Unlocking Your Path to College Athletics

Navigating the complex world of college athletics recruiting is a crucial journey for student-athletes. At [Your Organization’s Name], we provide you with valuable insights and guidance to help you embark on this path confidently.

Understanding NCAA Guidelines

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) governs the rules and regulations surrounding college athletics recruiting. It’s essential to comprehend the terminology and guidelines that shape this process. For comprehensive information on recruiting, refer to the online edition of the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.

  • Freshman/Sophomore Year: During this stage, college coaches can only provide Questionnaires and camp brochures. It’s a time to explore your options and gather information.
  • Junior Year: Starting from September 1, college coaches can provide recruiting materials. They can also make telephone calls once per week, commencing on July 1 following your junior year. Additionally, coaches can initiate off-campus contact beginning on the same date.
  • Senior Year: In your senior year, college coaches can continue making telephone calls once per week. Off-campus contact can commence from July 1, and official visits to college campuses can occur from the first day of your classes.
  • 18U Players: At this stage, you have specific rules to consider:
    • You may take up to 5 official visits, which can start once your senior year of high school begins. Unofficial visits are unlimited.
    • Phone calls to college coaches are unlimited during evaluation periods after July 1st. However, during quiet periods after July 1st, phone calls are limited to once per week.
    • The National Letter of Intent early signing period is during the second week of November.

Recruitment Site and Telephone Calls

It’s essential to understand the rules surrounding recruitment site and telephone calls:

  • Practice or Competition Site: College coaches cannot make contact with a prospect prior to any athletics competition in which the prospect is participating, even if the prospect is on an official or unofficial visit. This includes the passing of notes by a third party on behalf of an institutional staff member.a. No contact is allowed at any site prior to the contest on the day or days of competition.

    b. Contact is prohibited from the time the prospect reports for competition-related activities until the end of the competition.

    c. After the competition, including multi-day events (e.g., tournaments), contact is not permitted until the prospect is released by the appropriate institutional authority and departs the dressing and meeting facility.

    d. Coaching staff members may send general correspondence to a prospect while the prospect is participating in an athletics event, provided the general correspondence is sent directly to a prospect (e.g., the front desk of the hotel, the prospective student-athlete’s personal fax machine) and no additional party (e.g., camp employee, coach) is involved in disseminating the correspondence.

  • Telephone Calls: All electronically transmitted human voice exchanges, including videoconferencing and idiophones, are considered telephone calls. However, electronically transmitted correspondence (e.g., electronic mail, facsimiles) is not considered telephone calls.
  • Printed Recruiting Materials: Division I or Division II institutions may not provide recruiting materials, including general correspondence related to athletics, to a prospect until September 1 at the beginning of the prospect’s junior year in high school.
  • Electronic Transmissions: Facsimiles and electronic mail may be sent to a prospect. Prearranged electronically transmitted correspondence between an authorized institutional staff member and one or more prospects shall be considered a telephone call. Such electronic correspondence is considered prearranged when a time and method for such electronic correspondence have been designated in advance. Instant messenger or similar means of communication also fall under the category of a telephone call, regardless of whether it’s prearranged.

The National Letter of Intent

The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an institution. In exchange for athletics aid for one academic year, the prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the institution for the same period. Additional information can be obtained through the NLI program Web page at www.national-letter.org. For inquiries, please contact the NCAA membership services staff at 317/917-6222.