Rules For Contacting Recruits

[Mean Green 93-98]

OldTimer asked me to repost this as its own topic, if I understand correctly . . .

IMPORTANT RECRUITING FACTS TO REMEMBER

Only institutional staff members are permitted to recruit prospective student-athletes. The NCAA prohibits all boosters from:

• Contacting prospects or the prospect’s relatives or guardian; and

• Calling, writing or contacting a prospect on or off-campus for recruiting purposes.

A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect until he/she has attended the first day of classes at North Texas or until the beginning of official team practice, whichever occurs first. Students are still considered prospects even if they have:

• Signed a National Letter of Intent; or

• Signed a financial aid agreement with North Texas.

Boosters are not precluded from continuing established friendships with families who have prospective student-athletes. However, boosters may not:

• Encourage a prospect’s participation in North Texas athletics; or

• Provide benefits to prospects that were not previously provided.

IMPERMISSIBLE RECRUITING ACTIVITIES

As a booster, you may not:

• Contact a prospect in-person on-campus or off-campus;

• Contact a prospect by telephone or letter;

• Provide gifts or free or reduced-cost services to a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian;

• Employ relatives, guardians or friends of a prospect as an inducement for the prospect’s enrollment and athletics participation at North Texas;

• Become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian to receive money or financial aid of any kind;

• Provide transportation for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian;

• Provide free or reduced-cost tickets for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian to attend an athletic event; or

• Provide any material benefit (e.g., meals, cash) to the coach of a prospect, including high school, two-year college, AAU and summer team coaches.

PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES

Even though there are many rules prohibiting your involvement with prospects and the recruiting process, as a booster, you may:

• Notify North Texas coaching staff members about noteworthy prospects in the area;

• Attend high school or two-year college athletic contests or other events where prospects may compete, provided no contact occurs;and

• Continue existing friendships, provided solicitation of a prospect’s enrollment does not occur.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Some definitions of terms . . . Speaking of which, this thread should be entitled "Rules for Contact With Recruits"--boosters pretty well aren't supposed initiate contact, period.

Representative of Athletics Interest

NCAA rules refer to boosters as “representatives of the institution’s athletic interests.” These representatives include anyone who has:

• Participated in or has been a member of an organization promoting North Texas athletics programs (e.g., Mean Green Club);

• Made financial contributions to the athletic department or to an North Texas booster organization;

• Arranged for or provided employment forenrolled student-athletes;

• Assisted or has been requested by North Texas staff to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;

• Assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families;

• Participated as a varsity athlete at the University of North Texas; or

• Been involved otherwise in promoting North Texas athletics (including all season ticket holders).

Please be reminded that once an individual is identified as a “representative of the institution’s athletics interests,” the person retains their identity forever.

Prospective Student-Athlete

A prospective student-athlete is defined by the NCAA as any person who has:

• Started classes for the ninth grade; or

• Ever received any financial assistance or other benefit prospective students do not generally receive.

Recruiting Activities

Recruiting is defined by the NCAA as:

• Any solicitation of a prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s relatives or guardian by an institutional staff member or booster for the purpose of securing the prospect’s enrollment and participation in any North Texas athletic program.

Contact

The NCAA defines a contact as:

• Any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s relatives or guardian and an institutional staff member or booster during which dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting; or

• Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect’s educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospect or the prospect’s high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team is considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs.

[good_ken]

In short, since the definition of a booster is very broad (and would include most everyone here): don't contact the recruit.

Annotate any letter jacket or school markings and pass the info to Oldtimer; but dont go try to be an ambassador for the school. There are people for that, and they have been told the do's and dont's of recruiting.