Official Recruiting Rules

All recruiters of college athletes should have read, if not memorized, the detailed recruiting rules devised by their conference and national association. If they are breaking the rules, it is probably by choice. Recruiters are rigidly restricted in the number, place, and kind of contacts they can make to get prospects to select their school. Even the transportation, lodging, and meals provided athletes during visits to the campus are restricted. Any benefits either given or promised to athletes are considered illegal if they extend beyond what is officially sanctioned by the athletic association to which the school belongs.

The rules governing recruiting, amateurism, and academic progress exist to ensure that student-athletes are selecting a particular college because of its academic benefits as well as its athletic programs, rather than because one school promises more cash, gifts, or other illegal nonacademic benefits than other schools. These rules also exist to guard against student-athletes being shortchanged in their educations. Among the associations governing college athletics, the NCAA has the most detailed list of rules and guidelines. Exactly what can and cannot be done during recruiting is explained in the following rules, drawn from the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (1983-84 Version). While some of the rules may seem picky, they exist because recruiters have tried to gain advantages over each other in any way they can. The rules are written for athletic staff members and boosters, but being aware of them can help to keep you, the student-athlete, out of trouble as well.

In recruiting a prospective student-athlete, it is Permissible:

1. For a bona fide alumni organization of a member institution (which does not necessarily include all athletic booster groups) to entertain prospects at luncheons, teas, or dinners at which prospective students (athletes and non-athletes) of that immediate locale are guests.
   
   
2. For a member institution to request a prospect to undergo a medical examination through the institution's regular team physician at the time of the prospect's visit to the campus to determine the prospect's medical qualifications for athletic competition.
   
   
3. For a prospect to receive one expense-paid visit to a member institution's campus for a period not to exceed 48 hours. Only actual round-trip transportation by direct route between the student's home or school and the institution's campus may be paid. Such a visit may not occur until after the beginning of classes for the prospect's senior year in high school, and a prospect may not accept expense-paid visits to more than a total of five Division I and Division II member institutions. If commercial air transportation is used, the fare may not exceed tourist (or comparable) class.
   
   
4. For a Division III member institution's official athletic representative to transport or pay the transportation expenses for a prospect on one official expense-paid visit, provided the representative accompanies the prospect on the visit at the representative's own expense. (No trips paid by boosters are allowed to Division II and III schools.)
   
   
5. For a member institution to reimburse a prospect for actual and necessary transportation expenses incurred in travelling to visit the campus in the automobile of the prospect or the prospect's family even though the prospect is accompanied by relatives or friends on the trip.
   
   
6. For a member institution to entertain the parents (or legal guardians) or spouse of a prospect one time only on the institution's campus when they accompany the prospect on the prospect's one paid campus visit.
   
   
7. For a member institution to house and entertain a prospect, the prospect's parents (or legal guardians), or spouse during the one paid campus visit in the community in which the institution is located only if on-campus entertainment and facilities are not available and only at a scale comparable to that of normal student life.
   
   
8. For a member institution's athletic staff member or athletic representative (only at Division III schools) to make a total of three in-person contacts (at sites other than the prospect's educational institution) with a prospect, the prospect's relatives or legal guardian at any location off the collegiate institution's campus for recruiting purposes; however, they shall not expend any funds for entertainment of the prospect, the prospect's relatives or friends.
   
   
   Three additional in-person, off-campus contacts per prospect shall be permitted by each member institution on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution and with the approval of that institution's executive officer or authorized representative. Once a prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent with a Division I or II member institution, there shall be no limit (subsequent to the occasion of the signing) on off-campus recruiting contacts with the prospect, the prospect's relatives or legal guardians by the institution with which the prospect has signed.
   
   
   Any face-to-face encounter that is by prearrangement or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution or at the sites of organized competition and practice involving the prospector the team (i.e., high school, preparatory school, junior college or all-star team) the prospect represents shall be counted toward the limit on permissible in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts, regardless of the conversation which occurs.
   
   
   In-person, off-campus contacts with prospects shall be permissible in the sport of football only during the period between December 1 (or the date of the completion of the prospect's final high school or junior college contest if it occurs thereafter) and March 1 and in the sport of men's basketball only during the period between September 1 and November 1 and the period between March 1 (or the date of the completion of the prospect's final high school or junior college contest if it occurs thereafter) and May 15, except that no member of a Division I institution's coaching staff shall contact a prospect during the period starting on the Thursday prior to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball championship game and ending at noon on the Tuesday after the game.
   
