Page 322 - 2019-20 NJCAA Handbook - May, 2020

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:
A coach is hired at a two-year college in June. His/her contract with the college does not begin until October 1 . From
st
his/her date of hire until October 1 is the coach allowed to have off season, off campus athletic contact with the current
st
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.