Interviews and Social Media Policies

Interview Policies
Do not agree to interviews of any kind (telephone, Zoom, written, or personal) unless it is coordinated through Yale Athletics’ Strategic Communications Office. Please find your designated media contact here. If any media outlet, including the Yale Daily News, reaches out directly via text, email, social media direct message or in person, immediately forward that request to the Strategic Communications team. From there, they will advise you on the appropriate response.
  • Be calm and level-headed during the interview.   Cooperation with the media allows you to give your side of the story, positive statements, and messages.  You cannot go wrong complimenting a teammate or the opposition in an interview.
    • Ex: “Really happy with the way the team competed today.” Or “We didn’t get the result we would have liked, but we really battled and gave it all we could.”
       
  • Control the interview – DO NOT answer any questions that make you uncomfortable or if you are unsure of the appropriate answer.  The proper way to respond to a question is, “I’d rather not discuss that subject at this time” or “I’d rather not make a comment on that question right now.”
     
  • Never say anything that you may regret seeing or hearing online, in print or on TV.  You can always tell the media member to speak with the Strategic Communications office.
     
  • You should not discuss anything related to injuries or the health status of yourself or any of your teammates.
     
  • From the NFL Media Relations Handbook: “Fans judge you as an athlete according to how you perform during competition. They judge you as a person according to how you perform with the media. If fans develop a good impression of you through the media, especially when things are not going well in competition, the benefits to you can be significant.”
 
Social Media Guidelines
Every student-athlete should remember that playing and competing for Yale University is a privilege. Student-athletes represent Yale University and are expected to portray themselves, their team, and the university in a positive manner always.

Below is social networking and online activity guidelines for social media and online site usage: 
  • Nothing Is Private - any text or photo placed online is completely out of your control the moment it is placed online – even if you limit access to your page. Information (including pictures, videos, and comments) can be accessible even after its removal. Once a photo or comment is posted online, it becomes subject to the user agreement of the host company and may appear in the public domain even after removal from the website. Further, online postings can be captured by viewers of that information and redistributed without the original poster’s consent.
     
  • Think About the Future - Employers and graduate school admissions officers review social networking sites as part of their overall evaluation of an applicant. Student-athletes must give careful consideration of how they want to be perceived before posting information online that may be misinterpreted (including pictures, videos, comments, etc.).
     
  • Yale Athletics will not tolerate disrespectful comments and behavior online, including, but limited to:
    • Derogatory language or remarks that may harm classmates or coaches; other Yale University students, faculty, staff, or coaches; and student-athletes, coaches, or representatives of other schools, including comments that may disrespect opponents.
       
    • Incriminating photos or statements depicting violence; hazing; sexual harassment; full or partial nudity; inappropriate gestures; vandalism, stalking; underage drinking, selling, possession, or use of controlled substances; or any other inappropriate behaviors as outlined in the Yale College Regulations and state and federal Law.
       
    • Creating a danger to the safety of another person or making a credible threat of serious physical or emotional injury to another person.
       
    • Indicating knowledge of an unreported NCAA, Ivy League, Yale University, or team violation—regardless if the violation was unintentional or intentional.
       
    • Behavior of this nature may jeopardize a student-athlete’s place on the team’s roster.
Should you have any questions, please contact athleticcommunications@yale.edu or your direct sport communication contact.