Rules of contact between non-coaches and recruits?

[Knoxville-Horn]

What are the "do's and don'ts" for laypeople when it comes to interacting with a recruit again?

I know coaches can only contact recruits at certain times and I know that there are much stricter rules for non-athletic department personnel.

The reason I'm asking is because something weird just happened to me at a high school in Knoxville, TN. I was walking down the hall and this gargantuan kid was talking to somebody behind me. I was thinking it was obviously a football player. Anyway, I hear him say something about going to the Tennessee/KY game but that he really wants to go to a Texas game. Of course this got my attention.

I looked him up and he's apparently in the class of 2014 and is already 6'6" 310 lbs. His college list is: Tennessee, Oregon, LSU and Alabama. Fulton High School, btw.

Anyway, I'm not asking because I did something wrong or am even going to speak to the guy. I was just curious as to the laws of contact.

 

[I35]

I'm not sure about what all the rules are but if you did say something to him and your not employed by the real UT, I see nothing wrong with it. That's no different than you being his next door neighbor and talking recruiting with him.

 

[ViperHorn]

Nope. If you are considered a "booster" you are under the same rules. If you want to contact a kid, call the Athletic Department and tell them the story (the truth), and they will tell you what can and can not be done.

 

[majorwhiteapples]

The rules are pretty strict. I would recommend saying nothing to the kid. Walking around the athletic facililties you are encouraged to NOT talk to anybody that might be a recruit in any sport.

 

[BevoJoe]

As a booster, we get an annual letter of all the things that are not allowed by the NCAA rules. I don't think it is ever a good idea to go talk to a kid that is being recruited by anybody.

 

[HornSwoggler]

Can someone provide the NCAA definition of a booster, please?

I suspect being a season ticket holder or a donor is required. I doubt being an everyday fan that is not a $$ donor to the program would qualify as a booster.

 

[H-D Rider]

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[ViperHorn]

For the Link Challenged:

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[I35]

Dang, I'm a booster and didn't know it.

 

[accuratehorn]

You could email the coaching staff with the information in case they want to consider contacting the prospect. It wouldn't hurt.
There may or may not be any real interest (from either side), still it wouldn't hurt.

 

[ViperHorn]

I35 Big Red has your check ready at the office in Norman.

 

[chango]

NCAA rules of contact, or Penn State rules?

 

[HornSwoggler]

Thanks for the info and links, fellow fans and boosters.

How does someone become a booster?
According to NCAA rules, a booster is any individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration to:

(a) Have participated in or to be a member of any organization that promotes the institution's intercollegiate athletics program;
(b) Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
(c) Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
(d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
(e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program.

Some examples of boosters are: fans, undergraduate students, graduate students, all university faculty, staff and other employees and alumni. These are just a few examples; anyone who meets the criteria above is a booster.


To me, a FAN that might go to a game every now and then but is not associated with the ath dept in any way and does not fit the above could be just a fan and NOT a booster. A damn fine line especially if you consider paying for a ticket to be a financial contribution to the dept.

Wonder what happens if I had a son or daughter that played for the Horns and then a 2nd son or daughter showed enough talent to possibly be a Horn athlete. Am I considered a booster and therefore can not try to persuade my 2nd son or daughter to become a Horn. Hmmm.

 

[I35]

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[Knoxville-Horn]

When I get the Longhorn Network, will I be able to contact the recruit?

 

[ViperHorn]

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[I35]

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