Coaching Categories

Per NCAA rules, there exist two main categories of coaches: Head or Assistant Coaches, and Volunteer Coaches. In addition, women’s rowing has a category for Graduate Assistant Coaches. Finally, all sports may have an unlimited number of Student Assistant Coaches.

Head or Assistant Coaches: Any coach so designated by RMU to perform coaching duties.
Volunteer Coaches: Permitted in sports other than football and basketball, this individual does not receive compensation or remuneration, except as noted on the next page, from RMU’s Athletic Department or any organization involved with promoting RMU athletics (e.g., booster clubs, Athletic Development, etc.).
Graduate Assistant Coaches: Women’s Rowing is permitted one graduate assistant coach. Individuals serving as graduate assistant coaches are required to have completed a baccalaureate degree and be enrolled in at least 50% of the minimum full-time graduate program of studies. Additional regulations specific to graduate assistant coaches are included in NCAA Bylaw 11.01.3.
Student Assistant Coaches: This is any undergraduate student-athlete who has exhausted his or her eligibility in the sport or has suffered a career-ending injury and meets the provisions of NCAA Bylaw 11.01.4. This individual is not allowed to engage in any off-campus contacting and evaluating of prospective student-athletes or scouting opponents off campus.

Declaration of Coaching Categories Procedure

Bylaw 11.7 states that an individual who coaches and either is uncompensated or receives compensation of any sort from the institution, even if compensation is not designated for coaching, shall be designated as a head coach, assistant coach, volunteer coach, graduate assistant, or undergraduate assistant coach by certification of the institution.

PROCEDURE:

In the month of August, the Office of Athletic Compliance will schedule meetings the head coach of all teams with the instruction to bring a list of all individuals who intend to participate with the team as a coach or personnel in the coming year
The head coach and Assistant Athletic Director will review pertinent legislation during this meeting to make certain each coaching staff falls within legislated limits.
All coaches are then entered into the CA database for tracking coaching staff and personnel limits
The head coach is put on notice that all volunteer and student assistant coaches must meet at the compliance office to sign contracts prior to the start of the season
The head coach is responsible for notifying the Office of Athletic Compliance of any coaching changes that occur during the remainder of the year.

Limitations on the Duties of Coaches

NCAA Bylaw 11.7.1.1.1 defines a countable coach as:

11.7.1.1.1 Countable Coach: An athletics department staff member must count against coaching limits as soon as the individual participates (in any manner) in the coaching of the intercollegiate team in practice, games or organized activities directly related to that sport, including any organized activity directly related to the sport.

Coaching activity includes, but is not limited to, attending meetings involving coaching activities, analyzing videotape or film involving the institution’s or an opponent’s team, and any off-campus recruitment of prospects or scouting of opponents.

Volunteer Coaches

In sports other than football and basketball, a volunteer coach is any coach who does not receive compensation or remuneration from the institution's athletics department or any organization funded in whole or in part by the athletics department or that is involved primarily in the promotion of institution's athletics program (e.g., booster club).

Volunteer coaches are prohibited from contacting and evaluating prospective student-athletes off campus and from scouting opponents off campus.
The individual may receive compensation from employment in an institution's sports camp or clinic provided the compensation is commensurate with the going rate for camp or clinic counselors of like teaching ability and camp or clinic experience.
Permissible Expenses for Volunteer Coaches:
- Transportation to and from, and room and board, at away games; and
- Parking expenses associated with practice and competition.
- Meals in conjunction with a prospect’s official visit or a team activity (i.e. occasional or post-game meals).

Please be aware that this individual may receive compensation from the University for performing duties for a department other than athletics.

Generally, Division I sports other than football and basketball, an institution may utilize the services of one volunteer coach. However, women’s rowing may utilize the services of four volunteer coaches. Additionally, the sports of indoor track, outdoor track and cross country may be counted separately for purposes of this legislation. In sports in which the NCAA conducts separate men’s and women’s championships, a combined program may utilize two volunteer coaches.

Non-Coaching Staff Members

Non-Coaching Staff Members With Sport Specific Responsibilities: This group includes sport operations personnel, video coordinators, administrative assistants, some non-traditional managers (i.e. not undergraduate students), quality control individuals and similar positions. The following restrictions shall apply in accordance with NCAA Bylaw 11.7.1.1 and the NCAA Legislative Assistance Column dated 12/06/06.; Non-coaching staff members with sport specific responsibilities are not permitted to:; Non-coaching staff members with sport specific responsibilities are permitted to:
Traditional Managers: Traditional managers are defined as students who are hired for the purpose of performing traditional managerial duties such as laundry, clean-up, running the clock, etc. Traditional managers may not be hired specifically for the purpose of participating in on-court or on-field activities. However, it is permissible for traditional managers to participate in on-court activities during practice sessions on an occasional basis. Traditional managers may never provide coaching or skill instruction to student-athletes and they may never be required to take attendance or report back to the coaching staff on a student-athlete’s participation in voluntary activities.
Outside Consultants: Outside consultants may be utilized in a sport, but they cannot have any contact with student-athletes, with the exception of a sports psychologist. The NCAA allows sport programs to utilize an outside consultant as follows:
11.7.1.1.1.4 Use of Outside Consultants: An institution may use or arrange for a temporary consultant to provide in-service training for the coaching staff, but no interaction with student-athletes is permitted unless the individual is counted against the applicable coaching limits. An outside consultant may not be involved in any on or off-field or on- or off-court coaching activities (e.g., attending practices and meetings involving coaching activities, formulating game plans, analyzing videotape or film involving the institution's or opponent's team) without counting the consultant in the coaching limitations in that sport.

Recruiting Restrictions

Only head or assistant coaches are permitted to communicate by phone (place or receive calls) or perform off-campus recruiting tasks with regard to prospective student-athletes who have not signed an NLI. An exception permits graduate assistant coaches in the sport of women’s rowing to initiate calls to prospects, provided he or she has successfully completed the NCAA Coaches Certification Exam.

Changes and Substitutions of Coaching Personnel

The NCAA allows institutions to replace its countable coaches due to extenuating circumstances or normal attrition. Specifically, NCAA Bylaw 11.7.1.1.1.2 states:

11.7.1.1.1.2 Replacement Due to Extenuating Circumstances: An institution may replace temporarily or on a limited basis one of its countable coaches if the coach is unable to perform any or all of his or her duties because of extenuating circumstances (e.g., suspension, prolonged serious illness, and pregnancy). The replacement coach may perform only those coaching, administrative or recruiting duties, including the telephoning of prospective student-athletes, the replaced coach is unable to perform.

INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEER COACHES

11.01.5 Coach, Volunteer: In sports other than football and basketball, a volunteer coach is any coach who does not receive compensation or remuneration from the institution's athletics department or any organization funded in whole or in part by the athletics department or that is involved primarily in the promotion of the institution's athletics program (e.g., booster club, athletics foundation association). The following provisions shall apply:

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