Booster Information

Blue and Gold Fund

A guide to NCAA Rules & Regulations for all Friends and Alumni of the Canisius College Athletic Department

The information contained in this manual is designed to provide a brief summary of NCAA rules and regulations for representatives of Canisius College interests.

According to the NCAA, the control and conduct of the Canisius College intercollegiate athletics program shall include being held accountable for the acts of all individuals that have been identified as athletic representatives.

This information should be considered only as a guide to a general understanding of the NCAA rules with a view to avoiding involvement in a violation of NCAA legislation, which might result in the loss of an individual's eligibility or disciplinary action against Canisius College.

We strongly suggest that if you are not absolutely certain about a NCAA rule, contact the Canisius College Athletics Department (716-888-2877) before proceeding.

Bill Maher
Director of Athletics

Who is a representative of Canisius College's athletic interests?
According to NCAA regulations, a representative of Canisius College's athletic interests (or booster) is any person who:

• Has ever been a member of any Canisius College athletic department fan support group (i.e., Blue & Gold Club, Cage Club)
• Has ever made a financial contribution to Canisius College Department of Athletics or any of our athletic fan support groups
• Is a season ticket holder in any sport
• Has assisted or has been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects
• Has helped arrange employment for a current or prospective student-athlete
• Has been involved, in any way, in the promotion of Canisius College's athletic program

PLEASE NOTE THAT ONCE YOU BECOME A REPRESENTATIVE OF CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETIC INTERESTS, YOU
RETAIN THAT IDENTITY INDEFINITELY.

Athletic Representative's Involvement with Prospective Student-Athletes

Q: Who is considered to be a prospective student-athlete (prospect)?
A prospect is a student in the ninth grade or above, including students in prep schools and junior colleges or individuals who have officially withdrawn form four-year schools. Any student not yet in the ninth grade becomes a prospect if an institution provides him/her with any financial aid or other benefits that are not generally provided to prospective students.

Q: How long is a prospective student-athlete considered to be a prospect?
A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect even after committing to or signing a National Letter of Intent or written offer of financial aid from Canisius College or any institution. Both the institution and the prospect continue to be governed by NCAA recruiting legislation until the prospect reports for regular squad practice or the prospect attends his/her first day of classes in any term.

Representatives of Canisius' athletics interests are prohibited from:

• Contacting a prospective student-athletes or members of his/her family by telephone, letter, electronic transmission or in person for the purpose of encouraging participation in athletics at Canisius College.
• Pick up films or transcripts relating to a recruit at the recruit's high school or junior college.
• May not contact a recruit's counselor, principal, or coach in an attempt to evaluate the prospect.

Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to telephone a prospect once the prospect has committed to or signed a National Letter of Intent with Canisius College?
No. Even if the purpose of the call is only to congratulate the prospect, he/she is still a prospect and the same contact rules apply after committing or signing the NLI that applied before.

Q: May an athletic representative contact a prospective student-athlete to discuss a summer job?
Yes, but ONLY AFTER the prospect has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Canisius College AND has completed his/her senior year in high school. A prospective student-athlete may not be employed until the completion of his/her senior year in high school. When a prospect is employed, he/she must be paid only for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services.

Q: What if a prospect calls an athletic representative?
If a prospect initiates a telephone conversation with you, then you may speak with the prospect as long as the call is not for recruiting purposes. Under these circumstances, you must refer all questions about the institution's athletics program to the athletics department staff.

Q: What if the prospect is a family friend or neighbor?
If a family friend or neighbor is a prospective student-athlete, you may continue to maintain this relationship. However, you may never have a recruiting conversation.

Q: May an athletic representative speak to a Canisius College coach if a prospect is with the coach?
If a Canisius College coach is with a prospect, do not approach the coach until the prospect and family have gone elsewhere. Otherwise, the coach will be placed in an awkward situation because he/she will not be able to introduce the prospect to the athletic representative. If a prospect approaches an athletic representative on or off campus regarding the athletic program, explain that NCAA rules do not permit discussion of the athletic program.

Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to entertain high school, preparatory, or junior college coaches at any location?
No. However, it is permissible for Canisius College coaches to provide two complimentary admissions to the coaches to home athletic contests.

Q: Is it permissible for an athletic representative to provide transportation to or from campus or free admission to the institution's athletic events on or off campus to prospects, their friends, or relatives?
No. Only institutional coaching staff members are permitted to provide complimentary tickets or transport student-athletes while visiting the College.

Athletic Representative's Involvement with Current Student-Athletes

Q: Is it permissible for anyone to use the name or picture of an enrolled student-athlete to directly advertise, recommend, or promote sales or use of a commercial product or service of any kind?
No. Use of a student athlete's name or picture for this purpose would cause him/her to become ineligible.

