Compliance at Northwest

Northwest Compliance Corner

Official Visit (PDF) -- For Northwest Coaches Only
Tryout Form (PDF) -- For Northwest Coaches Only
Student-Athlete Deletion Form (PDF) -- For Northwest Coaches Only
Countable Hours (PDF) -- For Northwest Coaches Only

Welcome to the Northwest Missouri State University Athletics Compliance Corner. Northwest is committed and obligated to the principal of institutional control in operating its athletics program in a manner that is consistent with the spirit of the NCAA, MIAA and University rules and regulations.

Contact With Currently Enrolled Students-Athletes

You may not provide a student-athlete any benefit or special arrangement that would not be offered to the rest of the student population. Such a benefit may cause a student-athlete to lose his or her eligibility. These activities include, but are not limited to:

You may not entertain student-athletes, their friends or family. (Bylaw 16.11.2.2.3)
You may not use the name of picture of an enrolled student-athlete to advertise, recommend, or promote any product or service of any kind. (Bylaw 12.5)
You may not provide awards or gifts to a student-athlete. (Bylaw 16.1)
You may not allow a student-athlete to use your telephone to make free calls, or allow use of a free or discounted automobile. (Bylaw 16.11.2.3)
You can however, invite an enrolled student-athlete to your home for an occasional home cooked meal, but you may not take a student-athlete to a restaurant.

Questions and Answers for Recruiting Issues Regarding Athletics Representatives
What are the basic provisions of the NCAA regulations in this area?
It is not permissible for an athletics representative (as defined in Bylaw 13.02.12) to make telephone calls to a prospect. (Bylaw 13.1.3.4.2) The following are additional restrictions that apply to athletics representatives: a) Observing Prospect's Contest - An athletics representative may view a prospect's athletics contest on his or her own initiative, subject to the understanding that the athletics representative may not contact the prospect on such occasions; b) Evaluation of Prospect - An athletics representative may not contact a prospect's coach, principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect; and c) Visiting Prospect's Institution - An athletics representative may not visit a prospect's educational institution to pick up film/videotape or transcripts pertaining to the evaluation of the prospect's academic eligibility or athletics ability. (Bylaw 13.1.2.3)

What is a prospect?
A prospect is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not yet started ninth grade classes becomes a prospect if the institution provides any benefit not available to general prospective students.

May a booster telephone a prospect, or send a letter of congratulations to a prospect AFTER they have signed a National Letter of Intent?
No. A prospect remains a prospect until they enroll in school. Therefore, telephoning or writing to a prospective student-athlete by a booster is not permissible. The only permissible contact with a prospective student-athlete is for employment purposes initiated by the prospective student-athlete.

May a booster employ or arrange for employment of a prospective student-athlete?
Yes. This is the only exception that allows a booster to contact a prospect before the prospect enrolls at Northwest. A booster can arrange employment before the completion of the prospect's senior year in high school. Compensation must be paid only for work performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for services of like character.

Is it permissible for a booster to provide a prospect with summer employment transportation?
No. Although, the arrangement of employment for a prospect after their senior year in high school is permissible, providing transportation to a prospect is generally not. An institution or its boosters cannot provide free transportation to or from a summer job unless providing transportation is the employers established policy for all employees.

Can a booster employ an enrolled student-athlete during the academic year?
Yes. Enrolled student-athletes may receive earnings during the academic year, that when combined with other sources of countable aid, do not exceed the cost of attendance.

Is it permissible for a booster to invite a prospect to a booster meeting or event?
No. It is impermissible to invite a prospect or an enrolled student-athlete to a booster meeting. If a prospect, signee or enrolled student-athlete attends a meeting on his or her own they would be permitted to stay, but they must pay all fees charged for non-members to attend the meeting, including the meal.

Can a booster group place an advertisement that is targeted at local prospective student-athletes in a newspaper or other publication?
No. It is impermissible to place such an advertisement even if the advertisement does not specifically mention Northwest.

Is it permissible for a booster to pay the registration fees associated with summer sports camps for a prospect?
No. A booster may not pay any fees associated with sports camps for a prospect.

Can a booster provide a gift to the prospect, or treat a prospect to a free dinner?
No. It is not permissible to give the prospect a gift or treat him or her to a meal. After they become an enrolled student-athlete it would be permissible to invite them over for an occasional meal that must be served at the booster's home.

Is Northwest responsible for the actions of its representatives and their support groups?
Yes! Northwest is subject to penalties for all violations committed by any athletic representative or support organizations.

NCAA Recruiting Rules Summary

NCAA Initial-Eligibility Center
Initiate registration with the Eligibility Center by completing a NCAA student release form during your junior year. See your guidance counselor for forms and evaluation of your eligibility status.
All prospective DI or DII student-athletes must complete a NCAA Amateurism questionnaire. If the student-athlete is a 2-year or 4-year transfer from a non NCAA Division I or Division II school, the Amateurism questionnaire is still required before he/she is eligible to compete.

Correspondence
Letters/printed material are permitted from coaches (or others at the college) before June 15 immediately preceding your junior year.
E-mail and fax are considered correspondence.

Phone Calls
May begin June 15 after completion of your junior year.
Prospect or parent(s) may phone a coach as often as they wish.
Enrolled collegiate student-athletes may not make recruiting calls.
You may telephone enrolled collegiate student-athletes at your own expense.
E-mail is not considered a phone call, therefore, is not limited.

Contacts
Definition - Any face-to-face encounter during which dialogue occurs.
A college coach may contact a prospect or parent(s) off their campus before June 15 immediately preceding your junior year.
Limit of 3 contacts per institution.
A coach may not contact a prospect during competition.
A coach may contact parents during competition during a contact period.

Evaluations
Definition - Any off-campus activity designed to assess athletics and/or academics.
There is no limit to the number of evaluations an institution may conduct in Div. II.

Tryouts
Division II institutions may conduct one tryout per prospect per sport on its campus, not to exceed two hours in length.
A tryout can be conducted for prospective student-athletes beginning June 15 preceding their junior year. Tryouts can be conducted outside the prospective student-athletes traditional season in that sport.
Prior to participation in a tryout, a potential student-athlete is required to undergo a medical examination or evaluation administered or supervised by a physician (e.g.; family physician, team physician). This examination must be completed within six months of the tryout.
High school potential student-athletes may use a physical that was within six months of participation in practice, competition or out-of-season conditioning activities during their year of high school as long as it was accepted by their high school for their participation in athletics during that year.
Prospect's strength, speed, agility and sport skills may be tested; Football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer and wrestling tryouts may not include competition.
During the academic year, competition is permissible against the member institution's team in a tryout.
An institution may provide clothing and equipment to a prospect if it is returned at the conclusion of the tryout.

Unofficial Visits
A visit made to the institution at the prospect's own expense.
May make unofficial visits an unlimited number of times.
May be made before your junior year in high school.

Official Visits
A visit made to the institution's campus at the expense of that institution.
Only one per institution.
48-hour limit.
You must provide the college with an academic transcript and an ACT or SAT test score prior to the visit.
Entertainment money may not be used to buy souvenirs for yourself.
Prospect may receive transportation.
Prospect and parents may receive meals, lodging and admission to campus events.
A prospect visiting an institution may participate in physical workouts provided the activities are not organized or observed by members of the coaching staff.
All high school or prep school prospective student-athletes are required to present a SAT, ACT, PSAT or PLAN score.
Prospective student-athletes must be registered with the NCAA eligibility center