   
9. For a prospect to visit a member institution's campus as many times as it is desirable at the prospect's own expense, it being understood that on such visits the institution may only provide a maximum of three complimentary admissions to a campus athletic event to admit the prospect and those accompanying the prospect on the visit. In addition, during such a visit to a Division II or Division III institution, the institution may provide a meal to the prospect in the institution's on-campus student dining facilities. Any entertainment except the three complimentary admissions and the meal at a Division II or Division III institution shall cause the visit to be considered an expense-paid visit, only one of which is permissible to each member institution's campus.
   
   
10. For a member institution to pay the actual cost (provided it is necessary and reasonable) of the room and board expenses incurred by a prospect in travelling between the prospect's home and the campus on the prospect's one official expense-paid visit.
    
    
11. For an athletic staff member or athletic representative to describe the member institution's grant-in-aid program and recommend a prospect for such aid, it being understood that only an institution's regular financial aid authority can actually award aid; further, this authority must provide the prospect with a written statement setting forth the amount, duration, conditions and terms thereof before the award of aid is official.
    
    
12. For a prospect to receive an expense-paid visit to a member institution's campus (in addition to the one athletically related paid visit), provided it is for a purpose having nothing whatsoever to do with the athletic recruitment by that institution (e.g., band trip, senior day, fraternity or sorority weekend) and provided the institution's athletic department or athletic representatives are not involved in any way in the arrangements for the visit.
    

The twelve rules listed above describe what is allowed during the recruiting process. The following list of illegal recruiting actions is more than twice as long. It is important for you to understand these rules to keep yourself and the school you select from suffering penalties because of illegal recruiting. Of course, you can't control the school if its representatives choose to violate these rules; but you can choose not to enroll at a school whose representatives jeopardize your athletic future by breaking the rules.

In recruiting a prospective student-athlete, it is Not Permissible:

1. To give, offer or be involved, directly or indirectly, in making arrangements for a prospect, the prospect's relatives or friends to receive financial aid or equivalent inducements, regardless of whether similar financial aid, benefits or arrangements are available to prospective students in general, their relatives or friends, except as permitted by the NCAA, the institution and the athletic conference of which an institution is a member. Included as improper inducements are such things as cash; the promise of employment after college graduation; special discounts or payment arrangements on loans, employment of the relatives of a prospect, provision of loans to the relatives or friends of a prospect, involvement in arrangements for professional and personal services, purchases or charges; regular or periodic use of an automobile; transportation to or from a summer job or to any site other than the institution's campus on an official visit; signing or cosigning a note for a loan; the loan or gift of money or other tangible items (e.g., clothes, cars, jewelry, electronic equipment); guarantees of bond; purchase of items or services from a prospect or the prospect's family at inflated prices; transportation to enroll; any financial aid other than that administered by a member institution's regular scholarship awards authority, and the promise of financial aid for a period beyond one year or for a postgraduate education.
   
   
2. To make an in-person, off-campus recruiting contact with a prospective student-athlete, the prospect's relatives or legal guardian before the completion of the prospect's junior year in high school.
   
   
3. To make in-person recruiting contacts with a prospect, the prospect's relatives or legal guardian other than those specifically permitted as set forth in Item No. 8 above.
   
   
4. For a representative of the athletic interests of a Division I or Division II member institution [i.e., a booster] to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts with a prospect or the prospect's relatives or legal guardian.
   
   
5. To contact a prospect at the prospect's school (high school, preparatory school or junior college) without permission from the institution's executive officer or an authorized representative.
   
   
6. To contact a prospect at the site of the prospect's school's (high school, preparatory school or junior college) athletic competition if the prospect is participating or preparing to participate in a contest or competition. No such contact shall be made with the prospect prior to the competition on the day of competition and then not until the prospect has completed the competition (including all games of a tournament or event extended over several days) and then has been released by the prospect's school authority, dresses, and departs the dressing room or meeting room facility.
   
   
7. To publicize or arrange publicity of the commitment of a prospect to attend an institution, other than to publicize a prospect's acceptance of its tender of financial assistance through the normal media outlets of the institution and the prospect's current and former educational institutions. Press conferences, receptions, dinners, or similar meetings held for the purpose of making such announcements are expressly prohibited.
   
