Division-I coaches will now be abl to have access to potential players in their sophomore year of high school after a decision on Friday.

In previous years it was against the rules for coaches to text message, Facebook message, Tweet, etc. student-athletes.

On top of that, during the summer for six weeks, two hours per week are now available for coaching staffs to put players through individual workouts.

These new freedoms will benefit new Eastern Head Coach Jay Spoonhour as his new staff looks to get to know player strengths and weaknesses, as well as earn a look into the current roster in order to get an early feel for the Fall.

As far as building that roster, the NCAA, which has been extremely strict on the recruiting contact in the past, will no longer strike down coaches for communication, as long as they’re of class.

These texts, calls, direct message, tweets and private Facebook messages will no longer be condemned.

This comes only months after Baylor University was placed on three-years probation for impermissible phone calls and text messages, along with other sanctions such as lost scholarships, recruiting restrictions, limited visits and game suspensions.

This new move is the NCAA’s response to the new age of communication, accepting social media and new technology as a part of society, which can go hand-in-hand with recruiting athletes.

Also, this will now discourage third-party recruiting, which is used to contact athletes through the aforementioned means without the actual coaching staff dialing or texting.

The ruling has gotten the attention of the American Football Coaches Association as well, which will now look to get Division I football the same freedoms and could potentially be even more hectic than men’s basketball because of sheer number of players.

There’s no word yet on whether or not they will pursue the summer individual workout hours as well, which have left players to work technique and watch film on their own in the past.

This may not be pursued as heavily thanks to the benefit of Spring Ball and training camp surrounding the summer session in the first place.

The new guidelines could fire up the Amateur Athletic Union men’s basketball circuit as well, with so many new avenues of communication.

Instead of having to get through a legal guardian to speak to anyone, it is now at the athlete’s discretion to pick up or respond.

The effects have yet to be seen, though many who have been caught doing it in the past have fielded talent-filled rosters.

Joshua Bryant can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].