Q: Is it permissible for a student-athlete to receive any expenses for speaking to a booster club or civic organization?
A student-athlete may only accept transportation and meal expenses in conjunction with participation in a luncheon meeting of a booster club or civic organization, provided the meeting occurs within a 30-mile radius of the institution's main campus and no tangible award is provided to the student-athlete. If the luncheon is outside the 30-mile radius, the student-athlete is not permitted to accept any transportation or meal expenses.

Q: Is it permissible for student-athletes to be involved in any type of promotional activities?
It is permissible for student-athletes to be involved in promotional activities for institutional, charitable, educational, or nonprofit agencies provided the activity is approved by the Canisius College Athletic Director.

Q: Can I invite a team to dinner if I want to entertain them?
Yes, but the meal must be served in your home. Always make arrangements for such activities through the head coach or an athletic department administrator.

Q: Can I employ a returning student-athlete during the summer?
Yes, but the compensation must be for only work that is performed and at a rate that is commensurate with the student-athlete's abilities and experience. You cannot base the student-athlete's compensation on their fame or personal reputation.

NCAA Rule: Extra Benefits

Q: What is an extra benefit?
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional staff member or a representative of the institution's athletic interests to provide a prospective or enrolled student-athlete or his/her family with a benefit not specifically authorized by NCAA regulations.

Extra benefits that are not authorized by NCAA regulations would include, but are not limited to:

• Cash, special discounts, payment arrangements, or credit on a purchase (airline ticket, clothes) or service (laundry, typing);
• Free or reduced-cost professional services not available on the same basis to the general student body;
• Use of a telephone, pager, or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced rate;
• Entertainment services (movie tickets, dinners, use of car) from commercial agencies (theaters, restaurants, car dealers) without charge or at reduced rates;
• Free or reduced-cost admission to professional athletic contests from professional sports organizations, unless such services are available to the student body in general;
• Signing or co-signing a note with an outside agency to arrange a loan;
• Preferential treatment, benefits or services based on his/her athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a future professional;
• Free or reduced-cost athletics equipment, supplies or clothing directly from a manufacturer or commercial enterprise;
• Free or reduced-cost off-campus room and/or board;
• Payment or other compensation for work not performed or at unreasonable levels for the work performed;
• Employment arrangements for a student-athlete or prospect's relatives or friends;
• Payment of registration fees or other expenses to attend Canisius sports camp or clinic;
• Use of personal property (boats, summer homes, cars, computers, stereos);
• Christmas or birthday presents;
• Promise of employment after college graduation;
• Purchase of items or services from a prospect/student-athlete or their relatives at inflated prices; and
• Payment or arrangements for payment of transportation costs incurred by a student-athlete or prospect's relatives or friends.

Do's and Don'ts of Extra Benefits

• DO provide a home meal to a Canisius team competing in your area on an away trip.
• DO provide an occasional home meal to enrolled athletes (NOT PROSPECTS) and provide local transportation to your home with the Athletic Director's permission.
• DO arrange employment for enrolled athletes as long as there is no preferential treatment and the student-athlete only gets paid the going rate for work actually performed.
• DO arrange employment for prospects once they have signed a National Letter of Intent and completed his/her senior year in high school.
• DON'T provide a meal at a restaurant for prospective or enrolled student-athletes.

Q: What can you do to help Canisius College Athletics in the recruiting process?

• Identify outstanding student-athletes
• If you know of outstanding student-athletes in your area, send information, such as newspaper clippings, to the coach of your favorite institution, or give the coach a call, and let the coach take it from there.
• Offer assistance to the coaching staff
• You may provide lodging, meals, and transportation to coaches when they come to your community to contact and evaluate prospects.

NCAA Rule: Possible Penalties

There are many penalties the NCAA may impose upon a student-athlete (prospective or enrolled), an institution, a coach or a representative of athletics interest. Some of those penalties include,

• Ceasing recruitment of a prospective student-athlete;
• Loss of eligibility of an enrolled student-athlete;
• Having to sit out of competition for a limited period of time (enrolled student-athletes);
• Forfeiture of competitions;
• Prohibiting a coach from recruiting off-campus for a period of time;
• Institutional fines;
• Suspension of a coach for one or more competitions;
• Reduction in the number of scholarships an institution may award in a sport(s);
• Reduction in the number of expense-paid recruiting visits that an institution may provide;
• Prohibiting a team from participating in postseason competition;
• Institutional probation, or
• Disassociation of relations with a representative of athletics interests.

Canisius College appreciates your support of our intercollegiate athletic programs. By following these NCAA regulations, you are ensuring the eligibility of both prospective student-athletes and currently enrolled student-athletes is protected. While the information above does not contain all applicable NCAA legislation, it should serve as a guide to assist you in common situations. Your continued interest contributes to our tradition of athletic integrity and our success.

If you have any questions regarding NCAA or Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rules and regulations, please contact the Compliance Office at 716/888-2877.

Canisius College Department of Athletics Team Phone Listing

Send comments or questions to Rachelle Held, Director of Compliance