Page 315 - 2019-20 NJCAA Handbook - May, 2020

Case 1
Off Campus Recruiting Visits – Recruiting Expenses (Meals & Lodging)
SITUATION:
The baseball coach at Community College A is off campus recruiting potential student-athletes the night prior to the official
signing date. The coach provides meals and lodging for potential student-athletes in their hometown in order to shield the
student-athletes from other potential recruiters. Is this a violation of NJCAA bylaws?

ANSWER:
Yes. No funds may be expended, nor complimentary rooms provided during the off campus recruiting process.

Case 2
Off Campus Recruiting Visits – Recruiting Expenses (Meals)
SITUATION:
The volleyball coach at Community College A is off campus recruiting potential student-athletes for the volleyball program.
May the coach purchase a meal for the potential student-athlete while off campus?
ANSWER:
No. On any off campus recruiting visit, the coach may not expend any funds other than the amount necessary for his/her
own personal expenses. A recruit’s expenses may only be covered while on an official on campus recruiting visit with the
college.

Case 3
Off Campus Recruiting Visits – Recruiting Expenses (Current Student-Athletes)
SITUATION:
The basketball coach from Community College A is on an off campus recruiting trip. May the coach take current student-
athletes with him/her on the recruiting trip?
ANSWER:
No. It is not permissible for the college to provide any transportation to a student-athlete. This would also apply to scouting
trips taken by the staff at Community College A.

Football Dead Period
Case 1
Football Recruiting Dead Period Limitations
SITUATION:
What are the limitations within the football recruiting dead period?
ANSWER:
The dead period is that frame of time where it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or
off the member institutions campus, or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospects to the institution’s campus. The
provision of complimentary admissions to the prospect during such a dead period is prohibited. During the dead period, a
coaching staff member may not serve as a speaker at or attend a meeting or banquet at which prospects are in attendance and
may not visit the prospects’ educational institution. It remains permissible for an institutional staff member to write or telephone
prospects during such a dead period.

Case 2
Football Recruiting Dead Period and the Signing Date
SITUATION:
High school Student-Athlete B has visited Community College A and desires to sign an NJCAA Letter of Intent with them.
What is the earliest date that Student-Athlete B may sign an NJCAA Letter of Intent with Community College A?
ANSWER:
Student-Athlete B may sign with Community College A at 8:00 a.m. on the NJCAA football signing date. The NJCAA
football dead period would prohibit Community College A from being present at this signing. Community College A may forward
NJCAA Letters of Intent to student-athletes prior to and/or during the dead period. There may be no in-person contact from
Monday 12:01 am (local time) prior to the First Wednesday in February until the dead period ends Friday 12:01 am (local time)
following the national signing day. (Please refer to the Football section located in Article XIII – NJCAA Championships,
Tournaments, Meets & Games for more on the Dead Period.)
NOTE: All times involved will be local time. For instance, the 8:00 a.m. signing time and the midnight signing time will be the
local time zone within which that college falls.

Case 3
Football Recruiting Dead Period and Recruiting Visits
SITUATION:
Potential Athlete B is a high school athlete with a desire to play football at Community College A. When may Potential
Athlete B take his recruiting visit to Community College A.
ANSWER:
Potential Athlete B may take the recruiting visit any time prior to the dead period and any time after the dead period for
NJCAA football recruitment following their junior year of high school. Once the student-athlete signs an NJCAA Letter of Intent,
he/she may not take an official recruiting trip to that college.