With the “off season” quickly coming to an end it’s a great time to take a look at the updated 2018-2019 NCAA Recruiting Calendar. Several changes have been made to make the recruiting experience more enjoyable for the coaches, families, and athletes including eliminating any recruiting conversation regarding prospective student athletes until Sept. 1 of their junior year. Here is the link for the 2018-2019 NCAA Division 1 Recruiting Calendar.
Below is an excerpt from the National Scouting Report with a more detailed description of what can and cannot occur in early conversations.
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DI Softball Only Recruiting Rule – NSR
All of these new rules will help eliminate early recruiting, but the NCAA with help from the NFCA wanted to take these new rules a step further for D-I softball.
From now on, college coaches can’t hold recruiting conversations with prospective student-athletes or their families until Sept. 1 of athletes’ junior year. This rule includes talks at camps, combines, tournaments, showcases, games, practices, etc.
Recruiting conversations include any contact between a prospective student-athlete and a coach where they discuss the athlete’s recruiting journey, performance, or the coach’s interest in that athlete.
Additionally, college coaches can’t send or return any emails, direct messages, texts, phone calls or letters that have to do with the athlete’s recruiting process.
College coaches can’t use coaches or scouts as a means to pass on messages. However, they can use them to show or express interest.
For example, when a college coach calls an NSR scout asking about an athlete, they can say, “yes, I have an interest in Susie Que.” But they can’t say, “tell Susie Que we are interested in her.”
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Take this information and breathe. Of course there are many questions surrounding communication, offers, and interest that has happened before the new rules but do not panic, it will work itself out in the end. For those of you who have not yet entered the pandemonium of recruiting you are in a great spot. Stay tuned for an updated Recruiting Action Plan!
