WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS INTEREST? WHO IS A PROSECTIVE STUDENTATHLETE? WELCOME TO TCU ATHLETICS: ONCE A BOOSTER, ALWAYS A BOOSTER!

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1 WELCOME TO TCU ATHLETICS: You have received this guide because you have been identified as a booster of the TCU Athletics Program. TCU appreciates your support and interest in our athletics programs. Please join us in our collective efforts to ensure a successful career at TCU for our student-athletes and to maintain a high standard of ethical conduct for our athletics program. It would be nearly impossible to communicate all NCAA rules and regulations in a quick reference list or brochure; thus, the information below is an attempt to provide you with basic definitions and do s and don ts. If you have any additional questions about NCAA rules and regulations, you should contact TCU s Athletics Compliance Office at Thank you and Go Frogs! WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ATHLETICS INTEREST? WHO IS A PROSECTIVE STUDENTATHLETE? Under NCAA rules, a representative of athletics interests (more commonly referred to as a booster ) is any individual, agency or corporate entity who has: A prospective student-athlete (PSA) is ANY student who has started classes for the ninth (9th) grade, including students in prep schools and junior colleges and individuals who have officially withdrawn from a four-year institution. Participated in or been a member of any organization promoting TCU s athletics programs (e.g., First Team, Fast break Club, Diamond Club); Made a financial contribution to the athletics department or any of its athletic interest clubs; Assisted or been asked by the athletics department staff to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes; Assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or Otherwise promoted the TCU athletics program. Once an individual or entity becomes a booster or representative of athletics interest, that identity is retained indefinitely, even if involvement with the athletics program ceases. In other words ONCE A BOOSTER, ALWAYS A BOOSTER! A PSA remains a prospect even after he or she has signed a National Letter of Intent or accepts an offer of financial aid to attend TCU. The restrictions regarding contact between boosters and PSAs apply until the PSAs report for a regular academic year term (i.e., fall quarter) or preseason team practice.

2 BOOSTERS AND PROSPECTS A BOOSTER MAY. Attend events where prospects are present A booster may attend events that prospects attend or at which a prospect is competing (e.g., banquet, high school game), provided the booster does NOT contact the prospect or the prospect s parents or relatives. Continue normal contacts with prospects with whom they have a pre-established relationship. If a booster has a pre-established relationship with a prospect or the prospect s parents/relatives, the booster may continue to have normal contacts with those individuals, provided such contacts are not made for recruiting purposes and are not arranged by members of the institution s coaching staff. Arrange employment for a prospect. A booster may arrange employment for a prospect who has signed a National Letter of Intent, provided the employment does not begin prior to the completion of the prospect s senior year in high school. Compensation must be based on actual work performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locale for similar services. It is not permissible to provide any benefits to a prospect (e.g., transportation, meals) unless the same benefits are provided to all other employees. Notify TCU coaches of prospects who may be strong additions to TCU athletics teams. If a booster is aware of a prospect the booster believes could contribute to the success of the TCU athletics program, it is permissible for the booster to provide the TCU coaching staff with the prospect s name and other basic information (e.g., name of high school attended, position and sport played). FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Q: What if a prospect calls a booster? A: A booster is permitted to have a telephone conversation with a prospect that is initiated by the prospect and is not prearranged by the institution (including providing a prospect with your phone number). Additionally, any questions about TCU s athletic programs during the conversation must be referred to members of TCU s coaching staff. Q: May a booster attend a public event (e.g., high school awards banquet or dinner) at which prospects are in attendance? A: Yes, BUT any contact with a prospect may not be prearranged by an Athletic Department staff member, and no attempt may be made to recruit the prospect.

3 BOOSTERS AND PROSPECTS A BOOSTER MAY NOT. Contact prospects or be involved in the recruitment of prospects in any way. As a general rule, only coaches can be involved in the recruiting process. A booster is prohibited from having any contact with a prospect or a prospect's family at any location for the purpose of encouraging the prospect to attend TCU and participate in athletics. This rule prohibits not only in-person contact but also contact by any other means (e.g., phone, , Facebook, message boards, text message, etc). Contact a prospect s coach, principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate a prospect. Visit the prospect s school to pick up films or transcripts to assist in TCU s evaluation of the prospect. Make arrangements for a prospect or a prospect s family/ friends to receive money or financial aid of any kind. Provide a prospect or a prospect s family/friends with free or reduced-price tickets to attend an athletics event. Arrange employment for a prospect s family member or friends. Provide a prospect or the prospect s family/friends a gift or benefit of any kind, including clothing, free or reduced cost housing, use of a car, equipment, apparel, meals and transportation. Provide a loan to, or co-sign a loan for, a prospect s family/ friends. Entertain a high school, prep school or two-year college coach. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Q: What if a booster attends an athletics event and finds himself/ herself sitting next to the parents of a prospect? A: Boosters may not initiate conversation with the relatives. If conversation is initiated with the booster, respond in a civil manner but do not discuss the TCU Athletics Program with them. If they ask questions about the program, remind them that the NCAA prohibits a booster from discussing the program with them. Encourage the family to contact the TCU Athletics Department directly.

