NCAA Regulations

The NCAA has numerous rules that affect you, particularly in the areas of amateurism, recruitment, eligibility, financial aid, awards and benefits, ethical conduct, and playing and practice seasons. We cannot include all of the rules here, so if you have a question about NCAA rules at any time, please ask your coach or the Assistant Athletic Director for Student Services (118F).

Amateurism

A student-athlete must be an amateur in order to remain eligible to compete in her/his intercollegiate sport. A student loses amateur status and eligibility for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if he/she:

1. Uses her/his athletic skill (directly or indirectly) for pay in any form in that sport;
2. Accepts a promise of pay, even if such pay is to be received after he/she has completed eligibility in intercollegiate athletics;
3. Signs a contract or commitment of any kind to play professional sports;
4. Plays on a professional athletic team;
5. Receives payment on a fee-for-lesson basis in her/his sport after enrolling in a collegiate institution; and
6. Receives transportation or any other benefit from a sports agent.

Please consult your coach prior to participating in any contest in which awards or prizes are to be given or before you begin any employment related to your sport or sport skills.

Extra Benefits

Student-athletes who accept awards, benefits, or expenses not authorized by NCAA rules from coaches or boosters must be declared ineligible immediately for competition. A general rule is that an "extra benefit" that is not available to the general student body is not permissible for student-athletes. Examples of non-permissible extra benefits include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Use of an automobile;
• Use of a telephone or credit card for personal reasons without charge or at a reduced cost;
• Gifts or loans of money or cosigning a loan;
• Gifts of clothing or other personal items;
• Free or reduced cost services (e.g., laundry, attorney fees, physician fees);
• A guarantee of bond; and
• Free or reduced cost entertainment services (e.g., tickets to professional sports events or movies, reduced costs for meals at various restaurants).

Student-athletes may receive an occasional family home meal from an SIUC staff member or booster, only if the meal is provided in the person's home and is restricted to infrequent and special occasions. A booster may provide transportation to the student-athlete to attend the meal function only if the meal is in the home of that booster.

Outside Competition

The NCAA has very specific rules about participation in outside competition during the academic year and during the summer. For example, a student-athlete in basketball could not compete in a church basketball league in April after her/his season is completed. In some sports, written permission by the Athletic Director is required. Always check with your coach before participating in any outside competition in your sport.

Playing and Practice Seasons

The NCAA has established several rules about playing and practice seasons. A student-athlete may spend no more than four hours per day on athletically related activities. A day of competition counts as three hours, regardless of how long the competition lasts. No student-athlete may spend more than twenty hours per week on athletically related activities during the official playing season. No practice may be held following a competition. No more than eight hours per week (two in individual practice sessions except for football) may be spent on weight training and conditioning activities during the off season. If you have questions or concerns about these regulations, please contact your coach or the Assistant Director for Student Services.

Transfer Regulations

Any student-athlete who is interested in transferring from SIUC should discuss her/his options with the coach or with the Assistant Athletic Director for Student Services. Some transfer rules are very complex, and different rules apply to different sports.

Before an SIUC student-athlete or a member of the student-athlete's family may talk to the athletic officials at another NCAA member school about transferring, the NCAA requires the SIUC Athletic Director (or his designee) to provide written permission to that school. Failure to obtain written permission may result in the student-athlete's ineligibility at that school.

If SIUC denies a student-athlete's request to permit any other four-year institution to contact the student about transferring, the student-athlete may appeal the decision. These appeals will be heard by five members of the Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Committee.