Indiana University Athletics
Compliance Question Of The Week
Question:
Under what circumstances is it possible for a prospective student-athlete who has NOT signed a National Letter of Intent to participate in voluntary weightlifting or conditioning activities on campus?
Answer:
A four-year college transfer prospect may participate in weightlifing activities on our campus provided it is not prearranged, the strength and conditioning coach is performing normal duties and responsibilities in the supervision of the weight room and does not conduct the workout, and the four-year transfer prospect has signed a written offer of financial aid and/or admission. Also a prospect who is a paying member of the Hoosier Weightlifting Club could also then participate in weightlifting activities on campus - again, though, no coach (other than the club's coaching staff made up of non-sport-coaches) may be present during a prospect's workout. Finally, prospects who have not signed a National Letter of Intent can only use campus facilities that are open to the general public (as long as they also pay for any admission charge for guest users), but since our athletics weightroom facilities are not open to the general public they would not be able to use our weightrooms (no coach or athletics staff member could be present as that would violate the tryout rule). See below for the official interpretations from the NCAA on this issue.
Four-Year College Transfer Prospective Student-Athlete Participating in Weightlifting Activities on an Institution's Campus (I)
Date Issued: Oct 15, 2003
Type: Official
Item Ref: 1
Interpretation:
Four-Year College Transfer Prospective Student-Athlete Participating in Weightlifting Activities on an Institution's Campus. It is permissible for a four-year college transfer prospective student-athlete to participate in weightlifting activities on an institution's campus, provided:
a. Such activity is not prearranged;
b. The strength and conditioning coach is performing normal duties and responsibilities in the supervision of the weight room and does not conduct the workout; and
c. The four-year college transfer prospect has signed a written offer of financial aid and/or admission.
[References: NCAA Bylaws 13.2.1 (offers and inducements); 13.12.1 (prohibited activities); 13.12.2.2 (recreational activities); 07/02/03 official interpretation, Item No. 1; and a 03/28/01 official interpretation, Item No. 1]
Prospective Student-Athlete Participating in Conditioning Activities Subsequent to Signing a National Letter of Intent (I)
Date Issued: Nov 12, 2003
Type: Staff
Item Ref: 1a
Interpretation:
The membership services staff confirmed that the provisions of NCAA Division I Bylaw 13.12.2.2 (recreational activities) would permit a prospective student-athlete who has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to participate in voluntary weight lifting or conditioning activities (e.g., conditioning on the track) on the institution's campus in the presence of the institution's strength and conditioning coach, provided such activities are not prearranged, the strength and conditioning coach is performing normal duties and responsibilities in the supervision of the weight room or facility in use (e.g., track) and he or she does not work directly with the prospective student-athlete. Involvement by the strength and conditioning coach (other than in a supervisory capacity) or the involvement of any coaching staff member in any capacity would constitute a tryout. Further, the staff determined that a prospective student-athlete (other than a four-year college transfer prospect who has signed a written offer of financial aid and/or admission) who has not signed a NLI or who participates in a sport that does not use the NLI program may not participate in voluntary weight lifting or conditioning activities on the institution's campus, unless such facilities are open to the general public. The staff noted that pursuant to Bylaw 13.12.3.9, in football, a prospect who has signed a NLI or, for those institutions not using the NLI program, and in the case of a four-year college transfer, a prospect who has signed an institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid agreement, may engage in nonmandatory summer workouts conducted by an institution's strength and conditioning coach with department-wide duties. [References: Division I Bylaws 13.12.1 (prohibited activities), 13.12.2.2 (recreational activities) and 13.12.3.9 (voluntary summer conditioning); 7/14/93 official interpretation, item a, 5/27/88 staff interpretation, item e, 4/2/87 official interpretation, Item No. 7-b and 4/2/87 official interpretation, Item No. 1, which have been archived; 10/23/03 official interpretation, Item No. 1 and 07/02/03 official interpretation, Item No. 1]