DEFINITIONS & TERMS
Prospective Student-Athlete (PSA) – You become a prospective student-athlete when a student starts classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if an institution gives a student any financial aid or benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally.
Recruited Student-Athlete – You become a recruited student-athlete when a coach or representative of athletics interest approaches you (or your relatives or legal guardian) about enrolling or participating in athletics at a college.
Activities by a coach or athletics representative that cause you to become a recruited student-athlete are:
Having an official visit.
Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus visit with you or a family member.
Placing more than one phone call to you or your family member.
Issuing a National Letter of Intent or a written offer of athletically financial aid.
Official Visit - A visit to a college campus paid in whole or in part by the college. Official visits can be no longer than 48 hours. A prospective student-athlete is imited to one official visits per university. The college may pay the following expenses during an official visit: your transportation to and from the college, room and meals (three per day) while you are visiting the college and reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest.
The following documents are required by the PSA prior to an official visit:
- copy of transcript and test scores
- register with the NCAA Initial Eligibility Center
- submit valid physical to participate in try-outs
Unofficial Visit - Any visit by you and your parents to a college campus paid for by you or your parents. The only expense you may receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. You may make as many unofficial visits as you like and may take those visits at any time. The only time you cannot talk with a coach during an unofficial visit is during a dead period.
Recruiting Contact - Any face-to-face, off-campus encounter between a prospect, prospect's parents (or legal guardian) or relatives and a college staff employee or athletics representative; if the conversation goes beyond a greeting. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with you or your parents at your high school or any location where you are competing or practicing.
Recruiting Evaluation - Any off-campus activity designed to assess a prospect's academic qualifications or athletic ability. The college coach may watch you play or visit your high school, but cannot have any in-person conversations with you or your parents off the college's campus. You and your parents can visit a college campus during this period. A coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.
Contact Period
During this time, a college coach may have in-person contact with you and/or your parents on or off the college's campus. The coach may also watch you play or visit your high school. You and your parents may visit a college campus and the coach may write and telephone you during this period.
Dead Period
The college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents at any time in the dead period. The coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.
Evaluation Period
The college coach may watch you play or visit your high school, but cannot have any in-person conversations with you or your parents off the college's campus. You and your parents can visit a college campus during this period. A coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.
Quiet Period
The college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents off the college's campus. The coach may not watch you play or visit your high school during this period. You and your parents may visit a college campus during this time. A coach may write or telephone you or your parents during this time.
Verbal Commitment
This phrase is used to describe a college-bound student-athlete's commitment to a school before he or she signs (or is able to sign) a National Letter of Intent. A college-bound student-athlete can announce a verbal commitment at any time. While verbal commitments have become very popular for both college-bound student-athletes and coaches, this "commitment" is NOT binding on either the college-bound student-athlete or the school. Only the signing of the National Letter of Intent accompanied by a financial aid agreement is binding on both parties.
