University of Wyoming Booster Information

Boosters of the University of Wyoming Athletics Department are an essential component of the athletics program. The support you provide helps the University compete successfully on a conference and national level.

The Athletics Department has developed a compliance program that educates and monitors coaches, student-athletes and staff members regarding the NCAA rules and regulations that govern Wyoming's athletic teams and programs.

As a fan and athletic booster, you also play an important role in the compliance program. Your role is to become educated about NCAA regulations concerning boosters. This small guide is designed to provide you with specific regulations that pertain to you and your relationship to student-athletes and recruits. For more information please see the University of Wyoming Guide for Boosters. Please remember that potential violations of NCAA rules may not be limited to the specific infringements mentioned here. It is always best to check with the University of Wyoming's Compliance Office before taking any actions that could jeopardize the integrity of Wyoming's athletics programs or the eligibility of a recruit or student-athlete.

The University of Wyoming Guide for Donors and Other Representatives of Athletics Interest:

UW Booster Guide in PDF Format

Are You a Booster?
Boosters (which the NCAA calls "representatives of athletics interests") are individuals that...

Participate in or have been members of the Cowboy Joe Club.
Have made financial contributions to the Athletics Department or to the Cowboy Joe Club.
Aid or have assisted in the recruitment of prospects.
Provide or have helped arrange employment for enrolled student-athletes.
Participated as a varsity student-athlete of the University of Wyoming.
Have been involved in promoting Wyoming Athletics in any other way.

Once an individual has been identified as a booster, that individual is a booster for life. The NCAA holds the University of Wyoming responsible for the conduct of all "representatives of athletics interests."

Employment of Current Student-Athletes
NCAA regulations allow student-athletes to earn legitimate on- and off- campus employment income, either during the year or vacation periods, provided any compensation is for work actually performed and does not exceed the going rate in the locality for similar services. In addition, a student-athlete's compensation may not include any compensation for the value the student-athlete has to the employer because of his/her athletics reputation. Boosters may employ student-athletes provided they arrange the employment through the Athletics Department. The student-athlete hired will be required to complete an Employment Information Form which the employer will need to sign before employment begins.

Involvement with Current Student-Athletes
A booster is not permitted to provide a student-athlete (or a student-athlete's friend or relative) with "extra benefits." An extra benefit is any special gift or arrangement that is not available to the general student body. Extra benefits may include, but are not limited to:

Room and board
Transportation or use of automobile
Loan of money
Co-signing of a loan
Discount services
Tickets to booster events or athletics contests
Use of telephone or credit card for personal reasons without charge
Entertainment of any kind

If a student-athlete accepts any benefit based on his or her athletic ability, that student-athlete will lose some or all eligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletics. In addition, the institution is responsible for these actions and penalties may be imposed on the program. Additionally, the booster involved may be required to permanently disassociate from the University's athletics program.

Boosters may not provide awards or gifts directly to a student-athlete for his/her athletic performance or ability. All awards must be approved by the University of Wyoming's Compliance Office and conform to NCAA award regulations.

Permissible Activities
The University of Wyoming appreciates the efforts of all our supporters. While there are NCAA restrictions imposed on booster conduct, the following is a list of permissible activities:

A booster may have in-person, telephone, or e-mail contact with currently enrolled student-athletes.

A student-athlete or the entire team may be invited to the home of a booster for an occasional meal. However, a booster may not entertain student-athletes at a restaurant or club. Boosters are permitted to give student-athletes reasonable local transportation to their home on these occasions. Compliance Office and Head Coach must pre-approve.

Boosters may invite the entire team for dinner and/or provide reasonable entertainment when the team visits the booster's hometown for an away contest. This meal may take place at the booster's home. However, the Compliance Office must pre-approve the meal.

Prospects and Coaches of Prospects
Definitions:

A prospective student-athlete ("prospect") is any student that has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student of any age will be considered a prospect if the institution provides benefits to the student that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally.

A recruiting contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect (or the prospect's parent/guardian) and a Wyoming staff member or booster during which any dialogue occurs in excess of a greeting.

A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect until the start of classes or official team practice at Wyoming. Signing a National Letter of Intent does not remove the status of "prospect."

Involvement by Boosters
Only University of Wyoming coaches and staff members can be involved in the recruiting process. There may be no communication of any kind (e.g. letter, phone calls, e-mails, or face-to-face contact) between boosters and prospects, or their families, for the purpose of encouraging the prospect to participate in the University of Wyoming athletics program. In addition, boosters may not contact or otherwise communicate with the prospect's coach, principal, or counselor for the purpose of evaluating the prospect, nor may they pick up films or transcripts from the prospect's school.

A booster may continue to have contact with a prospect if an established relationship between the booster and the prospect already exists. He or she may not, however, take advantage of these relationships for recruiting purposes.

A booster may have a phone conversation with a prospect only if the prospect initiates the call. A University staff member may not prearrange the telephone call and the discussion should be limited to the University in general. All athletically related questions must be referred to the Athletics Department.

An impermissible contact or communication, even if unintentional, could subject the University of Wyoming to NCAA-imposed penalties. Prospects could lose eligibility for competition at the University of Wyoming because of a recruiting violation caused by a booster.

It is permissible for a booster to attend a prospect's game on his or her own initiative as long as no contact with the prospect or the prospect's parents/guardians occurs. You are encouraged to share information about promising student-athletes with Wyoming coaches.

Ways You Can Help

Contribute money to endowments or scholarship funds administered by the Athletics Department.
Buy season tickets and support the teams from the stands.
Send recommendation letters, newspaper clippings, or similar information about prospects to University of Wyoming coaches. The coaching staff will then make the contact with the prospect. Please do not contact a prospective student-athlete on behalf of the University of Wyoming.
Become a Cowboy Joe Club member.
If you live in the Laramie area, contact the Compliance Office or a Head Coach about the possibility of hosting an occasional meal for a team at your home. All occasional meals must be pre-approved by the Head Coach and Compliance Office!

When in doubt about what you can and cannot do, call the Athletics Department. Before you engage in any activity involving prospective or enrolled student-athletes please ensure that your conduct is permitted by NCAA rules and won't jeopardize the student-athletes' eligibility.