Rules of the Game

A guide for Alumni, Friends and Boosters of Fontbonne University Athletics

Are you a friend, supporter, or booster of Fontbonne Athletics?

You are if any of the following apply…

• You participated in or are a member of an agency or organization which promotes Fontbonne’s intercollegiate athletic programs.

• You made financial contributions to Fontbonne’s athletic department or to an athletic booster organization of Fontbonne University.

• You are involved in promoting Fontbonne’s athletic programs. 

IF YOU HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A Fontbonne University BOOSTER, YOU RETAIN THAT IDENTITY INDEFINITELY

IF YOU HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A Fontbonne University BOOSTER, you should be responsible for educating yourself with the following regulations, as you are held accountable for NCAA regulations just as Fontbonne’s coaches and staff members are.

 Who is a prospective student-athlete (PSA)?

• A PSA is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. A student who has not started ninth-grade classes becomes a prospect if the intercollegiate institution provides the individual (or the individual’s relatives or friends) with any financial assistance or other benefits.

• A PSA remains a prospect, even after signing with an intercollegiate institution, until the PSA begins classes at an intercollegiate institution or reports for a regular squad practice prior to the start of classes.

• Any student enrolled at a junior college.

The following is the basic recruiting regulation for DIII…

• Representatives of athletics interests may make in-person on- or off-campus recruiting contact with a prospective as long as any off-campus contact occurs following the completion of the PSA’s junior year in high school (NCAA Bylaw 13.01.4).  

THIS IS A GOOD THING (that DI and DII CANNOT DO)!!! Fontbonne coaches would love your assistance in identifying the academically and athletically gifted student-athlete that will thrive at our institution..  Please contact them with any PSAs that you identify.

Alumni, Friends, or Boosters may not…

• Entertain any PSA or their family off-campus

• Transport, pay or arrange for the payments of transportation costs incurred by relatives or friends of a PSA to visit the campus or elsewhere

• Provide cash or the use of an automobile to the prospect or student-host on his or her official visit to campus

• Employ, or arrange for the employment of, a PSA before the completion of the PSA’s senior year of high school

• The institution may arrange employment for a PSA if the employment begins after the PSA’s senior year in high school.

• Pay in whole, or in part, registration fees associated with summer sports camps

• Extend funds to entertain a student-athlete and friends

• Provide gifts or awards to a student-athlete for his or her academic performance

• Such awards can only be awarded by the institution

Alumni, Friends, or Boosters may…

• Make on- or off- campus contact with any PSA following their junior year in high school

• Make contact with a PSA and his or her legal guardian on an official visit to campus

• Engage in evaluation activities on behalf of the institution provided that the evaluation is booster initiated and is subject to the understanding that the booster may not make contact with the PSA.  Any booster wishing to make contact with a PSA, their high school, or current college/university, must first obtain permission from BSC Athletics.

• If you are an established friend or neighbor of a PSA, you may have contact with him or her as long as you do not try to recruit the PSA on behalf of BSC and such contacts are not made at the direction of the Fontbonne University coaching staff

• Once a PSA has made an enrollment deposit to attend Fontbonne University, a booster, friend, or alumnus may have contact with the PSA to discuss summer job arrangements (pay for summer job, or any other service must be equal to the standard rate of pay for that position).

• Assist the coaching staff in the recruiting process by notifying them of any student you think would be a strong addition to Fontbonne University and to the athletics program. You may also send the coaching staff any newspaper clippings or other information about prospects which you think would be of interest. The coach can then make the appropriate contact.

• Have a phone conversation with a PSA as long as the PSA initiates the call, and the conversation is limited to general information about Fontbonne University.

Definition of Terms…

• Contact: A face-to-face encounter between a prospect and/or the prospect's parent or legal guardian and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution or the site of an organized competition or practice involving the prospect or the prospect's high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-state team shall be considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs.

• Evaluation: Any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic qualification or athletic ability of a prospect, including any visit to the prospect's educational institution (during which no contact can occur), or the observation of any practice or competition at which the prospect participates.

• Recruiting: Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect or prospect's relatives (or legal guardians) by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution's athletics interests for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution's intercollegiate athletic program.

• Student-Athlete: A student-athlete is any student who has reported for an intercollegiate squad under the jurisdiction of the athletic department, or any student whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletics staff or other representative of athletics interests with a view toward the student's ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics program.

Final friendly reminders:

• The actions of a friend, booster, or alumnus could jeopardize a student-athlete’s eligibility

• Boosters can incur penalties from the NCAA, such as an institution imposed disassociation, whereby BSC would be precluded from providing any athletic benefit or privilege to the disassociated booster.

Don’t forget to ask BEFORE you act!

Thanks for the Support and GO GRIFFINS!!!

For more information, contact: Anthony Hall, Sr., Associate Athletic Director/Compliance Officer