Dear Newberry Family, The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics prides itself on providing quality athletics to complement the overall Department endeavors to contribute to the total reputation and image of the college by nurturing a sense of pride and spirit among alumni, faculty, parents, students, staff and the general public. As mandated by the NCAA, the control and behavior of Newberry College’s intercollegiate athletics program shall be the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer. This not only includes the actions of staff members but also any other individual or organization engaged in activities promoting athletics of the college. As we continue to make our sports stronger academically and athletically, please remember that whether you are an alumni, coach, faculty, fan or staff, we can each be identified as “representatives of Newberry College athletics interest” and are bound by NCAA rules and regulations. We cannot nor should we ignore the rules. This section of our athletic website is to be used as reference for NCAA rules governing situations most commonly encountered by alumni, coaches, Athletic Club members, and other supporters and fans of Newberry Athletics. Note: This is intended to serve as a guide to understanding NCAA rules. Hopefully this will help to avoid result in loss of a student-athlete’s eligibility or disciplinary action leveled against Newberry College. Thanks in advance for your faithful support of Newberry Athletics. Your attention and cooperation regarding NCAA rules are greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact our office if we can ever be service to you!
Brad Edwards
Athletic Director
Commonly Asked Questions Q: Can an athletics representative be involved in any way when a prospect is on an official or unofficial visit?
A: No. Athletics representatives are precluded from all recruiting activities. Q: Is it permissible for an athletics representative to provide summer employment for student-athletes?
A: Yes. Please remember that compensation must be paid only for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for services of like character. Such employment should be arranged through the athletic association. Q: May a student-athlete's name or picture be used to directly or indirectly advertise, recommend, or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service?
A: No. Such activity would jeopardize the eligibility of the student-athlete. The NCAA membership has always maintained that student-athletes not be involved in the promotion of a commercial product. Q: Is it permissible for a booster to reimburse the coach of a prospect for expenses incurred in transporting a prospect to visit the campus?
A: No. Q: Is it permissible for a booster to pay in whole or in part registration fees associated with sport camps?
A: No. Q: Is the contact rule applicable to established family, friends, and neighbors?
A: No. However, it must be understood that such contacts may not be made for recruiting purposes and are not initiated by a member of the institution's coaching staff. Q: May a booster attend a public event (e.g., high school award banquet or dinner) at which prospects are in attendance?
A: Yes. Please remember that contact with a prospect may not be prearranged by an athletics department staff member, and no attempt may be made to recruit the prospect. Q: Is it permissible for an athletics representative to provide enrolled student-athletes a home cooked meal?
A: Yes. Provided it is on an "occasional" basis and any such meal is not at a restaurant. Please note: All requests must receive prior approval from the athletics department. Q: Is Newberry College responsible for the acts of boosters and booster support groups?
A: Yes. Boosters are governed by the same NCAA and institutional rules and regulations as those placed upon all institutional athletics staff members. Q: When does a prospect become considered a student-athlete?
A: A prospect becomes a student-athlete when he or she reports for regular squad practice or attends classes in any term. Q: Is it permissible for a booster to provide an enrolled student-athlete with professional services (for which a fee would normally be charged) for personal reasons?
A: No. Professional services provided at a fee less than the normal rate or at no expense to a student-athlete are considered extra benefits. Q: May a student-athlete make a public appearance at a business establishment for any purpose such as signing autographs etc.?
A: No. Such appearances can be construed as a direct or indirect endorsement of the commercial establishment, thus jeopardizing the eligibility of the student-athlete. It should be noted that student-athletes may make appearances at schools, hospitals, or other non-profit or charitable organizations provided they do not receive compensation (other than expenses) and such activities are authorized by the athletic department. Q: Is it permissible for a booster to provide gifts or awards to a student-athlete for his or her athletics performance?
A: No. All awards must conform to NCAA awards legislation and must be approved by Newberry College. REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS
A Representative of Athletics Interest (booster) is anyone who is known (or should be known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletic administration to:
• Participate in or have been a member of a sport support group or a booster club.
• Provide or have helped arrange employment for student-athletes or provided benefits to enrolled student-athletes.
