:: NCAA Rules 

As a student-athlete at Georgia Southwestern State University, you are subject to many rules and regulations, which if not followed could jeopardize your ability to compete in athletics. Please find information organized, below, into categories that should provide you with assistance in what is permissible under NCAA rules.

• Continuing Eligibility

  • Freshman Year (2nd semester)-Must have earned at least six hours in previous regular academic term of full-time enrollment

  • Sophomore Year (3rd semester)-Must have earned at least twenty four hours during the previous year; must have earned at least six hours in previous regular academic term of full-time enrollment

  • Junior Year (5th semester)-Must have earned at least twenty four hours during the previous year; must have declared a major; must be working towards earning that degree; must have earned at least six hours in previous academic term of full-time enrollment

  • Senior Year (7th semester)-Must have earned at least twenty four hours towards the degree being sought during the previous year or banked an average of twelve credit hours per term of full-time enrollment; must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0; must have earned at least six hours in previous regular academic term of full-time enrollment.

  • 5th Year Senior (9th semester)-Must have earned at least twenty four hours towards the degree being sought during the previous year or banked an average of twelve credit hours per term of full-time enrollment; must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0; must have earned at least six hours in previous regular academic term of full-time enrollment

•   Seasons of Competition

  • A student-athlete shall not engage in more than four seasons of intercollegiate competition in any one sport.

  • A student-athlete shall complete his or her seasons of participation within five calendar years from the beginning of the semester in which the student-athlete first registered for a full time program of study in an institution.

•  Playing and Practice Season Limits

  • Bylaw 17.1.5.1-Daily and Weekly Hour Limitations (Playing Season). A student-athlete's participation in countable athletically related activities shall be limited to a maximum of four hours per day and twenty hours per week.

  • Bylaw 17.1.5.2-Weekly Hour Limitations (Outside of Playing Season). Outside of the playing season during the academic year, only a student-athlete's participation in weight training, conditioning, individual skill instruction and, in football, review of game film shall be permitted. A student-athlete's participation in such activities shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week, of which not more than two hours per week may be spent on individual skill workouts set forth in Bylaw 17.1.5.2.1 and in football review of game film. A student-athlete may not participate in any countable athletically related activities outside the playing season during any institutional vacation period.

  • Bylaw 17.1.5.2.1-Skill Instruction. In sports other than football, participation by student-athletes in individual skill-related instruction is permitted outside the institution's declared playing season, provided no more than four student-athletes from the same team are involved in skill-related instruction with their coach(es) at any one time in any facility.

  • Bylaw 17.1.5.2.2-Conditioning Activities. Conditioning drills per Bylaw 17.1.5.2 that may simulate game activities are permissible, provided no offensive or defensive alignments are set up and no equipment related to the sport is used. 

  • Bylaw 17.02.1-Countable Athletically Related Activities. Countable athletically related activities include any required activity with an athletics purpose, involving student-athletes and at the direction of, or supervised by, any member or members of an institution's coaching staff and must be counted within the weekly and daily limitations under Bylaws 17.1.5.1 and 17.1.5.2. Administrative activities shall not be considered as countable athletically related activities.

• Extra Benefit  

What is an "extra benefit"?

•  

  • The NCAA defines an extra benefit as any special arrangement by an institution employee or a representative of the institution's athletic interest to provide a student-athlete or student-athlete's relative a benefit that is not generally available to other Georgia Southwestern State University students and their relatives or is not expressively authorized by the NCAA legislation. Therefore, please be aware of the following:

    • A student-athlete cannot accept anything from an employee of Georgia Southwestern or a Georgia Southwestern Athletics Booster (i.e. use of a car, clothing, gifts, money)

    • A student-athlete cannot accept free or reduced cost room/board from any Georgia Southwestern employee or booster. This includes in Americus, in student-athlete's hometown, or any other location.

    • A student-athlete cannot accept free or reduced merchandise or services from any merchant unless that free or reduced cost is offered to the general public.

    • A student-athlete cannot eat at a restaurant as the guest of an athletic booster.

    • On infrequent special occasions a student-athlete may accept an invitation to the home of an employee of Georgia Southwestern or and athletic booster for a meal.

    • Members of the Athletics Department staff are not permitted to type reports, papers, letters, etc for a student-athlete.

    • A Georgia Southwestern employee may provide a student-athlete only reasonable and occasional local transportation.

•   Complimentary Admissions

  • Georgia Southwestern State University may provide 2 complimentary admissions per home or away contest to a student-athlete in the sport in which the individual participates (either practices or competes), regardless of whether the student-athlete competes in the contest.

  • Complimentary admissions shall be issued through a pass list. No ‘hard tickets" will be issued

•  Amateurism

  • Bylaw 12.01.1-Eligibility for Intercollegiate Athletics. Only an amateur student-athlete is eligible for intercollegiate athletics participation in a particular sport.

  • Bylaw 12.1.2-Amateur Status. An individual loses amateur status and thus shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual:
    a) Subsequent to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, uses his or her athletics skill (directly or indirectly) for pay in any form in that sport.
    
    b) Subsequent to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, accepts a promise of pay even if such pay is to be received following completion of intercollegiate athletics participation.
    
    c) Subsequent to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, signs a contract or commitment of any kind to play professional athletics, regardless of its legal enforceability or any consideration received.
    
    d) Subsequent to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, receives, directly or indirectly, a salary, reimbursement of expenses or any other form of financial assistance from a professional sports organization based on athletics skill or participation, except as permitted by NCAA rules and regulations
    
    e) Subsequent to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, competes on any professional athletics team, even if no pay or remuneration for expenses was received.
    
    f) Subsequent to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, enters into a professional draft or an agreement with an agent.
    
    g) Enters into an agreement with an agent either prior to or subsequent to initial full-time collegiate enrollment. 

