August 9, 2006
Text messaging by overzealous recruiters getting out of hand
Ever since they learned that text messaging allowed them to skirt the rules that limit contact with recruits, college football and basketball coaches have been getting blisters on their thumbs, reports Philadelphia Daily News. Unlike phone calls, the NCAA does not limit the number of texts a coach can make.
However, the NCAA is considering reining in this latest craze. Last month the NCAA recommended legislation to limit texting to between 4 and 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekends, an attempt to prevent coaches from interrupting students when they're in class. It would not set a cap on the number of messages sent during those times.
But coaches not only use texts to inundate recruits, they can use them to bypass the rules. NCAA rules limit how often a coach can call a recruit, but there are no limits as to how often a recruit can call a coach. Consequently a quick "CALL ME" text doesn't technically violate the rule, since the athlete is initiating the phone call.
The other problem is that text messaging often puts a financial burden on the recruits. Some phone plans charge for text messages sent and received, which means star recruits could find themselves facing monthly bills in the hundreds of dollars, most of it unsolicited coaching spam.
Soon, that likely will change. The NCAA in September will look more closely at establishing SMS guidelines. In its June report, the cabinet wrote, "Given the additional intrusion factor this technology adds to the lives of prospects, appropriate limitations should be established in order to balance the intrusive nature of such communication with the value of computer-mediated communication in the recruitment process."
Related posts:
-- Coaches find loophole, use texting
-- SMS recruting by coaches spinning out control
-- Coaches turn to text messaging to woo recruits
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