Coaching Compliance Corner

October Spotlight:  Prospective Student-Athlete Tryouts

You may conduct a tryout of a prospective student-athlete only on our campus (NCAA bylaw 13.11.2.1, page 89 of NCAA manual).  There are a few stipulations for conducting a tryout.  Those stipulations are below. 

1)      A prospective student-athlete is only permitted one tryout per institution per sport.

2)      In order to tryout a prospective student-athlete must be a high school senior enrolled in a term other than the term in which their high school’s traditional season in that sport occurs; or their high school eligibility in that sport must be expired.

3)      If the student-athlete is a potential two year college transfer he or she must have completed his or her sport season or exhausted his or her two year college eligibility.

4)      If the student-athlete is a potential four year college transfer he or she must have completed his or her sport season and you must have been provided with written permission to contact him or her.

5)      Prior to participation in a tryout a prospective student-athlete must have had a physical within the past six months.

6)      The tryout may include tests to evaluate the prospective student-athlete’s strength, speed, agility and sport skills. In sports other than football and lacrosse the tryout may include competition.  In the sport of football, the prospective student-athlete shall not wear helmets or pads.

7)      The prospective student-athlete can compete against the member institutions team as long as the competition occurs during the academic year and is considered countable athletically related activity.

8)      The time of the tryout activities can last no longer than 2 hours

9)      Wingate University can provide equipment and clothing to the student-athletes as long as the student-athlete returns all equipment and clothing when the tryout is completed. 

There are a few forms that must be filled out in order for a tryout to take place.

·        Tryout waiver form (located in the athletic trainers office)

·        Tryout declaration form (This is located under Compliance Forms and Information below.  The form should be turned in to the Director of Compliance one week prior to the tryout.)