Saint Michael's College
Alumni, Family, Fans and Friends
NCAA Guide
The Saint Michael's College Athletic Department welcomes individuals who actively support our intercollegiate
program and appreciates the efforts of its numerous alumni, fans, friends and family who adhere to the highest
level of ethical conduct while supporting our student-athletes.
The NCAA defines all such individuals mentioned above as representatives of athletic interests. Saint Michael's
College values the continued support in its athletics program by all these groups and must also inform these
individuals of the NCAA regulations associated with being a Saint Michael's College representative of athletic
interests.
This guide is intended to provide representatives of athletics interest with a basic understanding of the NCAA
rules and regulations. The guide acts as a “quick reference” and does not cover all applicable legislation. Saint
Michael's College welcomes questions from alumni, fans, friends and family about permissible activities.
When in doubt, please remember to ask before you act.
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The NCAA regulates the activities of representatives of athletics interest with regard to involvement and/or
association with prospective and/or current student-athletes. The Saint Michael's College Athletic Department
is responsible for insuring that its various constituencies are familiar with, and abide by, all NCAA rules.
Representatives of Athletic Interest
A representative of athletics interests is an individual or organization who is known by a member institution to:
 Have participated in or be a member of an organization who is known to the institution’s athletic
program;
 Have made financial contributions to the Department of Athletics or an athletics booster organization;
 Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution’s athletics program.
Prospective Student-Athlete
A prospective student-athlete (PSA) is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade in all sports other
than men’s basketball. In men’s basketball a PSA is a student who has started seventh grade.
Current Student-Athlete
A student-athlete is one whose name is officially on an intercollegiate team roster.
PERMISSIBLE ACTIVES FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF ATHLETIC INTERESTS
Prospective Student-Athletes
 DO continue established family relationships with friends and neighbors. Contacts made with children
of family friends are permitted as long as no recruiting on behalf of the institution are involved.
 DO attend high school sporting events without contacting the prospective student-athlete or their
relatives.
 DO communication with the SMC Department of Athletics about prospective student-athletes.
 DO accept telephone calls from prospective student-athletes to discuss general questions about the
institution.
Enrolled Student-Athletes
 DO invite a student-athlete or an entire team to your home for an occasional meal, but only for special
occasions such as birthdays or holidays.
 DO interact with the student-athletes while on the Saint Michael's College campus.
 DO attend competitions featuring Saint Michael's College Purple Knights.
 DO make financial contributions to teams.
 DO notify the Saint Michael's College Department of Athletics of possible employment opportunities
for current student-athletes.
 DO employ and pay student-athletes for work actually performed and at a commensurate rate for similar
services in the local area.
IMPERMISSIBLE ACTIVIES FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF ATHLEICS INTERESTS
Prospective Student-Athletes
 DO NOT make on or off-campus recruiting contacts with prospective student-athletes or their families.
 DO NOT provide prospective student-athletes with extra benefits, including payment of registration
fees for summer sports camps.
 DO NOT mail letters, newspapers, posters, programs or media guides to prospective student-athletes.
 DO NOT contact student-athletes at other colleges to explore transferring to Saint Michael's College.
Enrolled Student-Athletes
 DO NOT provide student-athletes, their friends or relatives with any special benefit or arrangement.
 DO NOT provide room and/or board for a student-athlete.
 DO NOT expend any funds to entertain student-athletes or their friends or relatives.
 DO NOT use the name, picture or likeness of an enrolled student-athlete to directly advertise,
recommend or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.
 DO NOT provide gifts or awards to student-athletes.
 DO NOT provide lodging, meals or transportation costs incurred by friends or relatives of a studentathlete.
 DO NOT pay travel expenses or loan an automobile for a student-athlete to utilize for any reason.