D1 Coaches Communication with Sophs & Jrs

First, understand that the recruiting rules are not perfectly drawn, are hard to enforce, and colleges vary in how strictly they observe the rules. So there can be some deviation from the following.

A player or his parents can visit a school anytime, and while on campus can have any kind of conversation with the coaches. A player or his parents can call a coach anytime, and if the coach answers, talk about anything. If the the coach misses the call, he cannot return the call. Coaches can only intiate calls after July 1 following the player's junior year.

A player or his parents can write or email a coach anytime. The coach can't respond or intiate written communication until September 1 of the player's junior year.

In general, a coach and player cannot have in-person contact away from campus until July 1 following the junior year. The number of contacts is limited, and there are quiet and dead periods during the year when contact is not allowed or restricted.

Camps are specifically exempted from the contact rules, but a coach is not allowed to do any recruiting at a camp.

If a coach really wants to comunicate with a younger player, he usually can find some person (e.g. HS or travel coach) to pass on a request for the player/parent to call.

This all sounds accurate based on what I have learned but the question I still don't understand is how / where did the communication take place where the coach said "come play here?" and the player said "OK"?

During an unofficial visit recently, my 2011 son got a tour of the facilities from the coach after his campus tour and the coach specifically told us he could not say certain things. Maybe that was "code" for saying we could ask what we wanted but I didn't pick that up.

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I still don't understand how / where did the communication take place where the coach said "come play here?" and the player said "OK"?

Where is on campus, although the rules would allow an offer to be made during a phone call initiated by the player/parent.

An institution may indicate in writing that a scholarship will be offered (13.9.2.2) but before an actual written offer is made the player needs to be registered with the Eligibility Center, and college needs to have entered the player on the Institutional Request List. Starting in August 2010, the player must also have completed the Amateurism questionnaire. Of course the player may not sign anything before the early signing date.

There are a number of things that no propsective student athlete can be told. For example, "we will absolutely honor the scholarship for 4 years" or "You certainly will be admitted to the college."

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Ebby Calvin Laloosh...welcome aboard the HSBBW. You found a great site.




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There are a number of things that no propsective student athlete can be told. For example, "we will absolutely honor the scholarship for 4 years" or "You certainly will be admitted to the college."

There is no rule prohibiting these kinds of statements. It's just that they aren't enforceable, and as far as the NCAA is concerned, it's up to the player to know that for his own protection.

Which is why you need this site, because the NCAA doesn't exactly reach out to warn you.

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When in PG Showcase events the scout/coach talks to me, never my son

This is a common misconception, but the coach is not supposed to talk to the parents off campus, either.

What you need to do is go to their campus, either via a camp or through an "unofficial visit", i.e., at your expense. If you're standing on their soil, they can talk to you to their heart's content.

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During an unofficial visit recently, my 2011 son got a tour of the facilities from the coach after his campus tour and the coach specifically told us he could not say certain things.

He could've said anything he wanted to say. Either he didn't understand that, or he just didn't want to have to say anything firm just yet.

In the end, there's no deal until both sides want a deal to happen.

Thanks to all. Good stuff and I appreciate it.

From an earlier post:
'There are a number of things that no propsective student athlete can be told. For example, "we will absolutely honor the scholarship for 4 years" or "You certainly will be admitted to the college." '

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There is no rule prohibiting these kinds of statements. It's just that they aren't enforceable, and as far as the NCAA is concerned, it's up to the player to know that for his own protection.

The first statement really is prohibited by the NCAA. See 15.3.3.1.2 in the D1 Manual, and 15.3.3.1.1 in the D2 Manual. ".....However, the prospective student-athlete must be informed that the renewal will not be automatic."

Unenforceable, but the NCAA doesn't consider it to be up to the player to know that scholarships can't be guaranteed for 4 years.

The second statement probably can squeak by from the NCAA point of view.

In my son's case (he's a 2012) his travel coach will call or text him and say that Coach X wants you to call him. Here is his number. Coach X has never directly called son as that would be against the rules. The offer came when the travel team was having a practice on the school's campus and the coach talked to my son. We then went on an unofficial visit while we were playing in a tournament there; we took the tour and met with the head coach. Coach X was at most of our tournaments last summer, but all he could do was say "hey, how're you doing?" in passing, except at the two that were on his campus.