Previously Asked Questions
Bylaw 13
Question: Can an institution place a non-athletically related advertisement in a high school game program? Or, a local newspaper’s high school football preview section?
Answer: In accordance with Bylaw 13.4.2.1, it is not permissible to publish or produce material designed to solicit the enrollment of prospective student-athletes. Therefore, it is not permissible to place any type of advertisement – athletically or non-athletically related – in game programs or other publications published to provide information regarding prospects participation. The same restriction would apply to a local newspaper’s high school football preview section. Placing the ad in the newspaper’s regular section would be permissible.
Question: Can an institution send posters with a schedule and picture on them to local high school coaches?
Answer: In accordance with Bylaw 13.4.1, it is permissible to send the posters to high school coaches. If they do plan to give the posters to prospective student-athletes, it is permissible, as long as it can be demonstrated that they provide such posters consistently and to all students.
Question: Can an institution…
1. send a quantity of tickets from the admission office to head coaches at area high schools with an invitation for their seniors to attend our games?
2. give our admission counselors tickets that they can distribute to high school guidance counselors and any prospective students they meet while visiting area high schools and/or college fairs?
3. have a quantity available that we can give away to prospective students who visit our office or attend any of our fall visit programs?
Answer: Following are responses to questions:
1-Based on NCAA regulations, it is not permissible to send a number of tickets to area high schools coaches for HS seniors to attend a football game.
2-I have no problem with you giving your admission reps tickets to distribute to prospective students and student-athlete as the program is open to any and all prospective students, not just prospective student-athletes, that may be encountered by the admission reps.
3-This seems OK as well since it’s geared to any and all prospective students, not just student athletes. We both know that only prospective student-athletes will likely take advantage of the game tickets but, from an NCAA standpoint, it should available to all prospective students, not just athletes.
Question: Can a coach call a prospective student-athlete who is completing his freshman year in high school?
Answer: Yes, there are no recuiting periods or time limitations on phone calls.
Question: Can a coach take one of his own players to watch a prospect compete in a high school game?
Answer: No, the only permissible recruiting activities for enrolled student-athletes is telephone calls, official and unofficial visits. Further, this activity would also constitiute impermissible transportation for a student-athlete.
Question: Can a coach pay for a meal at a restaurant or similar facility while visiting the prospect's home on a recruiting trip?
Answer: No, under NCAA Bylaw 13.2.1, it is not permissible for
a coach to pay for a prospect's meal while visiting the prospect off
campus, such as at the prospect's home.
Below is a recent rules violation report that illustrates this issue:
"On December 30, 2007, an assistant men's lacrosse coach provided the tip at lunch for two men's lacrosse prospective student-athletes (PSAs). Specifically, the assistant coach met with two men's lacrosse PSAs for lunch as he was returning to campus from a holiday break. The two men's lacrosse PSAs paid for their meals; however, the assistant coach left the meal's tip ($7.50) for the group."
Its not even permissible to pay for the meal tip...
Finally, the only time in which a coach may pay for a prospect's meal is during an official visit (Bylaw 13.6.5.6) and/or unofficial visit (Bylaw 13.7.2.1.1) - see the legislation for specific parameters.
