Help Protect the Nest
Help Protect the Nest An Informational Guide for Fans & Supporters 2015-16 Help Protect the Nest Did you know:
FGCU has won a combined 48 conference regular season tournament titles in only 8+ years in Division I. In just 4+ years of D1 postseason eligibility, FGCU has sent 13 teams to the NCAA tournament, while Men’s Golf, Swimming, and Men’s Tennis have had individuals participate in their respective NCAA Championship. Bringing the total NCAA appearances for FGCU to 21. In 2014-15, FGCU won nine championships.
Winter 2016
Support Our Student-Athletes the Right Way Compliance on Campus Recently members of our FGCU softball team met at a local establishment for a meal. Food and beverages were ordered and enjoyed; however, when they went to pay the bill our student-athletes were informed that it had been paid for by a fellow patron who was a fan of FGCU. Fortunately our student-athletes had the foresight to self-report this extra benefit, and our department was able to take the steps necessary to preserve their ability to continue to compete. However, due to this external violation, our student-athletes’ eligibility was in jeopardy, and necessitated the following actions:
The University self-reported the infraction to the NCAA; and The student-athletes in question were required to repay the value of the meal to a charity of their choice.
Why This is Impermissible 16.01.1 Eligibility Effect of Violation: A student-athlete shall not receive any extra benefit. Receipt by a student-athlete of an award, benefit, or expense allowance not authorized by NCAA legislation renders the studentathlete ineligible for athletics competition in the sport for which the improper benefit was received. Due to this unsolicited external violation, our student-athletes are required to be declared ineligible until the improper benefit that was thrust upon them is repaid. Fortunately, this did not happen during their playing season or this could have proven to be more problematic.
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Extra Benefit Reminder FGCU greatly appreciates your support and values your enthusiasm for the program. In our support for the program it is important that we all do our part in helping to protect the nest from situations that could jeopardize the eligibility of our student-athletes. One aspect of this support is being aware of the rules that govern our interactions with student-athletes. An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or representative of the institution’s athletics interests to provide a student-athlete (or their relative/friend) a benefit that is not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of this type of benefit by student-athletes or their family/friends is not a violation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is also generally available to all the institution’s students or their friends/family.
What is a Booster? NCAA Bylaw 13.02.14 defines "booster" as: A booster or "representative of the institution's athletics interests" is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration to: (a) Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program; (b) Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution; (c) Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes; (d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled studentathletes or their families; or (e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program The NCAA stipulates that once an individual has been identified as a "representative" of Florida Gulf Coast University’s athletics programs he or she retains this status forever. This is true even if the individual no longer contributes to the athletics program.
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How to Protect the Nest Boosters Cannot:
Contact a prospect or their family during a visit to campus
Contact a prospect by telephone, email, Internet or letter Provide gifts or free/reduced cost services to a prospect or their relatives Employ relatives or friends of the prospect as an inducement for the prospect’s enrollment in athletics at a specific university
If a violation occurs, it may: jeopardize a studentathlete’s eligibility for intercollegiate competition, jeopardize a school’s membership status with the NCAA, or cause a booster to lose access to all booster benefits. When in doubt, ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!
Provide transportation for the prospect or their relatives Be involved in making arrangements for the prospect or the prospect’s family to receive money or any kind of financial aid
Boosters Can: Notify coaching staff about noteworthy prospects in the area Attend athletic contests or other events where prospects may compete, provided there is not contact Continue already existing relationships with prospective student -athletes and their family members
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Pre-Existing Relationships Representatives of athletic interests at FGCU are prohibited from providing any type of benefit to a current or prospective student-athlete (PSA). The only exception to this rule is if there is a clear preexisting relationship between the representative of athletic interests and the student-athlete. As a fan & supporter of FGCU Athletics it is important to understand what the NCAA defines as a preexisting relationship. The NCAA refers to the following four questions when trying to establish a preexisting relationship with a prospective student-athlete or current student-athlete.
Alex Massé Director of Compliance [email protected] Ryan Stanberry Compliance Coordinator [email protected]
10501 FGCU Blvd S Fort Myers, FL 33965 239.590.7573 phone 239.590.7014 fax www.fgcuathletics.com
1. Did the relationship with the athlete (or the athlete's parents) develop as a result of something other than the athlete's participation in athletics or notoriety related thereto? 2. Did the relationship between the athlete (or the athlete's parents) predate the athlete's status as a prospective student-athlete? 3. Did the relationship with the athlete (or the athlete's parents) predate the athlete's status achieved as a result of his or her athletics ability or reputation? 4. Was the pattern of benefits provided by the individual to the athlete (or the athlete's parents) prior to the athlete attaining notoriety as a skilled athlete similar in nature to those provided after attaining such stature?
If the answer to any of the above questions is “no” then there is no established preexisting relationship that would be recognized by the NCAA. Unfortunately, even if the answers above are all “yes” that still does not mean that you may provide a student-athlete or their parents/guardians with any extra benefit. All benefits received by student-athletes must be the same benefits provided to them before they became prospective student-athletes. If you have a question concerning the permissibility of any your athletics-related interactions, please be sure to contact FGCU compliance!
