<p>I've been reviewing the 2010-11 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete in the interests of helping my daughter in the women's soccer recruiting process. </p>
<p>She is currently a sophomore in high school, so I know that there are strict rules regarding contact between her and college coaches.</p>
<p>She will be on the campus of her first choice for a college to attend (at least at this point in the beginning stages of the process) on January 9. A particular soccer program in which she participates (which includes girls older than her) has been invited to hold a training session at the college, and I'm pretty sure the college has a clear motivation for the invite.</p>
<p>Everything I've read so far speaks to the limits on off-campus contact, but doesn't speak to on-campus contact (apart from dead periods, and unless I'm mistaken, January 9 doesn't fall within a dead period for women's soccer).</p>
<p>My question, then, is what is allowed with regard to on-campus contact between a college coach and a sophomore in high school and her parents? Is no contact allowed because of her age or are the rules more relaxed because the contact would be on campus?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer - I/we really appreciate it.</p>
<p>I believe that anything can be discussed in an on campus “unofficial” visit. As a junior my son made several of these visits, and the coaches were very open in their discussions. I don’t think the rules are any different for sophomores.</p>
<p>As I understand it, if your daughter is the one who initiates contact with the coach, then a discussion may be held. The coach cannot call or approach your daughter yet, however.</p>
<p>TheGFG - I had heard that the rule you are referring to may not apply when the student is on campus. We know the rule that our daughter can initiate contact with the coach in phone calls and emails whenever she wants, but that the coach can’t initiate that form of contact until later. But if our daughter is on the campus of the school, someone had told us that the coach can initiate contact and say whatever they want (unless they are in a dead period). That’s what we’re trying to confirm so we’ll know what to expect and not to expect on January 9.</p>
<p>I would approach it with the assumption that the coach will be unable to initiate any discussions with your D, and think your D should be prepared to be asking a few questions to get the ball rolling.</p>
<p>KeeperDad: you can call the NCAA to ask this question too. CCer’s who have called have said they are quite helpful. If you do call, please report back with their response.</p>
<p>My son is in a different NCAA sport but took some unofficial visits as a sophomore and it was fine to discuss anything on campus. We let the coach no ahead of time we were coming and wanted to have an opportunity to meet with him. good luck</p>
<p>rules are for breaking:) by the time my daughter was a junior she already knew three of the top college “recruiting” coaches in the country. The way she got to know them, and got around ncaa rules, was through camps and the US team camp/team-travel. The coaches who work these camps to make summer money are also recruiting coaches for various colleges. I would imagine soccer is similar.</p>
<p>KeeperDad, I agree with those who say it’s fine to talk with the coach while on campus. If you have any doubt, just have her email the coach that she’ll be there for the training session, and would love to meet with him at his convenience. She’s started the conversation, and he’s free to respond to her request. Agree with GFG’s advice to call NCAA if you are at all worried about recruiting violations. The coaches are very savvy about what constitutes a violation; we families are always learning new things…</p>
<p>To the best of my understanding, if you initiate everything it is ok. IE, if you call the coach and say “We will be in the area and would love to meet with you, are you free” then the coach can talk. He/She cannot be the one to call you (so leaving a voicemail is not going to help) and they cannot pay for a visit… but if they are interested this early in the game you can go by your own accord and the coach should legally be allowed to meet you and even give you a pseudo tour… its just that nothing can be officially on the schools books as something they paid for.</p>