Article II, Section C
Campus Visits and Tryouts for Prospective Students
Link to NAIA Bylaws
Key Principles for Campus Visits
- Academic Progress Protection: Ensuring that students maintain their normal academic progress in high school or junior college is a priority.
- Institutional Coordination: Rules align with the institution's broader policies for recruiting students with special talents.
- Consistent Tryout Control: Tryouts are managed to ensure the intercollegiate program integrates seamlessly with the institution's overall program, without disadvantaging the student.
Guidelines for Tryouts
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Purpose and Limitations: Tryouts help assess athletic potential and must align with the institution’s general policy for evaluating special talents. Each tryout is limited to two days per student per institution.
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Team Involvement: Tryouts do not count as practice (and thus do not affect the 24-week season) unless they involve students already identified with the institution.
Casebook Examples
- Approved Ruling: Tryouts with prospective students, as per NAIA Bylaws, are not considered practice even if current team members participate. These tryouts outside the 24-week season do not trigger the start of the season.
- Definition of Prospective Student: This refers to students who have never identified with a collegiate institution or were previously identified with a different institution. They remain prospective until they officially join an NAIA institution.
- Identified Students: If a tryout involves students already identified with the NAIA institution, it counts as a practice and affects the 24-week season. To avoid this, include prospective students in tryouts held outside the 24-week period.
- Number of Days: Tryouts may occur at any point throughout the calendar year. A tryout conducted on one day will count as one of the total two days a potential student-athlete may utilize per NAIA institution.
- Approved Ruling: NAIA coaches can observe high school and junior college competitions/practices without it being considered a tryout. Coaches must not direct activities or ask students to showcase specific skills. Any further interaction must adhere to recruiting bylaws.
Travel, Meals, and Lodging for Prospective Students
- Expenses: Institutions cannot cover travel, meals, or lodging expenses for prospective students unless this practice is part of the general policy for all students with special talents, not just athletes.
Casebook Example
Expenses Paid by Institution:- Approved Ruling: Athletic departments can cover meals and general expenses for prospective student-athletes only if it's part of the institution's general practice for special talent students. There’s no monetary cap, but the expenses should match those provided for non-athlete students, consistent with institutional policies.
Prospective Student: An individual who has never identified or whose previous collegiate identification was with another collegiate institution. The individual remains a prospective student until the student identifies with an institution in accordance with Article V, Section B, Item 8. Prospective students are not permitted to practice or compete with an institution’s team.
Guidelines for Prospective Students Practicing and Competing with NAIA Teams
In the NAIA, a prospective student is any individual who has never been identified with a college institution or whose most recent identification was with another college. This includes all incoming freshmen and transfers, who remain prospective students until they are officially identified with an institution by enrolling in at least 12 institutional credit hours, verified by an official transcript on the institution's census date.
Practicing During the Summer (May 16 - July 31)
Prospective students may practice or compete with an institution’s team during the summer if they meet one of the following conditions:
- The student is enrolled in a full-time summer course load (as defined by the institution).
- The student is enrolled in at least 12 institutional credit hours for the upcoming fall term.
If these criteria are met, prospective students may join practices or competitions without these activities being considered tryouts. However, if a prospective student does not meet these conditions, they may not practice or compete with the institution’s team until the team begins its 24-week season during the academic year.
Practicing Before and Between Academic Terms
NAIA Bylaws provide an additional exception for practice activities outside regular academic terms. A prospective student may practice with a team before the academic term begins or between terms if:
- The student is a high school graduate (or equivalent).
- The student is not enrolled at another college.
- The practice occurs during the team’s 24-week season.
This rule is designed for students who may arrive on campus on or after August 1st, the earliest start date for a team’s 24-week season, and wish to begin training with the team. However, once classes officially begin, the student must be enrolled to continue practicing.
Understanding What Constitutes a Practice
A practice includes any activity organized or directed by the coaching staff involving equipment use, instruction, or athlete evaluation. Examples include organized runs, skill sessions, or team-arranged practice times. Activities not considered practice include player-organized sessions or workouts without coaches' presence.
Competing During the Summer
If the summer practice exception is met, the prospective student may compete with the institution's team. If the exception is not met, the prospective student may not participate in official competitions with the team. However, they may compete in amateur events or on club teams coached by NAIA staff members, provided these teams are not institutionally funded or associated.
Key Takeaway
Prospective students can engage in summer and pre-term activities under specific conditions that do not classify these activities as tryouts. Compliance with these guidelines ensures eligibility and a smooth transition for students joining NAIA teams.
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