A new National Collegiate Athletic Association text messaging ban will affect American University's athletic teams to varying degrees.
The new rule bans NCAA coaches from text messaging recruits. Recruits can text message coaches, but coaches cannot reply, according to The Washington Post and The Associated Press. The NCAA's board of directors passed the ban by a vote of 13-3 Thursday amid concerns that some coaches were abusing the text messaging medium.
The ban also covers coach-recruit communication through other electronic devices, including video phones and social networking Web sites. The new ban does not cover e-mails and faxes, although both are currently restricted by other NCAA policies, according to the Post.
Some coaches depend on text messaging because, unlike phone calls, letters and e-mails, its use had not been regulated by the NCAA previously. Other AU coaches do not use texting to communicate with recruits, only with current students.
Melissa McFerrin, the women's basketball head coach, said she thought the new restriction was a good idea in theory, but was too restrictive.
"I would favor restricted text messaging, not an all-out ban," she said. "Texting has been a great tool for low-level communication, for example, in giving directions to campus to a recruit that's gotten lost or getting in touch and telling the recruit to give me a call."
The NCAA, the organization that sets the rules for collegiate athletics and the recruiting process, has become increasingly restrictive on the recruitment of players to protect high school students from over-zealous recruiting.
"The danger is just that it doesn't allow for quality conversations and getting to know the coach and the player," McFerrin said. "For these highly-recruited athletes, it can be incredibly intrusive in their life."
Not all of AU's coaches or teams use text messaging to talk to recruits.
"I don't know if it will make that much of a difference for me," Lauren Evans, a volleyball coach, said. "In volleyball we don't really text message a lot, we usually use e-mail. I don't think it will make much of a difference at AU."
Most players and coaches said the NCAA did a good job of controlling the recruiting process, though some said they wanted the NCAA to loosen up restrictions. While the text messaging ban will not hurt Evans, she said she thought the NCAA spent too much time coming up with more rules and regulations on the recruiting process.
"I think they have too much time on their hands," Evans said. "They come up with too many rules. Some of the things they come up with are a little extreme."
Alex Caudana, a senior in the School of Communication and a member of the cross-country team, said he did not think the ban was a big deal and was not recruited with text messaging but defended the NCAA's actions.
"I think it does a good enough job controlling recruiting," Caudana said. "I haven't seen anyone here break any rules and I think the NCAA does a good job."
Most AU athletes were primarily contacted by coaches through phone calls or e-mail during the recruiting process. While McFerrin disagreed with the ban, she said she supported the restrictions the NCAA places on the recruiting process.
"As a college basketball coach, NCAA restrictions allow me to consider this as a career," McFerrin said. "Without it, I would have no semblance of a normal life, and after four years, I would be burned out."
The NCAA's ban will take effect in August, according to the Post.
