• A CONTACT happens any time a college coach says more than hello during a face-to-face meeting with a college-bound student-athlete or his or her parents off the college’s campus.

  • During a contact period, a college coach may have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents.

 

• An EVALUATION happens when a college coach observes a student-athlete practicing or competing.

  • During an evaluation period, a college coach may watch college-bound student-athletes compete, visit their high schools and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents. However, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college’s campus during an evaluation period.

 

• An OFFICIAL VISIT is any visit to a college campus by a college-bound student-athlete or his or her parents paid for by the college. During an official visit the college can pay for transportation to and from the college for the student-athlete, lodging and three meals per day for the student-athlete and his or her parents or guardians, as well as reasonable entertainment expenses including three tickets to a home sports event.

 

• An UNOFFICIAL VISIT is any visit to a college campus by a college-bound student-athlete or his or her parents paid for by the athlete or thier parents. The only expenses a college-bound student-athlete may receive from a college during an unofficial visit are three tickets to a home sports event.

 

• A VERBAL commitment happens when a college-bound student-athlete verbally agrees to play sports for a college before he or she signs or is eligible to sign a National Letter of Intent. The commitment is not binding on the student-athlete or the school and can be made at any time.

 

• When a student-athlete officially COMMITS to attend a Division I or II college, he or she signs a National Letter of Intent, agreeing to attend that school for one academic year.

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• During a QUIET PERIOD, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write or telephone college-bound student-athletes or their parents during this time.

 

• During a DEAD PERIOD, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.