FGCU has won a combined 48 conference regular season tournament titles in only 8+ years in Division I. In just 4+ years of D1 postseason eligibility, FGCU has sent 13 teams to the NCAA tournament, while Men’s Golf, Swimming, and Men’s Tennis have had individuals participate in their respective NCAA Championship. Bringing the total NCAA appearances for FGCU to 21. In 2014-15, FGCU won nine championships.
Winter 2016
Support Our Student-Athletes the Right Way Compliance on Campus Recently members of our FGCU softball team met at a local establishment for a meal. Food and beverages were ordered and enjoyed; however, when they went to pay the bill our student-athletes were informed that it had been paid for by a fellow patron who was a fan of FGCU. Fortunately our student-athletes had the foresight to self-report this extra benefit, and our department was able to take the steps necessary to preserve their ability to continue to compete. However, due to this external violation, our student-athletes’ eligibility was in jeopardy, and necessitated the following actions:
The University self-reported the infraction to the NCAA; and The student-athletes in question were required to repay the value of the meal to a charity of their choice.
Why This is Impermissible 16.01.1 Eligibility Effect of Violation: A student-athlete shall not receive any extra benefit. Receipt by a student-athlete of an award, benefit, or expense allowance not authorized by NCAA legislation renders the studentathlete ineligible for athletics competition in the sport for which the improper benefit was received. Due to this unsolicited external violation, our student-athletes are required to be declared ineligible until the improper benefit that was thrust upon them is repaid. Fortunately, this did not happen during their playing season or this could have proven to be more problematic.
Help Protect the Nest
Page 2
Extra Benefit Reminder FGCU greatly appreciates your support and values your enthusiasm for the program. In our support for the program it is important that we all do our part in helping to protect the nest from situations that could jeopardize the eligibility of our student-athletes. One aspect of this support is being aware of the rules that govern our interactions with student-athletes. An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or representative of the institution’s athletics interests to provide a student-athlete (or their relative/friend) a benefit that is not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of this type of benefit by student-athletes or their family/friends is not a violation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is also generally available to all the institution’s students or their friends/family.
What is a Booster? NCAA Bylaw 13.02.14 defines "booster" as: A booster or "representative of the institution's athletics interests" is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration to: (a) Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program; (b) Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution; (c) Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes; (d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled studentathletes or their families; or (e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program The NCAA stipulates that once an individual has been identified as a "representative" of Florida Gulf Coast University’s athletics programs he or she retains this status forever. This is true even if the individual no longer contributes to the athletics program.
Help Protect the Nest
Page 3
How to Protect the Nest Boosters Cannot:
Contact a prospect or their family during a visit to campus
Contact a prospect by telephone, email, Internet or letter Provide gifts or free/reduced cost services to a prospect or their relatives Employ relatives or friends of the prospect as an inducement for the prospect’s enrollment in athletics at a specific university
If a violation occurs, it may: jeopardize a studentathlete’s eligibility for intercollegiate competition, jeopardize a school’s membership status with the NCAA, or cause a booster to lose access to all booster benefits. When in doubt, ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!
Provide transportation for the prospect or their relatives Be involved in making arrangements for the prospect or the prospect’s family to receive money or any kind of financial aid
Boosters Can: Notify coaching staff about noteworthy prospects in the area Attend athletic contests or other events where prospects may compete, provided there is not contact Continue already existing relationships with prospective student -athletes and their family members
Page 4
Pre-Existing Relationships Representatives of athletic interests at FGCU are prohibited from providing any type of benefit to a current or prospective student-athlete (PSA). The only exception to this rule is if there is a clear preexisting relationship between the representative of athletic interests and the student-athlete. As a fan & supporter of FGCU Athletics it is important to understand what the NCAA defines as a preexisting relationship. The NCAA refers to the following four questions when trying to establish a preexisting relationship with a prospective student-athlete or current student-athlete.
Alex Massé Director of Compliance [email protected] Ryan Stanberry Compliance Coordinator [email protected]
10501 FGCU Blvd S Fort Myers, FL 33965 239.590.7573 phone 239.590.7014 fax www.fgcuathletics.com
1. Did the relationship with the athlete (or the athlete's parents) develop as a result of something other than the athlete's participation in athletics or notoriety related thereto? 2. Did the relationship between the athlete (or the athlete's parents) predate the athlete's status as a prospective student-athlete? 3. Did the relationship with the athlete (or the athlete's parents) predate the athlete's status achieved as a result of his or her athletics ability or reputation? 4. Was the pattern of benefits provided by the individual to the athlete (or the athlete's parents) prior to the athlete attaining notoriety as a skilled athlete similar in nature to those provided after attaining such stature?
If the answer to any of the above questions is “no” then there is no established preexisting relationship that would be recognized by the NCAA. Unfortunately, even if the answers above are all “yes” that still does not mean that you may provide a student-athlete or their parents/guardians with any extra benefit. All benefits received by student-athletes must be the same benefits provided to them before they became prospective student-athletes. If you have a question concerning the permissibility of any your athletics-related interactions, please be sure to contact FGCU compliance!
