WAG Meet & greet with collegiate team - how would this jeopardize NCAA eligibility?

[Ali'sMom]

We are going to a meet next week that will have a collegiate challenge one evening.
There will be a meet & greet with autographs when it is over.
There is a notation that it is for 8th grade and younger, as 9th and over would jeopardize NCAA eligibility.

I don't have a high schooler, this is strictly curiosity, but could someone tell me how?

Is it that if a high school gymnast talks with college coaches, even in this kind of setting, it could be misconstrued as recruiting? Would getting an autograph from a college athlete be under the listing of bribe, etc?

Thank you for anyone who can tell me
(I may never need to worry about NCAA eligibility, but I figure the more I learn when she's younger, the better off I just might be in a few years)

 

[onelittledream]

I don't know but I have the same question and have been afraid to ask being that my DD is so young what is going on now may not be going on when she reaches that age where it matters, but I am very curious.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Never heard that before! I know when DD's team performed a dance at "halftime" or before a college meet, only the younger girls could participate because of the rules, but it was more that the college coach couldn't allow it, not that the girls would be in trouble. Never heard the girls weren't allowed to get autographs!

 

[wallinbl]

Does your gym produce college gymnasts? If so, the HC probably knows the answer here.

 

[aksaunders]

We are going to a meet next week that will have a collegiate challenge one evening. There will be a meet & greet with autographs when it is over. There is a notation that it is for 8th grade and younger, as 9th and over would jeopardize NCAA eligibility.

There are a bunch of crazy rules with regards to young athletes and college recruiting/coaches. Reading the document at the following link should answer a bunch of your questions: http://www.athleticscholarships.net...ide-to-communicating-with-college-coaches.pdf

 

[Ali'sMom]

There are a bunch of crazy rules with regards to young athletes and college recruiting/coaches. Reading the document at the following link should answer a bunch of your questions: http://www.athleticscholarships.net...ide-to-communicating-with-college-coaches.pdf

Thank you so much for that information!!!

 

[bookworm]

I think it would depend where this takes place...if it is on the actual college campus, any and all athletes can participate because once you are on their campus, communication with the college coach is not restricted...my daughter's team has meet and greets after every home meet and the line is out the door for all ages wanting autographed posters and pics.

I suppose if it takes place at a facility (like a civic center) it can be construed as a "violation" and technically seen as "recruiting" but why would a meet have a college team come for this and exclude half its audience? And now that they're verballing 8th graders, are they going to start excluding the middle schoolers too?

 

[Ali'sMom]

I think it would depend where this takes place...if it is on the actual college campus, any and all athletes can participate because once you are on their campus, communication with the college coach is not restricted...my daughter's team has meet and greets after every home meet and the line is out the door for all ages wanting autographed posters and pics.

I suppose if it takes place at a facility (like a civic center) it can be construed as a "violation" and technically seen as "recruiting" but why would a meet have a college team come for this and exclude half its audience? And now that they're verballing 8th graders, are they going to start excluding the middle schoolers too?

The meet is at a resort. It's for JO. The one session is called a collegiate challenge. I believe they were supposed to have a few colleges come for this, but it's only one. I "think" it might be run like the Professional Gymnastics Challenge type of event, but I'm totally uncertain.
I'd say a good 90% of the gymnasts competing are under high school age.

 

[aksaunders]

The meet is at a resort. It's for JO. The one session is called a collegiate challenge. I believe they were supposed to have a few colleges come for this, but it's only one. I "think" it might be run like the Professional Gymnastics Challenge type of event, but I'm totally uncertain. I'd say a good 90% of the gymnasts competing are under high school age.

It sounds like you are talking about the Atlantis Crown Invitational. My DD and several of our gymnasts will be there including the younger sister of a WVU gymnast. I am sure our girls will want to hang out with the older girls and this shouldn't be a violation (for most of them) because the young ones are not yet considered "prospective student-athletes."

 

[Ali'sMom]

It sounds like you are talking about the Atlantis Crown Invitational. My DD and several of our gymnasts will be there including the younger sister of a WVU gymnast. I am sure our girls will want to hang out with the older girls and this shouldn't be a violation (for most of them) because the young ones are not yet considered "prospective student-athletes."

Yup!
Unfortunately my own daughter won't be able to meet the WVU girls. She competes 8am the next morning ;( I want her in bed at a decent time. I'm not going all the way there for her to stay up until 11 or 12 before 8am competition. Trying to give her a fightin' chance!

 

[Midwestmommy]

Yep not allowed to recruit those 8th and 9th graders. Oh wait two ninth graders just verbally committed to Florida. Recruiting rules haves turned into a joke and need to be overhauled.

 

[Sidnito]

Oh wait two ninth graders just verbally committed to Florida.

Are you referring to Jazmyn Foburg and Laurie Hernandez? I think when an athlete becomes an Elite especially part of the national team it's a matter of time before a college comes knocking.

 

[profmom]

If pre-teen and teenage gymnasts aren't even allowed to breathe the same air as college gymnasts or beg them for photos and autographs, I know one heck of a lot of boys who have some 'splainin to do. My read of the rules is that the strict restrictions primarily apply to coaches, not college athletes.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

We are going to a meet next week that will have a collegiate challenge one evening.
There will be a meet & greet with autographs when it is over.
There is a notation that it is for 8th grade and younger, as 9th and over would jeopardize NCAA eligibility.

I don't have a high schooler, this is strictly curiosity, but could someone tell me how?

Is it that if a high school gymnast talks with college coaches, even in this kind of setting, it could be misconstrued as recruiting? Would getting an autograph from a college athlete be under the listing of bribe, etc?

Thank you for anyone who can tell me
(I may never need to worry about NCAA eligibility, but I figure the more I learn when she's younger, the better off I just might be in a few years)

don't worry about it.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Are you referring to Jazmyn Foburg and Laurie Hernandez? I think when an athlete becomes an Elite especially part of the national team it's a matter of time before a college comes knocking.

she probably was.