Recruiting Lingo
Periods of Contact
Contact Period:
This is considered the “live” period, where college coaches have free range to contact you, parents, and high school/club coaches directly. These contacts can be face-to-face, electronic, or over the phone. This occurs when the athlete is of age (NCAA DI: September 1st of junior year, NCAA DII: June 15th between sophomore and junior year, NCAA DIII and NAIA: no restrictions).
Dead Period:
This is the time that college coaches cannot have face-to-face contact with recruiting prospects and cannot travel to watch an athlete compete. However, coaches are still able to contact athletes electronically or through phone calls.
Here are the general dates for dead periods for NCAA as NAIA does not have as strict of rules (change every year, but generally occur around the same dates).
November 6-9 (prior to early signing period)
December 13-31 (following quiet period)
April 9-12 (prior to regular signing period)
Quiet Period:
This is the time that college coaches can continue to contact recruiting prospects face-to-face and over the phone, but cannot travel to see them play (unless they are playing on their campus for a camp or visit).
Here are the general dates for quiet periods for NCAA as NAIA does not have as strict of rules (change every year, but generally occur around the same dates).
December 4-12 (following the NCAA championships)
January 1-12
May 1-25
Visits:
The difference between official and unofficial visits are explained in the following article: https://prepdig.com/2018/09/the-difference-between-official-and-unofficial-visits/
Spring Season:
This is the “off-season” for college programs and their athletes. This is the time that college coaches will do the bulk of their recruiting, from attending showcases/club tournaments to inviting athletes on visits to practice with the team. As a prospect recruit, take advantage of this time and let coaches know where you will be playing.
Scholarships
Head-Count Scholarship:
These scholarships operate as all or nothing. They cannot be divided up, so you either receive a full-ride athletic scholarship, or no athletic scholarship.
Equivalency Grants:
These scholarships can be divided up. Money can be split equal ways between two players or the difference in an academic scholarship can be paid off.
Scholarships per Division:
NCAA Division I = 12 Head-Count*
NCAA Division II = 8 Equivalency Grants
NCAA Division III = NO ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS
NAIA = 8 Equivalency Grants
NJCAA = 14 Head-Count
*NCAA Division I Beach Volleyball operates as equivalency grants and programs are allotted 6.
Recruiting Contracts
Verbal Commitments:
A non-binding, unofficial commitment to play athletics for a college. The reason players verbally commit before making the official signing is to lock their position and scholarship at a college as well as alleviate the stress of the recruiting process. These do not guarantee a scholarship.
National Letter of Intent:
A binding contract to agree to play an athletic sport for their program for one year and accept a scholarship. It’s important to remember that this scholarship only guarantees participation and a scholarship reward for one year. Be 100% sure of your decision before you sign as it is hard to get released and you could lose a year of eligibility.
Signing Dates:
NCAA DI and DII
Early signing period is between November 8-15 of your senior year.
Regular signing period is between April 11 – August 1 of your senior year.
NCAA DIII
DIII schools do not allot athletic scholarships, but as of 2015, they have created a standard non-binding athletic celebratory signing form. Signing dates are the same as DI and DII.
NAIA
You are allowed to sign at any time.
Eligibility
Time Clock:
The amount of time allotted to complete athletic eligibility.
Red-Shirt:
Season that does not count against your eligibility. Typically taken your first season with the program (ex. redshirt freshman) to gain another year of experience at the collegiate level before stepping foot in a game. This season you are allowed to practice, but do not suit up or travel with the team.
Medical Red-Shirt:
Season that is taken in the event of an injury to ensure a player does not lose eligibility while recovering. Medical redshirts can be taken if an athlete competes in 20% or less of the season’s games.
Eligibility Per Division:
NCAA allots 4 years of eligibility and a 5th year eligibility in a different sport. (For example, I competed in indoor volleyball for 4 years at a NCAA DII program and am taking my 5th year to compete in beach volleyball at a NCAA DI program.)
NCAA Division I has a 5-year time-clock, meaning that once you start your eligibility, you have 5 years to complete it. Say you complete your freshman year and decide to take four years off of school, you would have no eligibility remaining even though you only competed for one year.
NAIA allots 4 years of eligibility with no time-clock.
NJCAA allots 2 years of eligibility.