• A contact happens any time a college coach says more than hello during a face-to-face meeting with a college-bound student-athlete or his or her parents off the college's campus.

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• An evaluation happens when a college coach observes a student-athlete practicing or competing.

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• Any visit to a college campus by a college-bound student-athlete or his or her parents paid for by the college is an official visit.  Visits paid for by student-athletes or their parents are considered unofficial visits.

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• NCAA member schools limit recruiting to certain periods during the year.  Recruiting calendars promote the well-being of college-bound student-athletes and ensure fairness among schools by defining certain periods during the year in which recruiting may or may not occur in a particular sport.

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• During a contact period, a college coach may have face-to-face contact with college-bound student athletes or their parents, watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents.

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• During an evaluation period, a college coach may watch college-bound student-athletes compete, visit their high schools, and write or telephone their parents.  However, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college's campus during an evaluation period.

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• During a quiet period, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools.  Coaches may write or telephone college-bound student-athletes or their parents during this time.

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• During a dead period, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools.  Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.