Basics of Campus Visits & Tryouts

Campus Visits and Tryouts for Prospective Students

Link to NAIA Bylaws

The NAIA has specific guidelines to ensure a fair and balanced approach towards campus visits and tryouts for prospective student-athletes. Here’s a simplified breakdown:

Key Principles for Campus Visits

1. Academic Progress Protection: Ensuring that students maintain their normal academic progress in high school or junior college is a priority.
2. Institutional Coordination: Rules align with the institution’s broader policies for recruiting students with special talents.
3. Consistent Tryout Control: Tryouts are managed to ensure the intercollegiate program integrates seamlessly with the institution’s overall program, without disadvantaging the student.

Guidelines for Tryouts

• Purpose and Limitations: Tryouts help assess athletic potential and must align with the institution’s general policy for evaluating special talents. Each tryout is limited to two days per student per institution.
• Team Involvement: Tryouts do not count as practice (and thus do not affect the 24-week season) unless they involve students already identified with the institution.

Casebook Examples

Tryouts with Prospective Students:

• Approved Ruling: Tryouts with prospective students, as per NAIA Bylaws, are not considered practice even if current team members participate. These tryouts outside the 24-week season do not trigger the start of the season.
• Definition of Prospective Student: This refers to students who have never identified with a collegiate institution or were previously identified with a different institution. They remain prospective until they officially join an NAIA institution.
• Identified Students: If a tryout involves students already identified with the NAIA institution, it counts as a practice and affects the 24-week season. To avoid this, include prospective students in tryouts held outside the 24-week period.
• Number of Days: Tryouts may occur at any point throughout the calendar year. A tryout conducted on one day will count as one of the total two days a potential student-athlete may utilize per NAIA institution. 

See this article for further information! Tryouts with Prospective Students & 24-Week SeasonDid you know? Camps & Clinics do not count as a tryout! See this article for further information. 

Coach Observation:

• Approved Ruling: NAIA coaches can observe high school and junior college competitions/practices without it being considered a tryout. Coaches must not direct activities or ask students to showcase specific skills. Any further interaction must adhere to recruiting bylaws.

Travel, Meals, and Lodging for Prospective Students

• Expenses: Institutions cannot cover travel, meals, or lodging expenses for prospective students unless this practice is part of the general policy for all students with special talents, not just athletes.

Casebook Example: Expenses Paid by Institution

• Approved Ruling: Athletic departments can cover meals and general expenses for prospective student-athletes only if it’s part of the institution’s general practice for special talent students. There’s no monetary cap, but the expenses should match those provided for non-athlete students, consistent with institutional policies.

By following these principles and guidelines, NAIA ensures a balanced approach that supports the institution’s overall policies while protecting the interests of prospective student-athletes.