• Have been involved, in any way promoting Newberry College athletics.
• Participated as a varsity athlete at Newberry College.
• Be involved in the recruitment of prospects for Newberry.
• Make or have made a donation to the Indian Club and/or External Affairs.
As a booster, the institution is responsible for anything you do relating to prospects, student-athletes, and their families or friends, whether it is accidental or intentional. Note: Once an individual is identified as a Representative of the Institution's Athletics Interest, the person retains that identity forever. INTERESTS INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL
Institutional Control of athletics is a fundamental requirement of NCAA Legislation.
Specifically, the NCAA Constitution provides that each institution shall be responsible for:
• Controlling its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA.
• Monitoring its program to insure compliance, identifying and reporting to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved and taking appropriate corrective actions.
• Insuring that members of the institution's staff, student-athletes and other individuals or groups representing the institutions athletics interests comply with NCAA rules. PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE
Who is a prospective student-athlete?
A prospective student-athlete or “prospect” is any student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the institution provides such an individual (or the individual’s relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally (Bylaw 13.02.10) .
A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect even after signing the National Letter of Intent and/or a Financial Aid Agreement with an institution. In addition, a student-athlete who is enrolled in a 4-year college who has been given a release to transfer is considered a prospect and all applicable NCAA legislation applies.
A student-athlete remains a prospect until:
• The individual reports for regular squad practice;
• The registrar certifies that he/she is officially registered on the opening day of classes; and
• The prospect attends the first day of class in any regular term. What is a contact?
Contact is any “face to face” encounter between a prospect and/or a prospect’s parents or legal guardian by an institutional staff member or “booster’’ during which ANY dialogue in excess of an exchange of a greeting occurs. Any face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or takes place on the grounds of a prospect’s educational institution or at the site of organized competition involving the prospects or prospect’s high school, preparatory school, or junior college shall be considered contact regardless of the conversation that occurs.
General rule for contacts between Boosters and Prospects:
Boosters may NOT contact a prospect or a member of a prospect’s family/guardians by telephone, letter, or in-person, on or off campus. Only coaches and athletic department staff members may be involved in the recruiting process.
Permissible contacts:
• Contacting the athletic department or coach of a member institution about a prospect who you know through your child who attends the same school.
• Contacting a coach about a prospect you feel may help your institution’s athletic program, providing the coach with the names of people regarding a prospect, and/or sending a newspaper clipping about a prospect to a coach.
• Bringing your son or daughter to hear a coach speak at an alumni event; however, it is in the best interest not to introduce yourself or your child to the coach because it could produce an impermissible contact between the coach and the prospect.
• Attending a public event at which prospects will be in attendance as long as the contact between you and the prospect is not prearranged by the athletic department and no attempt is made to recruit the prospect(s).
• Continue to maintain friendships even if it involves a prospect, as long as you do not encourage the prospect to attend your institution or provide extra benefits to the prospect and his/her family and friends.
• Attending a prospect’s competition, provided you do not have any contact with the prospect or his/her family and friends.
Illegal contacts and recruiting activities:
• Discussing a member institution for whom you are considered a booster with a prospect you know through your child who attends the same school.
• Contacting prospects, including those who have been admitted to your institution, either by telephone or in writing to encourage them to attend your institution. This includes contacting prospects as part of a program in which all admitted students are contacted. Exception: You can have a telephone conversation with a prospect ONLY if the prospect initiates the call, the call is not prearranged by an institutional staff member and you do not have a recruiting conversation.
• Making contact with a prospect or a prospect’s parents on an official visit off campus.
• Contacting a prospect’s coach, principal, or counselor in an attempt to evaluate a prospect. Visiting a prospect’s educational institution to pick up film or transcripts pertaining to the evaluation of a prospect’s academic or athletic ability.
• Entertaining a high school, prep band or two-year college coach at ANY location.
• Providing tickets or transportation to a prospect’s coach. (Only the athletic department may provide complimentary tickets to a coach).
• Reimbursing a prospect’s coach for expenses incurred from a prospect’s campus visit. | 
