Representatives of Athletics Interests
This sub-site is intended to highlight some
pertinent NCAA rules for you as a representative of UC San Diego's athletics
interests. It is impossible to
cover every NCAA rule that impacts you.
However, if you ever have any questions about NCAA rules and
regulations, please contact the Compliance Office staff.
Definition of a Representative of Athletics Interests:
In general, you are considered a
representative of athletics interests (or a booster) if any of the following
apply:
- You are the parent or legal guardian of an enrolled UC San Diego
student-athlete
- You are a former student or fan of UC San Diego Athletics;
- You are or have been a member of any athletic booster club associated
with UC San Diego (Athletic Board, TAA);
- You have participated in promoting the Triton athletics program;
- You have assisted in the recruitment of prospects to UC San Diego;
- You have made any sort of financial contribution to UC San Diego Athletics.
Note: Once you trigger "booster status", you
will always be considered a booster and held to NCAA rules.
Essential Information for Representatives of Athletics Interests:
Extra Benefits
Definition: An extra benefit is any
special arrangement to provide a student-athlete or student-athlete's relative,
coach or friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.
Extra
benefits for prospects are called offers or inducements and are prohibited. An
institution's staff member or any representative of its athletics interests
shall not be involved, directly or indirectly, in making arrangements for
giving or offering to give any financial aid or other benefits to a prospect or
to a prospect's relatives, coach or friends.
Examples
of prohibited extra benefits include but are not limited to:
- Cash or
loan in any amount
- Gift,
clothing or equipment (i.e. holiday gift, birthday present, gift certificate)
- Special
discount, payment arrangements or free or reduced cost services
- The
purchase of a meal or service at a commercial establishment
- Free or
reduced cost rent or housing
- Use of a
car or other personal property (i.e. house)
- Promise
of employment after graduation
- Employment
for a prospect's friends or relatives
- Payment
of registration fees for athletic camps
Recruiting
Definition: Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect or the
prospect's family by an institutional staff member or by an institution's
representative of athletics interests (i.e. booster) for the purpose of
securing that prospect's enrollment and participation in the institution's
intercollegiate athletics program
NCAA rules restrict the ways that boosters
can be involved in the recruiting process. Below is a breakdown of the do's and don'ts for boosters as
it concerns recruiting.
Boosters Can:
- Observe a
PSA's athletic contest, provided there is no contact with the prospect or
his/her parents and or relatives
- Notify
the coaching staff of outstanding prospects in the area
- Continue
to have normal contact with any neighbor, relative, or family friend that might
be a prospect so long as you do not engage in the recruitment process
- Refer any
and all recruiting questions to an athletic department staff member
- Meet with a recruit on the University campus but only at the direction
of the Athletics Department
Boosters Cannot:
- Write or
call a prospect or his/her parents or legal guardians
- Contact a
coach, high school principal, and/or counselor, to evaluate a prospect
- Visit a prospect's
school to pick up a transcript or video to evaluate his/her academic or athletic
ability or to provide to an athletics department staff member
- Provide
extra benefits to prospects, enrolled college student-athletes or their
relatives or friends (e.g. movie or event tickets, dinner, gift cards or
special discounts)
- Meet with
a prospect or his/her immediate family members off campus; or have any
recruiting contact unless on the University campus at the direction of the
athletics staff
- Pay for
prospect's registration fees for athletics camps at any time
Booster FAQ's
1.
What if a
prospect approaches/calls me with questions about playing for UC San Diego?
You should not speak with him/her in excess of a friendly greeting and explaining that NCAA rules prohibit you from talking with them further. You can tell them they will need to contact the coach and then take steps to end the conversation.
2.
What if a
prospect knows I am a UC San Diego graduate and calls me with general questions
about UC San Diego?
If a prospect initiates a phone call to you, a booster, you may answer questions regarding various aspects of attending UC San Diego as long as NO discussion occurs regarding the UC San Diego athletics program. If a prospect asks about UC San Diego athletics, you must refer him/her to the appropriate coaching staff member.
3.
May I
provide anything to a recruit?
No. The NCAA's "extra benefit" rule (as defined above) prohibits you from providing any benefit to a prospect or his/her family or friends when the benefit is not available to the general public or all UC San Diego students (e.g. tickets to an athletic, institutional or community event).
4.
If I have family friends with a son or daughter who
is a prospect, do the rules change my relationship with them?
Not necessarily. The rules are not meant to alter relationships that started for reasons unrelated to athletics, especially prior to a individual reaching such an age or status. You may continue relationships with family friends who have a son or daughter of recruit-able age and is considered a prospect (e.g. backyard BBQs, picnics). But, you cannot encourage the PSA's participation in UC San Diego athletics or provide benefits that you were not providing before he/she became a prospect.
5.
Do the extra benefit rules also apply to enrolled
student-athletes and their families and friends?
Yes. You are not allowed to provide any benefit or special arrangement to an enrolled student- athlete (e.g. tickets to a sporting event or concert, a meal or snack, an award or gift for athletic performance, special discounts). Again, the rules are not meant to alter pre-existing relationships, but note that the benefits provided must be the type of benefits that you provided prior to the student-athlete's enrollment at UC San Diego.
6.
I am a parent and would like to host my son's team
at my home for a meal while they're traveling to our hometown. Is that ok?
Yes. Parents of current student-athletes can provide an "occasional meal" to their son/daughter's team at any location.
Other types of boosters can provide student-athletes with an "occasional meal" too, BUT there are restrictions on where they can provide the meal. Boosters can provide student-athletes with a meal in their home, on campus at UC San Diego, or at a facility that is regularly used for home competition. The meal can even be catered but it can only happen "occasionally" and with prior-approval from the compliance office. The meal cannot be at a restaurant.
Additional Resources
Quick Reference Booster Guide
UC San Diego Athletic Giving
Contacting the Compliance Office
Remember
this is not a complete list of NCAA rules. Please contact a compliance staff member if you have any questions or before taking action that may
be contrary to NCAA rules. Click here
to view the Compliance staff contact information.
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