Where Is the Line? Understanding 'Undue Influence' in High School Recruiting

State associations are aggressively policing "athletically motivated transfers" and undue influence. The consequences are real: athletes can be ruled ineligible for up to a full year, and coaches can lose accreditation or their job.

If you coach at the high school or club level, you need to know exactly where the line sits in your state. Ignorance is not a defense.

In many states, if a student transfers to a new school within one calendar year of their former high school or club coach relocating to that same school, it is considered prima facie evidence of illegal recruiting.

Prima facie means the burden of proof shifts to the athlete and family to disprove recruiting. In practice, that triggers an automatic loss of varsity eligibility for up to a year unless the family can demonstrate the transfer is unrelated to the coach.

If you are changing schools as a coach: - Communicate clearly to current athletes that they should not follow you for athletic reasons - Document any conversations with families that occur after your new role is public - Keep your interactions with current players minimal during the transition window

High school coaches are strictly prohibited from a long list of activities aimed at securing enrollment. Common bans include:

• Calling or texting athletic recruits at other schools
• Visiting recruits at home
• Offering reduced or waived summer camp fees as an inducement
• Giving free game passes or merchandise exclusively to grade-school athletes
• Promising playing time, position, or a starting role before enrollment
• Coordinating with club coaches or third parties to funnel athletes to the school

If the activity would feel out of place for a regular non-athlete prospective student, it probably crosses the line.

Athletes and families are allowed to express interest in your program. You just cannot initiate or encourage the contact.

What you can usually do: - Respond to family-initiated questions about the school's academic program - Run open camps and clinics that any athlete in the area can attend - Allow your AD or admissions office to handle initial communication - Share publicly available roster, schedule, and facility information

What you should always do: - Loop in your AD on every borderline conversation - Document the source of any first contact (email, phone, in-person) - Keep camp pricing consistent for all attendees

• Train assistant coaches and team parents on what they can and cannot say
• Establish a single point of contact for transfer inquiries (usually the AD)
• Audit your camp rosters and pricing every season
• When in doubt, call your state association before you act, not after