Many times individuals are unsure if they are considered boosters or not. Below we have designed a quiz to help you determine if you are a booster. There are numerous ways to become a booster and it would be impossible to list all of them here. Therefore, if you have any questions, please ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!
- Are/were you a member of the Governors Club and/or Monocle Society?
- Have you given money or a donation to an individual Austin Peay sport or any portion of the Austin Peay Athletics Department?
- Are you a corporate sponsor of the Athletic Department?
- Have you volunteered your time to the Athletic Department or any individual sport?
- Are you a member of any Austin Peay booster organization?
If you answered "YES" to any of these questions, you are a booster! Once you are identified as a booster, you retain that identity forever.
Rules for Boosters Regarding Prospective Student-Athletes
A Booster May:
- Continue contact with a prospect as long as the booster has an established relationship prior to the student being a prospect and as long as there is no attempt to recruit the prospect.
- Watch a prospect's athletic contest, but not have contact with that prospect.
- Bring to Austin Peay's attention outstanding prospects from the booster's local area. HOWEVER, a booster may not get involved in the actual evaluation of the prospect, contact a prospect's coach, principal or counselor nor visit the prospect's educational institution to pick up film or transcripts pertaining to the prospect's athletic or academic abilities.
- Talk to a prospect via telephone if the call is initiated by the prospect. The call cannot be initiated or arranged by Austin Peay coaching staff members. The booster must refer any questions about Austin Peay's athletic program to the Athletic Department and the booster may not encourage the prospect to attend Austin Peay.
A Booster May Not:
- Contact a prospect or his/her parents in person, by telephone, in writing (to include email) or social media for the purpose of recruiting the prospect. Contact may not be made with a prospect or his/her parents on or off the Austin Peay campus.
- Approach a Austin Peay coach who is with a prospect. This puts the coach in an uncomfortable situation because the coach is not able to introduce the booster to the prospect.
- Have contact with student-athletes at institutions other than Austin Peay for the purpose of recruiting.
- Have face-to-face contact with a prospect or his/her family with the purpose of recruiting him/her to Austin Peay.
- Mail anything to a prospect. This includes newspapers, clippings, press releases, media guides, posters, game programs, schedule cards, emails, etc.
- Contact a prospect's counselor, principal or coach in order to evaluate a prospect. Additionally, a booster may not pick up videotapes or transcripts of the prospect at his/her high school or junior college.
- Provide a prospect or his/her family or friends any extra benefits. A booster may not provide extra benefits to current student-athletes either.
Rules for Boosters Regarding Current Student-Athletes
A Booster May:
- Provide an occasional family home meal to a student-athlete or an entire team. The meal can take place in the home, at a restaurant, or be catered. Requests for these types of occasional meals should be made through the team and happen on infrequent, special occasions.
- Employ a student-athlete under certain circumstances with prior approval from the Austin Peay Athletic Department. Student-athletes who are not freshmen may receive employment income in certain situations. Both the student-athlete and the employer must sign a written statement PRIOR to beginning any employment during the academic year. Student-athletes may be compensated only for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate in the area for similar services.
A Booster May Not:
- Provide extra benefits to any student-athlete and his/her family. Additionally, extra benefits may not be given to a prospect and his/her family.
- Use the name or picture of a student-athlete to directly or indirectly advertise, recommend or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service.
- Provide an honorarium to a student-athlete who has been approved for a speaking engagement. Student-athletes may received only necessary travel expenses for prior approved speaking engagements.
- Provide free or reduced rate housing for a student athlete or his/her family, even on weekend visits. Additionally, student-athletes are specifically not allowed to house-sit for boosters.
Monocle Society
The Monocle Society is a very valuable part of the Austin Peay Athletic Department. All present and past members of the Governors Club and/or Monocle Society are considered boosters and therefore are held to these standards. Please review the information on what boosters may or may not do and ASK BEFORE YOU ACT.
