Navigating Athletic Recruiting Policies in Florida High School Athletics

1. Recruiting 101 FHSAA Policies 36-37 Florida High School Athletic Association

2. Policy 36.2.1 Athletic Recruiting. “Athletic recruiting” is any effort by a school employee, athletic department staff member or representative of a school’s athletic interests to pressure, urge or entice a student to attend that school for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics. 36.2.1.1 Representative of a School’s Athletic Interests. “Representative of a school’s athletic interests” refers to any independent person, business or organization that participates in, assists with and/or promotes that school’s interscholastic athletic program. This includes: (a) A student-athlete or other student participant in the athletic program at that school; (b) The parents, guardians or other family members of a student-athlete or other student participant in the athletic program at that school; (c) Immediate relatives of a coach or other member of the athletic department staff at that school; (d) A volunteer with that school’s athletic program; (e) A member of an athletic booster organization of that school; (f) A person, business or organization that makes financial or in-kind contributions to the athletic department or that is otherwise involved in promoting the school’s interscholastic athletic program. Florida High School Athletic Association

3. Case A A student (school A) runs into a coach (school B) at the grocery store. He played t-ball and baseball for the coach for four years while he was in elementary school. The player stopped the coach and prompted a conversation. The coach is in violation if: • He says hello to the student and inquires about the student’s family. • The student asks the coach about his baseball program and the upcoming starting positions. The coach responds by stating “We plan to have a good year. Talk to you later”. • The student asks the coach about his baseball program and the upcoming starting positions. The coach responds by stating, “We have a couple of seniors graduating and are looking for replacements. How is baseball going for you? Are you happy with your position…” Florida High School Athletic Association

4. Policy 37.1.3 Contact Initiated by Prospective Student. When a school employee, athletic department staff member or representative of a school’s athletic interests is contacted by a student who does not attend that school and/or any other member of his/ her family, about the school’s interscholastic athletic program or attending the school, the school employee, athletic department staff member or representative of the school’s athletic interests must immediately refer the student and/or his/her family member to the appropriate school personnel who have the responsibility of registering and admitting prospective students. Only during the summer period, as defined in Policy 20, and once the student has registered, been accepted and no longer attends the previous school may the student have contact with athletic department staff members or representatives of a school’s athletic interests. Policy 37.1.4 Casual Contact with Students in Normal Community Settings. It is not considered a violation of this policy for an employee, athletic department staff member or representative of the athletic interests of a high school to have casual contact with a student who does not attend that school or any member of the student’s family in a normal community setting. At no time during such contact, however, may the employee, athletic department staff member or representative of the athletic interests of the high school pressure, urge or entice the student to attend a high school for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics. Florida High School Athletic Association

5. Case B Who can recruit student athletes for athletic purposes? • Student Athletes • Booster Parents • Paid Coaches • All of the above Florida High School Athletic Association

6. Policy 36.2.1.1 Representative of a School’s Athletic Interests. “Representative of a school’s athletic interests” refers to any independent person, business or organization that participates in, assists with and/or promotes that school’s interscholastic athletic program. This includes: (a) A student-athlete or other student participant in the athletic program at that school; (b) The parents, guardians or other family members of a student-athlete or other student participant in the athletic program at that school; (c) Immediate relatives of a coach or other member of the athletic department staff at that school; (d) A volunteer with that school’s athletic program; (e) A member of an athletic booster organization of that school; (f) A person, business or organization that makes financial or in-kind contributions to the athletic department or that is otherwise involved in promoting the school’s interscholastic athletic program. Florida High School Athletic Association

7. Case C A student athlete decides transfer schools. Upon withdrawing the administration asks him why he is transferring to the neighboring school. The student responds: “Well, Coach X got a job at another school and now I don’t have a ride to and from school. She was the only reason I could play on the team”. Is Coach X in violation? • Yes • No Florida High School Athletic Association

8. Policy 36.2.3 Impermissible Benefit. An “impermissible benefit” is any arrangement, assistance or benefit that is not offered or generally made available to all students and/or their families who apply to or attend a school, or that otherwise is prohibited by FHSAA rules. Receipt of a benefit by a student-athlete or his/her family is not a violation of FHSAA rules if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the school’s students or family members and is not based in any way on athletic interest, potential or performance. See Policy 37. Florida High School Athletic Association