4 WHAT ABOUT UNAVOIDABLE CONTACT? On occasion, circumstances may arise in which contact between a booster and a prospect is unavoidable. Such contact is not a violation of NCAA rules provided the contact: (i) is not prearranged by the booster; (ii) does not occur at the prospect s school or at the site of a competition or practice involving the prospect or his/her team; (iii) is not made for the purpose of recruitment; and (iv) is incidental and involves only normal civility. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Q: In general, what should a booster do if he or she is contacted by a prospect about TCU athletics? A: The booster should refer all questions about TCU s athletics program to the coaches and athletics department staff. NON-INSTITUTIONAL WEBSITES/PUBLICATIONS If an individual simply establishes a website or publication devoted to TCU athletics, the individual does not become a media entity. The individual remains subject to all applicable restrictions related to contacting prospects for recruiting purposes that apply to all other boosters. Therefore, the individual may not publish or post on a website any recruiting information that is not available to the general public. Nor may the individual contact prospects to obtain recruiting information. UNAVOIDABLE INCIDENTAL CONTACT WITH A PROSPECT Posts made on message boards such as killerfrogs.com or spitblood.com cannot be directed to specific prospective student-athletes, their coaches or family members. Further, boosters may not friend prospects using social networking websites such as Facebook, Google+ or MySpace. Posts made on a prospect s social network webpage by boosters of an athletics department violate the NCAA s ban on booster recruiting, regardless of the content of the post.

5 BOOSTERS AND ENROLLED STUDENT-ATHLETES WHO IS AN ENROLLED STUDENT-ATHLETE? An individual becomes an enrolled student-athlete, and no longer a prospect upon his or her first participation in official practice activities or attendance at the first day of classes at TCU during the regular academic year, whichever occurs first. The individual retains the status of enrolled student-athlete for so long as he or she remains a member of a team while attending TCU as a full-time student. A BOOSTER MAY. Employ an enrolled student-athlete during the summer or the academic year, provided the student-athlete: Is compensated only for work actually performed at the going rate in that locale for similar services; Is not hired based on publicity, reputation or fame obtained due to athletics ability; Is not provided with any benefits not enjoyed by all other employees; and Completes and submits the work approval form to the Compliance Office. Have contact with an enrolled student-athlete The rules that preclude a booster from having any contact with a prospect do not apply to enrolled student-athletes. It is permissible for a booster to speak with an enrolled student-athlete before or after a game, at a banquet or at any other location. Contribute money or make donations in-kind A booster may contribute money to an athletics team, provided the funds benefit the team in general and not earmarked for a particular student-athlete. In addition, a booster may make donations in-kind for the benefit of a team (e.g., equipment, practice/competition apparel). FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Q: May a booster provide benefits to a student-athlete after he or she has exhausted eligibility or departed TCU. A: As a general rule, once an individual becomes a studentathlete, the individual retains that status indefinitely. It is not permissible for a booster to provide material benefits to a former student-athlete just because he or she has exhausted eligibility or departed TCU. The same rules regarding extra benefits still apply. However, it is permissible for a booster to provide legitimate employment to a former student-athlete.

6 A BOOSTER MAY NOT. BOOSTERS AND ENROLLED STUDENT-ATHLETES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Provide an enrolled student-athlete with any extra benefit. Q: How can a booster support a student-athlete? A booster may not provide to an enrolled student-athlete or the student-athlete s relatives/friends any benefits or special arrangements which are not expressly authorized by NCAA rules, unless such benefits are generally available to all TCU students, their relatives and friends. A: There are multiple ways to support TCU student-athletes, for example: Contribute money to endowments or scholarship funds administered by the Department of Athletics. For more information contact TCU s Frog Club at Buy season tickets and support the teams from the stands. Donate frequent flyer miles to the athletics department to minimize recruiting expenses. The list of impermissible benefits for enrolled studentathletes includes, but is not limited to: Providing cash or loans in any amount. Co-signing a loan. Providing gifts of any kind, including birthday or holiday gifts. Providing free or reduced-cost housing. Providing meals, clothing, transportation or the use of an automobile. Providing special discounts for goods or services (e.g., discount car repairs, legal services, haircuts). Involve student-athletes in commercial advertising. NCAA rules do not permit a student-athlete s name, picture or appearance to be used to advertise, recommend or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind. Under certain specified conditions, however, a studentathlete may be involved in charitable, educational and non-profit promotional activities. Any such activities require the prior approval of the Athletics Department.

7 EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENT-ATHLETES A current student-athlete at TCU can earn money from legitimate employment during the academic year. If you, as a representative of Texas Christian University s athletics interests, hires part-time help as part of your normal hiring process, and a current student-athlete is referred to you or arbitrarily applies at your business, there are certain rules and regulations that the NCAA has stipulated that you and the student -athlete must follow. First - a student-athlete must have written approval from the athletics department PRIOR to beginning work with you, or any, employment. Second - a student-athlete must only be paid for work actually performed. Third - a student-athlete may not be paid more than the going rate for type of work they are performing. Fee For Lesson Arrangement: A student-athlete can receive money from you or your family for teaching or giving lessons in his or her sport. To do this the following conditions must be met: Institutional facilities CANNOT be used; To simply play against the student-athlete is not permitted (e.g., playing lessons); Documentation and prior approval of the lessons must be on file with the Compliance Office; The compensation for the lesson must be paid by the lesson recipient (or their family) and not another individual or entity. Use of Student-Athlete Name or Image: A for-profit entity CANNOT use the name or image of a Current student-athlete to promote that business. However, student-athletes can be used for non-profit promotions if the proper permission is on file in the Compliance Office. GAMBLING AND AGENTS GAMBLING In accordance with NCAA rules and athletics department policy, it is not permissible for a student-athlete, coach or athletics department staff member to place, accept or solicit a bet or participate in any type of gambling/wagering activity involving any sport (amateur or professional) that is sponsored by the NCAA. In addition, such individuals may not provide information related to intercollegiate athletics to any individual involved in organized gambling activities. AGENTS It is not permissible for student-athletes to enter into a written or verbal agreement with an agent prior to exhaustion of their athletics eligibility. Student-athletes may not receive benefits including meals, clothing or transportation from an agent or a representative of an agent.