•  Agents
  • Do's and Don'ts Concerning your Intercollegiate Eligibility

    • Do's

      • You may request information from a professional team or organization concerning your professional market value.

      • You are permitted to use the compliance coordinator or your head coach of your sport to assist with contacting agents, professional sports teams, or professional sports organizations.

      • You, along with your parents, are permitted to negotiate with a professional team.

      • You may borrow against future earnings potential from an established and accredited commercial lending institution for the purposes of purchasing insurance against a disabling injury/illness, provided that a third party is not involved in arranging for the loan.

    • Dont's

      • You may not agree (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing your athletics ability or reputation in that sport.

      • Once an agreement (oral or written) is made with an agent or to compete in professional athletics, you are ineligible for participation in that intercollegiate sport, regardless of the legal enforceability of the contract.

      • You may not agree (orally, or in writing) to be represented by an agent until after your eligibility has ended, including the teams postseason competition.

      • Bylaw 12.3.1-General Rule. An individual shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport, if he or she ever has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport. Further, an agency contract not specifically limited in writing to a sport or particular sports shall be deemed applicable to all sports, and the individual shall be ineligible to participate in any sport.

      • Bylaw 12.3.1.1-Representation for Future Negotiations. An individual shall be ineligible per Bylaw12.3.1, if he or she enters into a verbal or written agreement with an agent for representation in future professional sports negotiations that are to take place after the individual has completed his or her eligibility in that sport.

      • Bylaw 12.3.1.2-Benefits from Prospective Agents. An individual shall be ineligible per Bylaw12.3.1, if he or she accepts transportation or other benefits from:
        a) Any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability. The receipt of such expenses constitutes compensation based on athletics skill and is an extra benefit not available to the student body in general.
        
        b) An agent, even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation and does not represent individuals in the student-athlete's sport.

•  Drug Testing

  • NCAA Drug Testing Program will provide you with all the NCAA rules and regulations regarding Drug Testing information. 

  • NCAA Banned Drug List will provide you the list of banned drugs for the NCAA. If you have any questions about medicine you are taking, please bring the bottle and questions to the Head Athletic Trainer.

• Gambling

  • NCAA Gambling and Sports Wagering website will allow you to view the rules and regulations that the NCAA has on gambling and sport wagering.

• Transfer Requirements

  • Student-athletes are not permitted to contact other NCAA institutions without first obtaining permission of the Athletic Director at their current institution. Without such permission, another institution may not contact the student-athlete nor encourage a transfer.

• Medical Expenses

  • All student-athletes must have a primary health insurance that covers intercollegiate athletic injuries. Student-athletes may use the student health insurance offered by the Board of Regents through Pearce & Pearce, but only if the athletic injury rider is purchased in addition to the basic policy.
    
    Expenses for medical treatment of an athletically related injury incurred by a student-athlete will be filed on their primary insurance. Expenses not covered by primary insurance will be paid by the Athletic Department.
    
    Medical expenses for an illness or injury that was not the result of practice for or participation in intercollegiate athletics at the institution is not the responsibility of the institution or the Athletic Department. Medical expenses incurred as the result of an injury while participating in activities not related to intercollegiate athletics are not the responsibility of the institution or the Athletic Department.

• Academic & Other Support Services

  • On the Georgia Southwestern campus, there are services available to help with academic needs and career opportunities. The student-athlete needs to take their questions or concerns to the Academic Skills Center or to Student Support Services.
    
    It is permissible for tutors, counselors, etc. to:

    • Provide tutorial services 

    • Provide career counseling services 

    • Make computer terminals available

    • Provide other academic advising services

  • It is not permissible for tutors, counselors, etc. to:

    • Type papers or do class work for student-athletes 

    • Provide student-athletes with course supplies  

    • Provide student-athletes the use of their car 

    • Assist the student-athlete with the payment of his/her bills, parking tickets, etc.

    • Provide any other benefit not offered to the general student body

• Financial Aid

  • One year limit: There is no guaranteed four-year scholarship in athletics. The NCAA rules do not permit an institution to award an athletics scholarship for a period longer than one academic year. The scholarship may be renewed (or not renewed) at the end of the year for the next academic year.

  • Reduction or Cancellation During Period of Award: During the period of your financial award, your athletics scholarship may be reduced or cancelled if you:

    • Become ineligible for competition 

    • Fraudulently misrepresent any information on an application, letter of intent, or financial aid agreement  

    • Engage in serious misconduct warranting substantial disciplinary penalty

    • Voluntarily withdraw from your sport at any time for personal reasons

• Employment

  • Earnings from a student-athlete's on or off-campus employment are exempt and are not counted against the student-athlete's grant-in-aid or institutional limitations, provided:

    • The student-athlete's compensation does not include any remuneration for value that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of reputation or fame. 

    • The student-athlete is compensated only for the work actually performed.

    • The student-athlete is compensated at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services.

• GSW Student Handbook