Coaches Meeting November 2012

Agenda Reminders Facebook Twitter Questions and Answers

University Vans University Vans may not be used to transport PSA’s or their parents. You may not use University vans to take PSA’s to off-campus practice or to the WFC. You may not rent a passenger van to transport PSA’s for visits. Remember – We cannot use a car service to pick up PSA’s. When scheduling transportation needs, please contact Jenn Burns for school bus or coach bus options. Transportation Guidelines

Prohibited Forms of Contact on Facebook No “chatting” with prospects on facebook. No posting messages on a prospect’s wall. No “friending” prospects who are not yet of contact age. September 1st, MBB – June 15th

Why are those Facebook Uses Impermissible? It’s public recruitment of the prospect. It’s electronic communication that’s neither email nor fax. Remember – The only permissible method of communication is through the email feature (inbox to inbox) which may be used ONLY if the prospect is old enough to receive written communication.

Permissible Facebook Uses You may initiate a “friend request” after it is permissible to send electronically transmitted correspondence to a prospect. September 1st of Junior Year, MBB – June 15th after Sophomore You may accept a “friend request” from a PSA at any time. Send recruiting materials via the facebook email function (inbox). Questionnaires Camp Brochures Nonathletic Institutional Publications (e.g. admissions brochure published by Villanova University and available to all students) NCAA Educational Material Published (e.g. NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete) It is permissible for a coach to appear on a prospect’s Facebook page as one of the prospect’s “friends.” Such publicity as a “friend” only reveals the possibility of the prospect’s recruitment by the coach.

Facebook - Example A coaching staff member with a Facebook account may send a questionnaire to a prospect’s Facebook account using the e-mail feature located on that user’s profile page. However, a coaching staff member may not send a questionnaire to a prospect via the comments feature or wall-to-wall feature on Facebook.

Prohibited Forms of Contact on Twitter You may not use the @Reply function to “tweet” at a prospect. You may not “retweet” what a prospect has said. You may not mention a prospect’s name or comment on a prospect’s athletic/academic performance. You may not comment about skill-instruction. Keep your tweets regarding practice to only championship and non-championship segments. You may not follow a prospect (even if they follow you) – until September 1st or June 15th.

Permissible Twitter Uses Who can follow who? You may follow a prospect on Twitter after it is permissible to send electronically transmitted correspondence to a prospect. Prospects may follow you at any time. May publicize that you have a Twitter account. May send “direct messages” to a PSA after September 1st or June 15th.

Twitter What exactly can I say? May make general comments regarding recruiting. “It’s going to be a great 2013 class” or “We keep getting more verbals everyday” May comment generally about countable practice. Does not include skill instruction May not be specific “ Guys worked their tails off today” May talk about what you are doing during your day. “Walking the new dog – Tupper”

Twitter May insert a hyperlink which connects to any website other than one involving: Recruiting/scouting service High School publication Website designed for recruitment May reference generally where recruiting is taking place. “In Chicago doing some recruiting” Remember, a violation will occur if you state the exact location of where you will be recruiting. To avoid this, use general terms only.

Remember these Items… Remember that Twitter and Facebook Pages are public. You may not post messages about a PSA – you may not make it publicly known that you are recruiting the PSA. You may not mention a PSA’s name or comment on their athletic or academic performance. You may not talk about a team that involves PSA’s. “Congrats to the U-19 National Team!” – Example of a violation

Question Once an initial connection between a coach and a prospective student-athlete has been established (e.g., coach and prospective student-athlete are Facebook friends), may a coach take an action on his or her own social media page that will result in an email being sent to the prospective student-athlete (before the date on which it is permissible to send recruiting correspondence to the prospective student-athlete), such as posting a message, which will generate a message to all of the coach’s "followers" or "friends"?

Answer Yes

Question Once an initial connection between a coach and a prospective student-athlete has been established (e.g., coach and prospective student-athlete are Facebook friends), may a coach take an action on a prospective student-athlete’s social media page (before the date on which it is permissible to send recruiting correspondence to the prospective student-athlete) that will result in an email being sent to the prospective student-athlete, such clicking the "like" button next to a Facebook status?

Answer No

Question May a coach direct a student-athlete to contact a prospect on Twitter or Facebook?

Answer No – A Student-Athlete may only communicate to a prospect if his or her coach did not direct the student athlete to contact the prospect

Question May a Student-Athlete create or join a Facebook group dedicated to convicting or encouraging a prospect to attend Villanova University if the group members do not directly contact the prospect?

Answer No

Question Can a coach use Photoshop or Instagram to format a picture and then attach the picture in an email to a prospect?

Answer No - a photograph that has been altered or staged for a recruiting purpose cannot be sent to a prospective student-athlete. However, standard photo editing (e.g., cropping, red-eye reduction,etc.) is permissible

Question In men’s basketball, can a coach text a picture of practice to a prospect?

No – pictures may not be sent by text message. Answer No – pictures may not be sent by text message.

Question May a football coach send a photo of the institution's pep rally to a prospective student-athlete as an attachment to a direct message on twitter?

Answer Yes, provided the content was not altered or staged for a recruiting purpose.

Question May a soccer coach arrange for a photo of the university's president, famous alumni and mascot to be taken and sent to a prospective student-athlete as an attachment to an email?

Answer No, the content of the photograph may not be staged for the purpose of being sent to a prospective student-athlete.

Questions Next Compliance Meeting December 11th – 10:00 am