Regulating NCAA Recruiting Rules: Unofficial and Official Visits

Regulating NCAA Recruiting Rules: Unofficial and Official Visits

According to the NCAA Compliance Manual, unofficial visits can be taken any time by a prospective student athlete during the school year.¹ Athletes can also meet the coaching staff and visit them about their interest in their athletic programs since it is an on campus visit.¹ Today many prospective student athletes choose to take as many unofficial visits as they can in order to see what school they may possibly want to attend.² Student athletes are allowed to take these visits, as early as their freshman year, without any violation occurring.¹

With the ability of athletes to take these visits, it brings up the debate of whether or not the NCAA should step in and keep coaches from having contact with student athletes on unofficial visits. Yes, student athletes should be able to take as many visits as they wish, but should there be a rule on contact that can be made with coaches on these visits?

Student athletes can also take an official visit during their senior year.¹ Student athletes are allowed 5 official visits to institutions, but how many athletes actually get to go on their official visits?¹ Due to the amount of athletes who take early unofficial visits, many athletes have already chosen what school they would like to attend.² But, what if athletes could take official visits during their junior year? Would this help more athletes proceed to take their official visits instead of taking so many unofficial visits? Overall should college coaches be able to email and contact student athletes at the end of their sophomore year so they can recruit them as juniors. Would this allow each student athletes to develop athletically?

If the NCAA changes the rules on unofficial and official visits, a drastic change in the landscape of the early recruiting process could take place. No matter how you put it, college coaches will still find ways to communicate with student athletes at an early age through travel ball coaches, and will continue to bring athletes on their campus. If the NCAA can step in and regulate some of these rules, hopefully it can change the future of college recruiting and athletics.

 

¹NCAA Academic and Membership Affairs Staff. (2013). NCAA Division I Manual. (pp. 75-81). Indianapolis, Indiana

²Hewitt, P. M. (2009). The Recruiting Process. College Student-Athletes: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications.