Compliance: Prospective Student-Athlete

Central Washington University Athletics Compliance: Prospective Student-Athlete

Becoming A CWU Athlete
Recruiting
Helpful Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility
NCAA College Bound Resource Center
National Letter of Intent

Becoming A CWU Athlete
The following information includes the steps to becoming a CWU athlete.

1. Complete student-athlete questionnaire

2. Apply for admission

a. Please go to our homepage www.cwu.edu
b. On the left side of the screen please click the Admissions button.
c. You are now at the admissions page. On the top of the page click Apply Now.
d. You must now create an account to access the on-line application form.
e. You are required pay the application fee of $50.00 for your application to be processed. This fee can be waived for qualifying families. To access a fee waiver form click on downloadable forms on the left hand side of the application.
f. After you have completed the application please send your official transcript and test scores to the office of Admissions at Central Washington University.

To be considered for university academic aid you must have completed your application and turned in by February 1.

3. Complete and send FAFSA to Central Washington University. You can do this by clicking here.

What is a FAFSA? It is a free official document that can be filled out online for Federal Student Aid to determine eligibility for Federal Financial Student Aid.

4. Click here for coaches' contact information.

5. You must be cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center. Not clearing means you cannot practice, play or receive athletic aid, so this must be a priority. You can access your account at www.eligibilitycenter.org. The eligibility center must have your best SAT/ ACT scores plus a transcript from every high school you attended. Your last transcript must show proof of graduation, so check with the school to make sure it has been sent out.

6. You must have a completed physical that has been done within the last 6 months and proof of insurance. Please read all the information you are given today so that you can return:

a. Proof of insurance Questionnaire
b. The secondary policy information signature page
c. Pre-Participation Physical Form

You can find all these forms on the CWU Athletic Training Site
Any questions, please call Sara Tucker at 509-963-1915 or e-mail at Sara.Tucker@cwu.edu

7. For incoming freshmen and transfers, you should be registered for 12 credits of classes. Freshmen also need to be signed up in a residence hall to accommodate the one-year live-on-campus requirement. During the summer, CWU runs a student orientation called “Discover,” this allows students to get advising and help to register for classes. All CWU athletes should plan on attending. For more information you can visit the Discover page.

8. You must complete the Alcohol Wise (this is our alcohol education program) to be able to compete this fall. This is web course that you take on a computer information will be given out summer during Discover. By completing Alcohol Wise for Athletics, you are also satisfying the requirement for the Office of Housing and University 101.

Recruiting
The coaching staff is responsible for the recruiting for each sport. If you have any recruiting questions please contact that specific sport.

Prospect:
An individual who has either started classes for the ninth grade OR who has received any benefit from ASU or a booster. Actions taken by athletic staff that causes an individual to become a prospective student-athlete include:

• providing a prospect an expense-paid visit to a collegiate institution;
• having an arranged in-person encounter with the individual;
• initiating or arranging telephone contact with the individual or a member of his/her family; or
• providing an individual (or his/her relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally (i.e. tickets to an athletic competition)

Amateurism:

A student shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the student-athlete (or parents/relatives):

• negotiates, signs or enters into any written or oral agreement with an agent;
• accepts or receives any extra benefits from an agent or anyone who wishes to represent the student-athlete;
• uses their athletic skill for pay, or for the promise of pay;
• competes with a professional sports team or receives any compensation from a professional sports team; or
• receives an extra benefit that is not available to the general student population.

Recruiting-Divisions II Summary of Recruiting Rules

Recruiting materials

• A coach may begin sending you printed recruiting materials September 1 of your junior year in high school.

Telephone calls

• A college coach may call you once per week beginning June 15 between your junior and senior year.

• You may make calls to the coach at your expense.

Off-campus contact

• A college coach can have contact with you or your parents/legal guardians off the college’s campus beginning June 15 after your junior year.

• A college coach is limited to three in-person contacts off campus.

Unofficial visits

• You may make an unlimited number of unofficial visits any time.

Official visits

• You may make official visits starting the opening day of classes your senior year.

• You may make only one official visit per college and up to a maximum of five official visits to Divisions I and II colleges.

Helpful Steps to Achieving Your Eligibility
Freshmen and Sophomores

• Start planning now!
• Work hard to get the best grades possible.
• Take classes that match your high school’s list of NCAA courses. The Eligibility Center will use only approved core courses to certify your initial eligibility.
• You can access and print your high school’s list of NCAA courses at www.eligibilitycenter.org.
• If you fall behind, use summer school sessions before graduation to catch up.

Juniors

• At the beginning of your junior year, complete your registration at www.eligibilitycenter.org.
• Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the Eligibility Center code “9999” as a score recipient. Doing this sends your score directly to the Eligibility Center. You can register at http://www.collegeboard.com/
• Double-check to make sure the courses you have taken match your school’s list of NCAA courses.
• Ask your high school counselor to send an official transcript to the Eligibility Center after completing your junior year. If you have attended more than one high school, the Eligibility Center will need official transcripts from all high schools attended. (The Eligibility Center does NOT accept faxed transcripts or test scores.)
• Before registering for classes for your senior year, check with your high school counselor to determine the amount of core courses that you need to complete your senior year.

Seniors

• Take the SAT and/or ACT again, if necessary. The Eligibility Center will use the best scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to determine your best cumulative score.
• Continue to take college-prep courses.
• Check the courses you have taken to match your school’s list of NCAA courses.
• Review your amateurism responses and request final amateurism certification on or after April 1 (for fall enrollees) or October 1 (for spring enrollees).
• Continue to work hard to get the best grades possible.
• Graduate on time (in eight academic semesters).
• After graduation, ask your high school counselor to send your final transcript to the Eligibility Center with proof of graduation.

NCAA College Bound Resource Center
This site will assist you if you have questions about eligibility, academic certification, amateurism certification, recruiting information, and who to call if you have further questions for the NCAA.

National Letter of Intent Signing Dates
If you have any additional questions or concerns please feel free to contact Sara Tucker at Central Washington University’s Athletic Compliance Office at 509-963-1915 or email at Sara.Tucker@cwu.edu.

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