Page 310 - (FINAL!) UPDATED 13.0) 2020-2021 HANDBOOK - SEPTEMBER 2020 EDITION_Neat

SITUATION:
Can a part-time/volunteer coach, who is not employed by the college during the off season, have off campus athletic contact with current
student-athletes?
ANSWER:
No. No member of the college coaching staff, during that academic year, may have off campus athletic contact with any current student-
athlete or one who has signed a valid NJCAA Letter of Intent. Full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff, regardless of contractual status with the
college, is considered part of the “coaching staff” and may not conduct practices or conditioning off campus during the off season with these
student-athletes.

Case 20
Student-Athlete and Coach Employed at Same Facility – Practice Limitations
SITUATION:
Can a student-athlete be employed during the summer by the same organization as his/her coach from the community college?
Example: golf student-athlete employed at the golf course where his/her coach is working, or a baseball student- athlete employed at the
stadium/parks and recreations/team where his coach is working.
ANSWER:
Yes. A student-athlete may be employed by the same organization as his/her coach. However, the contact between the two individuals
must be work related contact and not a coach-athlete related contact for the purposes of coaching, instructing, or practicing. The golf
example: the golf student-athlete and his/her coach cannot play golf together because they work at the same golf course.

Case 21
End of Coaching Contract and Off Season/Off Campus Athletic Contact
SITUATION:
The head baseball coach at Community College A is a part-time employee and his contract with the college expires at the end of the
baseball season. Can the head coach have off season, off campus athletic activity with current student-athletes or those who have signed an
NJCAA Letter of Intent after the end of his contract with Community College A?
ANSWER:
No. From the time the contract is signed by a coach through the end of that academic year, a member of the college’s coaching staff
(including but not limited to part-time, full-time, head and/or assistant, volunteer, graduate assistant and student coaches) must abide by the
practice rules set forth in NJCAA bylaws. In this case, the head baseball coach cannot have athletic contact with a current student-athlete or
one who has signed an NJCAA Letter of Intent off campus during the off season regardless of his part-time employment status at the college.

Case 22
Practice Definition – Off Season/Off Campus Athletic Contact before Start of Coaching Contract SITUATION:
st
A coach is hired at a two-year college in June. His/her contract with the college does not begin until October 1 . From his/her date
of hire until October 1 st is the coach allowed to have off season, off campus athletic contact with the current student-athletes or those that
have signed a Letter of Intent for the upcoming year?

ANSWER:
No. For the purposes of NJCAA bylaws, he/she became a member of the college coaching staff on the day of hire or initial agreement
was struck. No member of the college coaching staff may have off season, off campus athletic contact with any current student-athlete, or one
who has signed a valid NJCAA Letter of Intent.

Case 23
Off Campus – Coach Observing
SITUATION:
During the summer (off season) Student-Athlete R is a member of a recreational baseball league in the community where Community
College A is located. Student-Athlete R is a student-athlete who is returning the following season to play his second season of baseball at
Community College A. May Student-Athlete R’s coach from Community College A watch him participate off campus during the off season in
this recreational league?
ANSWER:
Yes. Student-Athlete R’s coach from the college may watch him play during the off season off campus as long as the coach does not
coach him before, during, or after the game. He may not practice with or conduct practices with the student- athlete at any time off campus or
participate with the student-athlete during those games conducted off campus during the off season.

Case 24
Off Campus – Coach Participating with Student-Athlete
SITUATION:
Student-Athlete R and the volleyball coach from Community College A are both on the same volleyball club team during the off season
located off campus. May this current student-athlete and Community College A’s volleyball coach participate together on the same team as
per this rule?
ANSWER:
No. According to this rule, the student-athlete and the coach may not participate together off campus during the off season in the sport in
which he/she is being recruited. If this participation together off campus during the off season occurs, a violation of this rule has been made.