9. Case D Coach J has a club team with students participating from his school, as well as others. A couple of the students were deciding which club team to participate with during the off season. Coach J reminded the students that preference during the season next year will be given to those students that have participated during the off season with the club team. After that statement, he reminds students of registration in next month for his club team and encourages them to register early. Is the coach in violation of an FHSAA policy? • Yes • No • Maybe Florida High School Athletic Association

10. POLICY 22 N O N - S C H O O L T E A M A N D / O R O F F - S E A S O N PARTICIPATION Policy 22.3.5 Participation shall be voluntary and shall not be required, either directly or indirectly, for membership on an interscholastic team. Florida High School Athletic Association

11. Case E At the grocery store, a Dad runs into his longtime friend who is a coach. The Dad tells the coach how he feels his son’s coach is not doing anything to help his son get “looks”. The coach asks for film and offers to send to some of his contacts. Is this a violation of the recruiting policy? • Yes • No • Maybe Florida High School Athletic Association

12. Policy 37.1.3 Contact Initiated by Prospective Student. When a school employee, athletic department staff member or representative of a school’s athletic interests is contacted by a student who does not attend that school and/or any other member of his/ her family, about the school’s interscholastic athletic program or attending the school, the school employee, athletic department staff member or representative of the school’s athletic interests must immediately refer the student and/or his/her family member to the appropriate school personnel who have the responsibility of registering and admitting prospective students. Only during the summer period, as defined in Policy 20, and once the student has registered, been accepted and no longer attends the previous school may the student have contact with athletic department staff members or representatives of a school’s athletic interests. Policy 37.1.4 Casual Contact with Students in Normal Community Settings. It is not considered a violation of this policy for an employee, athletic department staff member or representative of the athletic interests of a high school to have casual contact with a student who does not attend that school or any member of the student’s family in a normal community setting. At no time during such contact, however, may the employee, athletic department staff member or representative of the athletic interests of the high school pressure, urge or entice the student to attend a high school for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics. Florida High School Athletic Association

13. A parent and student goes to the coach’s office on campus and expresses their desire to transfer to his school. The coach begins to walk them to the admissions office. While walking, the coach says: “I can’t give you guidance on transferring. You need to speak with someone in admissions or my athletic director”. They continue to walk and the coach tells the student and parent, “Last year I was able to help all 10 of my seniors get a scholarship. As a coaching staff, we work hard to help our kids get to the next level. (As he points to a picture on the wall) You see that kid, he had a frame similar to yours and probably had a similar 40 time, that kid is now at a division 1 university”. Is this a violation? • Yes • No Florida High School Athletic Association

14. 37.1 IMPROPER CONTACT 37.1.1 General Regulation. No school employee, athletic department staff member, representative of the school’s athletic interests or third parties, such as an independent person, business or organization, may make contact, either in person or through any form of written or electronic communication or through any third party, with a student, or any member of the student’s family, in an effort to pressure, urge or entice the student to attend a different school for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics. 37.1.2.4 Answering an inquiry by the student or any member of his/her family about athletic participation opportunities at a school with any response that pressures, urges or entices the student to attend a different school. The student or family member instead should be immediately referred to the school employee responsible for registrations or admissions. Florida High School Athletic Association

15. When can I speak to a new student about my program? Policy 37.1.3 Contact Initiated by Prospective Student. When a school employee, athletic department staff member or representative of a school’s athletic interests is contacted by a student who does not attend that school and/or any other member of his/ her family, about the school’s interscholastic athletic program or attending the school, the school employee, athletic department staff member or representative of the school’s athletic interests must immediately refer the student and/or his/her family member to the appropriate school personnel who have the responsibility of registering and admitting prospective students. Only during the summer period, as defined in Policy 20, and once the student has registered, been accepted and no longer attends the previous school may the student have contact with athletic department staff members or representatives of a school’s athletic interests. Florida High School Athletic Association

16. Recruiting…. What’s the Issue?? Why do people do it?? Florida High School Athletic Association

17. Winning… • Money… • Fame/Prestige… • Self-Fulfilling… • Who Benefits? Florida High School Athletic Association

18. Recruiting Education • Who do you educate? • When do you educate? • What do you use to educate? • What is the purpose? • How do you educate? Florida High School Athletic Association

19. Education • Compliance Documents (Policy 36.7) • Acknowledgment of policy on recruiting • GA4 • Webinars • Annual Meetings (Team, Boosters Clubs, Parents)

20. Follow Up • Contact Information: Natalie Strappy (Director of Compliance) nstrappy@fhsaa.org 352-372-9551 ext 230