   
8. For the head football coach of a Division I-A member institution to be present when an off-campus site is utilized to obtain the prospect's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission or written tender of financial assistance.
   
   
9. To publicize or arrange publicity of the visit of a prospect to the institution's campus.
   
   
10. For a prospect or the prospect's high school, college preparatory school or junior college coach to appear on a radio or television program conducted by a college coach, a program in which the college coach "is participating, or a program for which a member of the athletic staff of a collegiate institution has been instrumental in arranging the appearance of the prospect or the prospect's coach, or related program material.
    
    
11. For any agency, group of individuals or organization outside the NCAA member institution to administer or expend funds for recruiting prospects in any way, including the transportation and entertainment of and the giving of gifts or services to a prospect, the prospect's relatives or friends.
    
    
12. For two or more persons to pool resources for recruiting a prospect.
    
    
13. For company funds to be used to pay expenses (including the provision of a company airplane) incurred in transporting a prospect to visit a campus or for any other recruiting expenses.
    
    
14. For a member institution to conduct or have conducted in its behalf on its campus or elsewhere any athletic practice session, tryout or test in which a prospect reveals, demonstrates or displays athletic ability.
    
    
15. For a coach of an NCAA member institution to participate in any coaching school or sports camp which includes as a participant any individual who is eligible for admission to a member institution or has started classes for the senior year of high school.
    
    
16. For a high school, preparatory school or junior college athletic award winner to be employed by or receive free or reduced-cost admission to any sports camp operated by an NCAA member institution or member of its athletic staff.
    
    
17. For a prospect to receive more than one expense-paid visit to a member institution's campus.
    
    
18. For a member institution or athletic representative to pay or arrange the payment of transportation costs incurred by relatives or friends of a prospect to visit the institution's campus or elsewhere.
    
    
19. For a member institution's athletic representative to transport the relatives or friends of a prospect to visit the campus or elsewhere in the representative's own vehicle.
    
    
20. For a member institution or athletic representative to entertain a prospect, the prospect's parents or spouse anywhere except one time on the institution's campus at a scale comparable to that of normal student life.
    
    
21. For a member institution or athletic representative to entertain the friends of a prospect at any site.
    
    
22. For a member institution or its athletic representatives to offer, provide or arrange financial assistance for a prospect to pay in whole or in part the costs of the prospect's educational or other expenses for any period prior to the prospect's regular enrollment or to obtain a postgraduate degree.
    
    
23. For a prospect to receive cash or the use of an automobile during a campus visit.
    
    
24. For a prospect to be excessively entertained during a campus visit or at any other time.
    
    
25. For a member institution or its athletic representative to pay any costs incurred by an athletic talent scout or representative of its athletic interests in studying or recruiting a prospect.
    
    
26. For a member institution or its athletic representatives to reimburse the coach of a prospect for expenses incurred in transporting a prospect to visit the campus.
    
    
27. For a member institution or its athletic representative to entertain high school, preparatory school or junior college coaches at any location except on the institution's campus or in the community in which the institution is located. Such permissible entertainment shall be limited to two tickets to home athletic contests, but shall not include food and refreshments, room expenses or the cost of transportation to and from the campus.
    
    
28. For a member institution or its athletic representatives to provide free admission to its away-from-home athletic contests to prospects, their friends or relatives.
    

Why are there so many recruiting rules? Why are they so complicated and detailed? Because college recruiters have been known to go overboard in their search for prime athletic talent. Every rule that exists is an attempt to stop some unfair or excessive tactic that recruiters have used in the past.

Competition for high school and junior college athletes is intense, and recruiters are motivated (sometimes, as we mentioned, by fear of losing their jobs) to sign top athletes and produce winners. In many cases, cheating on the recruiting rules is seen as a calculated risk, something which comes with the territory.

Of course, high school and junior college athletes can't be "bought" by recruiters unless they are willing to be bought. But it's fairly easy for someone who is older, presumably wiser, and often richer to sway the mind of a young athlete with cash, cars, clothes, other benefits, and promises of much, much more.

Colleges are supposed to provide a list of recruiting rules to their athletic prospects, although some don't. The list we have provided above covers the specific recruiting practices that the NCAA allows and doesn't allow for both you and college recruiters. But rules are revised each year, and not all colleges are members of the NCAA.