Compliance Question of the Week - 2004 Spring Semester

April 26
Q. May our department donate four general admission tickets of a home YSU basketball or football game to a local high school athletics booster club fundraiser?
A. No. NCAA rules prohibit institutions from providing funding to benefit high school athletics programs through fundraisers or advertisements.

April 19
Q. Would it be permissible for a student-athlete to reside in reduced or cost-free housing owned by a booster or athletic department staff member while attending summer school?
A. No. This type of arrangement would constitute an impermissible extra-benefit. Student-athletes are not permitted to receive reduced or cost-free housing at any time.

April 12
Q. Is it permissible for a YSU staff member to comment to the media regarding the abilities of a high school prospect who will be a “walk-on” enrolling at YSU or four-year college prospect who is planning on transferring to YSU?
A. No. Both individuals are considered to be “prospects” and no athletic staff member may comment to the media regarding the abilities of that prospect, the contribution he/she may make for a team, or the likelihood of the prospect enrolling at YSU. Since neither has signed a National Letter of Intent, comments would be prohibited until the first practice or first day of fall classes, whichever occurs earlier.

April 5
Q. Would it be permissible for a YSU student-athlete to be interviewed in conjunction with or during a high school contest?
A. Yes, provided the collegiate institution does not arrange for the interview and the student-athlete does not provide comments to the media regarding a prospect.

March 29
Q. A private, summer sport camp (i.e. baseball, basketball or softball, etc.) in Columbus, Ohio, is inviting all first-team, all-league honorees from the state of Ohio to participate in their camp in July. The first 70 respondents are guaranteed enrollment in the camp. Would a member of our athletics staff be able to work at this camp?
A. No. An institutional staff member is only permitted to work at noninstitutional, privately owned camps as long as the camps is open to the general public (limited only by number or age); the camp is designed to develop fundamental skills; the camp does not include material benefits for the participants (i.e. awards, merchandise, prizes, gifts); participants do not receive a recruiting presentation; and all participants reside in the state in which the camp is located or within 100 miles of the camp/clinic. In the sports of football and basketball, participation in such camps is limited to June, July, and August. The above-mentioned example is limiting enrollment to elite student-athletes.

March 22
Q. Which apparel item(s) would be permissible for a student-athlete to retain at the conclusion of their sport season?
a) t-shirt; b) knee pads; c) game jersey
A. Potentially, all of the above items could be retained by a student-athlete. A student-athlete may retain an apparel item that is considered “not reusable” by other team members in subsequent seasons (subject to the discretion of the institution). If a game jersey is deemed “not reusable”, it could be provided to a student-athlete. I  addition, a student-athlete who is at the end of their collegiate participation (i.e. senior) may retain athletic apparel items, whether it is reusable or not.

March 15
Q. Is it permissible for a YSU coach to coach a club team made up or prospect-age (Grades 9-12) athletes in the same sport?
A. In sports other than basketball, a YSU coach may coach a local sports team or club team in the same sport under all of the following conditions:
a) the club or organization is located within 50 miles of YSU’s campus
b) participants on the team reside within 50 miles of YSU’s campus
c) participation includes competition, not just practice
d) YSU athletics does not sponsor the club team
e) YSU facilities or equipment may not be used unless rental charges are applied in the same manner as any other outside group

A coach may be involved in coaching clubs with individuals who are not prospect age (before the ninth grade) regardless of where such individuals reside.

March 1
Q. A coach picks up a recruit for an official visit at the Cleveland airport at 5:00 pm. The coach provides the recruit a meal on the way back to campus at 6 p.m. The coach and recruit arrive on campus at 7:30 p.m. At what time does the 48-hour period start?
A. 6 p.m. The 48-hour period begins once a prospect arrives on campus OR when the institution provides a meal when a staff member accompanies the prospect to campus. In addition, the transportation from the airport to campus must be without delay for personal reasons or for entertainment purposes (other than a meal).

Feb. 23
Q. Spring break begins Monday March 8. A team’s first contest of their “spring trip” is Tuesday March 9 at 3 p.m. Would it be permissible for the team to depart on their trip Friday March 5 once everyone has completed their classes?
A. No. A student-athlete may not depart any earlier than 48 hours prior to the start of actual competition. Although this rule does not apply to travel during official vacation periods, the vacation period in this case does not begin until Monday, March 8. Therefore, the earliest the team could depart is Sunday, March 7, at 3 p.m.

Feb. 16
Q. A group of 20 neighbors is creating a March Madness pool for NCAA basketball that only requires $1 to join the pool for a chance to win the total amount collected. Would it be permissible for an athletic department staff member to join since the amount of money is so small?
A. No. Gambling in any way, shape, form or amount is impermissible by any member of the athletics department (administrative staff, trainers, equipment managers, academic counselors, coaches, clerical, etc.) whether volunteer or paid staff members.  **NOTE: Penalty for an athletic staff member confirmed to have gambled on college or professional sport is most likely termination of employment. Penalty for a student-athlete is permanent ineligibility.

Feb. 9
Q. Nike is the sponsor for our football poster and their logo appears on the poster. Would it be permissible for our team to be wearing Nike shoes or apparel?
A. No. Names or pictures of student-athletes may not appear on a promotional item (i.e. poster, schedule card, game ticket, etc.) that includes the reproduction of a product in which its trademark or logo also appears.

Feb. 2
Q. If a prospect visits our campus and the only benefit he/she receives is lodging with a current student-athlete (i.e. dorms, Courtyard or apartment) and there is no out-of-pocket costs involved, would this constitute an official visit?
A. Yes. Any benefit received by a prospect and/or the family triggers an official visit, regardless of whether any charges are incurred.

Jan. 26
Q. Can a student-athlete include personal clothing items along with their practice clothes in their YSU laundry bag for our equipment staff to wash?
A. NO. Our institution is only permitted to launder those items related to practice and/or competition. It would not be permissible for a student-athlete's personal items unrelated to practice and/or competition to be laundered by our staff.

Jan. 19
Q. Is it permissible to have “sponsor” families for student-athletes enrolled at YSU that may include allowing student-athletes to live at the sponsor’s home during the summer months so he/she can attend summer school?
A. Such an arrangement is not permissible under NCAA legislation. Student-athletes, prospects, or their families are not permitted to receive cost-reduced housing, transportation or meals from institutional staff members or boosters. In addition, this support is not permitted at any time, including vacation periods.

Jan. 12
Q. Is it permissible for YSU to provide a game ball, game jersey, etc. to a student-athlete for being “Player of the Week” or “Player of the game”?
A. NO. It is not permissible for an institution to provide an award based on a limited timeframe (single game, single week). However, an institution may provide an award, i.e. game ball, to a student-athlete on an occasional basis to recognize an extraordinary achievement (e.g. career achievement, establishing a school record, etc.)