WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS INTEREST (BOOSTER)?
A representative of the institution’s athletics interests (a.k.a., booster) is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity or other organization who is known (or should be known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration to:
- Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program;
- Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
- Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;
- Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families or provided/arranged employment for a prospective student-athlete; or
- Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution’s athletics program. Once an individual, independent agency, corporate entity or other organization is identified as a representative of an institution’s athletics interests, that identity is retained indefinitely.
WHO IS A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE (PROSPECT)?
HIGH SCHOOL PROSPECT
A prospective student-athlete (prospect) is defined by the NCAA as any person who has begun classes for the ninth (9th) grade. In addition, a student who has not yet started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospect if an institution provides that individual (or the individual’s relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective student-athletes generally.
POST HIGH SCHOOL PROSPECT
The rules regarding prospective student-athletes also apply to student-athletes at junior colleges, preparatory schools, and two and four-year universities who are considering transferring to La Salle University to compete in athletics. A prospect remains a prospect until she/he reports for the first day of classes for a regular term or participates in regular practice or competition prior to the beginning of any term.
BOOSTERS AND PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES
BOOSTERS MAY NOT:
- Telephone, write or make in-person contact with a prospect (or a member of the prospect’s family) for the purpose of encouraging his/her participation in intercollegiate athletics at La Salle University;
- Make arrangements, directly or indirectly, for a prospect, the prospect’s relatives or friends to receive money, financial aid of any kind, gifts, special discounts for goods or services or the use of an automobile;
- Provide transportation to prospects, including transportation to visit campus or to attend athletics events;
- Contact a prospect’s coach, principal or guidance counselor for the purpose of evaluating the prospect (including picking up films or transcripts);
- Provide free or reduced-cost tickets to any La Salle Athletics’ events (home or away) to prospects, their friends or relatives;
- Pay or offer to pay a prospect’s registration fees for summer sports camps; or
- Entertain a high school, prep school or two-year college coach in any way.
BOOSTERS MAY:
- Attend high school, prep school and two-year college athletics events that they would normally;
- Speak to a prospective student-athlete via telephone ONLY if the prospect initiates the conversation and the call is not for recruiting purposes. Any questions regarding the La Salle University’s athletics program must be referred to a member of the athletics department staff;
- Continue existing friendships with the families of prospects without encouraging the prospect to participate in intercollegiate athletics at La Salle University;
- Call the La Salle University Compliance Office with questions.
BOOSTER CLUB/ALUMNI EVENTS
Prospects may be invited to booster club/alumni events only if the invitation is not based on their status as an athlete.
If an athletics department staff member is invited to speak at a booster club/alumni event, please let her/him know if prospects will be in attendance. There are certain time periods when coaches are prohibited from having off-campus contact with a prospect.
Boosters are not permitted to bring children or any other guests to La Salle Alumni Association or La Salle University events if they are considered prospects.
BOOSTERS AND CURRENTLY ENROLLED STUDENT-ATHLETES
BOOSTERS MAY NOT:
- Provide extra benefits to a student-athlete or his/her family (ex. cash, loans, gifts, discounts, use of a vehicle, etc.)
- Use the name or picture of a student-athlete to advertise or promote a commercial product or service
- Provide rewards for athletic performance
- Provide an honorarium to a student for a speaking engagement
BOOSTERS MAY:
- Provide an occasional meal to a student-athlete or team. The meal may take place in a booster’s home, as long as it is in the Philadelphia vicinity. Details concerning the meal must be approved by the Compliance office PRIOR to the meal.
- Employ a student-athlete. Student-athletes may only be compensated at the going rate for the worked performed. Employment of student-athletes must be approved by the Compliance Office PRIOR to the start of employment.
CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATING NCAA RULES
The moment a student-athlete becomes a prospect, your status as a booster subjects you to all NCAA regulations. The NCAA mandates your compliance with the strict guidelines so as not to jeopardize a prospective or currently enrolled student-athlete’s eligibility, or the integrity of the La Salle University’s Athletics Department.
CONSEQUENCES FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES
If a student-athlete accepts any benefit based on his/her special consideration as an athlete, the student-athlete will lose all eligibility for intercollegiate athletics participation.
CONSEQUENCES FOR BOOSTERS
NCAA rules require institutions to notify boosters that any benefit or privilege provided to the booster relating to the institution’s athletics program, including season tickets, may be withheld if a booster is found to be in violation of any NCAA rule or regulation. In certain cases, penalties have included both the disassociation of boosters from the institution and the loss of season ticket privileges.
