working Group
UW-Oshkosh Assistant Chancellor & Director of Athletics Darryl Sims has been named to a 19-member National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) working group that will examine issues highlighted in recently proposed federal and state legislation related to student-athlete name, image and likeness.
The NCAA Board of Governors Federal and State Legislation Working Group will be made up of member representatives from all three NCAA divisions.
“This group will bring together diverse opinions from the membership – from presidents and commissioners to student-athletes – that will examine the NCAA’s position on name, image and likeness benefits and potentially propose rule modifications tethered to education,” said Val Ackerman, commissioner of the Big East and working group co-chair. “We believe the time is right for these discussions and look forward to a thorough assessment of the many complexities involved in this area.”
According to the board, the group will not consider any concepts that could be construed as payment for participation in college sports. The NCAA’s mission to provide opportunity for students to compete against other students prohibits any contemplation of pay-for-play.
“While the formation of this group is an important step to confirming what we believe as an association, the group’s work will not result in paying students as employees,” said Gene Smith, Ohio State senior vice president and athletics director and working group co-chair. “That structure is contrary to the NCAA’s educational mission and will not be a part of this discussion.”
As part of its efforts, the working group will study modifications of current rules, policies and practices. In particular, it will focus on solutions that tie any changes to education; maintain the clear demarcation between professional and college sports; and further align student-athletes with the general student body.
The Board of Governors charged the working group with writing a set of overarching principles to guide each division as it devises consistent legislation. A final report is due to the Board of Governors in October, with an update provided in August.
Sims is in his ninth year as UW-Oshkosh’s Assistant Chancellor & Director of Athletics.
Since being hired in 2010, Sims led the renovation efforts for the UW-Oshkosh Softball Park and Kolf Sports Center's new floor, track and bleachers. He also helped obtain funding for the videoboard and other amenities at the Oshkosh Sports Complex while securing a five-year apparel agreement for the 19-sport athletics program with Under Armour.
Sims served as UW-Oshkosh's assistant director of athletics from 2007-10. During that time he worked on event management and corporate sponsorships for the department
Sims, one of 11 graduates of the 2010 NCAA Fellows Leadership Development Program, was a football coach for the Oakland Raiders and three NFL Europe teams. He served as an assistant for the Amsterdam Admirals from 2000-05, helping them to the World Bowl title in 2005. Sims was the head coach for the Cologne Centurions and a defensive line coach for the Raiders during 2006. NFL Europe closed after the 2007 season, when Sims was an assistant for the Berlin Thunder.
Sims’ coaching resume also includes NFL preseason internships with the Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Washington Redskins.
In 1998, Sims joined UW-Oshkosh as a part-time assistant football coach. He spent two seasons in that role before working with the UW-Oshkosh Foundation from 2001-05. Beginning in 2007, Sims was part of the development team for the Oshkosh Sports Complex. He also helped gain major corporate sponsorships from J.J. Keller & Associates and the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Sims, a defensive end, was a two-time All-Big Ten selection for the University of Wisconsin in 1981-82. He was picked 20th overall in the 1985 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and played in 58 games for the Steelers and the Cleveland Browns from 1985-88.
Sims is actively involved in many local organizations, including the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau, Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, Oshkosh Rotary Club and the Boys & Girls Club. He is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Oshkosh.
Sims is a member of the Chancellor’s Executive Cabinet at UW-Oshkosh. He also chairs the WIAC Athletics Director Council while serving as the league’s athletics director liaison for football, swimming & diving and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Sims and the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Department have hosted 15 NCAA Division III championships as well as numerous Division III regional and conference championships since 2010.
The Winston-Salem (N.C.) native earned his bachelor’s degree (2003) in speech communication and master’s degree (2005) in educational leadership from UW-Oshkosh.
NCAA Board of Governors Federal and State Legislation Working Group
Val Ackerman, commissioner, Big East Conference, co-chair
Gene Smith, athletics director, The Ohio State University, co-chair
John J. DeGioia, president, Georgetown University and Board of Governors representative
Jill Bodensteiner, athletics director, Saint Joseph’s University
Bob Bowlsby, commissioner, Big 12 Conference
Don Bruce, faculty athletics representative, University of Tennessee
Rita Cheng, president, Northern Arizona University
Mary Beth Cooper, president, Springfield College
Rick George, athletics director, University of Colorado
Carolayne Henry, senior associate commissioner for governance and legal affairs/senior woman administrator, Mountain West Conference
Glen Jones, president, Henderson State University
Scott Larson, deputy director of athletics/compliance, Lubbock Christian University
Jacqie McWilliams, commissioner, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Jere Morehead, president, University of Georgia
Darryl Sims, athletics director, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Carla Williams, athletics director, University of Virginia
Division I male student-athlete
Division I female student-athlete
Division III student-athlete