Indiana University Athletics
Compliance Corner: Coaching Designations
5/27/2015 4:04:00 PM | Varsity Club
BLOOMINGTON, Ind -- When you watch our IU Hoosiers compete, you probably recognize our head and assistant coaches. However, do you ever wonder who else is on the bench/sideline working with our student-athletes? The following categories capture the roles of many members of our sport-specific staff and explain their responsibilities within the program.
Countable Coaches
Countable coaches include the head and assistant coaches for each sport program. This coaching designation is permitted to provide coaching instruction to current student-athletes as well as engage in any off-campus recruiting activities of prospective student-athletes. The NCAA places strict limitations on the number of individuals each sport may utilize in the countable coaching role. These limits are as follows:
Volunteer Assistant Coaches
In sports other than basketball and football, teams are able to utilize the services of one or more individuals in a volunteer capacity; however, limitations on the number of volunteers apply. These individuals may not receive any compensation from the IU Athletics Department or entities that assist in the promotion of the athletics department (i.e. booster clubs, athletics foundation) beyond actual and necessary expenses associated with team travel and competition. Volunteer coaches are permitted to engage in all coaching activities involving current student-athletes but are strictly prohibited from engaging in any off-campus recruiting activities.
Graduate Assistant Coaches
In football and women's rowing, NCAA legislation permits the employment of one or more graduate students to serve in a coaching capacity while enrolled and making progress towards a graduate degree. Per NCAA rules, graduate assistant coaches are permitted to receive up to a full athletics scholarship that is equivalent to an athletics scholarship a student-athlete is eligible to receive. Similar to volunteer coaches, graduate assistant coaches are permitted to engage in all coaching activities involving current student-athletes but are prohibited from all off-campus recruiting activities.
Non-Coaching Staff Members with Sport-Specific Responsibilities
The non-coaching staff member designation encompasses a variety of roles, job titles, and responsibilities within the IU Athletics Department including, but not limited to, the following: Director of Operations, Video Coordinator, Director of Player Personnel, Quality Control Personnel, and team-specific administrative staff. Unlike the other coaching designations, non-coaching sport-specific staff are not permitted to engage in any coaching activities with student-athletes. Additionally, these individuals are not permitted to engage in any off-campus recruiting activities.
Should you have specific questions regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact the IU Athletics Compliance Office. Thank you for your continued support of IU Athletics and helping us play by the rules.
Countable Coaches
Countable coaches include the head and assistant coaches for each sport program. This coaching designation is permitted to provide coaching instruction to current student-athletes as well as engage in any off-campus recruiting activities of prospective student-athletes. The NCAA places strict limitations on the number of individuals each sport may utilize in the countable coaching role. These limits are as follows:
| Sport | Limit |
| Baseball | 3 |
| Basketball, Men's & Women's | 4 |
| Football, Bowl Subdivision | 10 |
| Field Hockey | 3 |
| Golf, Men's & Women's | 2 |
| Rowing, Women's | 3 |
| Soccer, Men's & Women's | 3 |
| Softball | 3 |
| Swimming and Diving, Men's & Women's (Combined) | 6 |
| Tennis, Men's & Women's | 2 |
| Cross Country/Track and Field, Men's & Women's (Combined) | 6 |
| Volleyball, Women's | 3 |
| Water Polo, Women's | 2 |
| Wrestling | 3 |
Volunteer Assistant Coaches
In sports other than basketball and football, teams are able to utilize the services of one or more individuals in a volunteer capacity; however, limitations on the number of volunteers apply. These individuals may not receive any compensation from the IU Athletics Department or entities that assist in the promotion of the athletics department (i.e. booster clubs, athletics foundation) beyond actual and necessary expenses associated with team travel and competition. Volunteer coaches are permitted to engage in all coaching activities involving current student-athletes but are strictly prohibited from engaging in any off-campus recruiting activities.
Graduate Assistant Coaches
In football and women's rowing, NCAA legislation permits the employment of one or more graduate students to serve in a coaching capacity while enrolled and making progress towards a graduate degree. Per NCAA rules, graduate assistant coaches are permitted to receive up to a full athletics scholarship that is equivalent to an athletics scholarship a student-athlete is eligible to receive. Similar to volunteer coaches, graduate assistant coaches are permitted to engage in all coaching activities involving current student-athletes but are prohibited from all off-campus recruiting activities.
Non-Coaching Staff Members with Sport-Specific Responsibilities
The non-coaching staff member designation encompasses a variety of roles, job titles, and responsibilities within the IU Athletics Department including, but not limited to, the following: Director of Operations, Video Coordinator, Director of Player Personnel, Quality Control Personnel, and team-specific administrative staff. Unlike the other coaching designations, non-coaching sport-specific staff are not permitted to engage in any coaching activities with student-athletes. Additionally, these individuals are not permitted to engage in any off-campus recruiting activities.
Should you have specific questions regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact the IU Athletics Compliance Office. Thank you for your continued support of IU Athletics and helping us play by the rules.
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