NIL Education and Resources

For ALL Junior Golfers and their families

A clear, beginner-friendly introduction to NIL designed specifically for Junior golfers operating under OHSAA rules. This course explains what NIL is, what’s allowed and prohibited for high school athletes, how to protect eligibility, and how golfers can prepare now for opportunities in college. The perfect foundation for understanding NIL safely, confidently, and in a golf-focused way.

Click here to Learn More and Access this Course

For athletes ready to stand out

Your personal brand is your competitive advantage both on the course and online. This course teaches golfers how to build a strong, authentic brand that reflects their personality, values, and performance. Athletes learn how to present themselves with confidence, create meaningful content, communicate effectively, and grow influence the right way under WIAA guidelines. Ideal for golfers who want to elevate their presence and prepare for future NIL success.

Click Here to Learn More and Access this Course

For golfers who want to learn how to work with brands

This course shows junior golfers exactly how to approach businesses the right way. Athletes learn how to identify good-fit brands, craft a professional pitch, communicate their value, and understand what a partnership should and should not look like while still under OHSAA rules. A practical, golf-specific guide for athletes who want to develop real-world skills they can use in high school, college, and beyond.

Click Here to Learn More and Access this Course

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has transformed youth, high school, and college sports. The rules continue to evolve, giving athletes new opportunities to earn income from their personal brand – while also introducing responsibilities they must understand to protect their eligibility. That’s why we’ve partnered with Influential Athlete, the premier NIL education company, to provide clear, trusted guidance and support for all our members.

NIL can open the door to everything from small earning opportunities that help make school more affordable to life-changing income that supports an athlete or their family. But with these opportunities come important rules, requirements, and boundaries. Whether an athlete chooses to pursue NIL or not, NIL is now part of the athlete experience and knowing how it works is essential.

NIL stands for Name, Image, and Likeness – essentially an athlete’s personal brand.
NIL allows student-athletes to earn money with their brand from things like:

• Social media posts
• Brand partnerships
• Coaching at camps, clinics, and making appearances
• Selling merchandise or autographs
• Business ventures tied to their identity as an athlete

And they can do all of this without losing their eligibility, as long as they follow the rules.

The NIL landscape continues to shift quickly. Here are the most important updates:

1. OHSAA Change: High School Athletes in Ohio Can Now Profit From NIL

Four years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) updated its bylaws to allow high school athletes to earn compensation from their NIL without risking their eligibility. The path to that change wasn’t immediate. In 2022, OHSAA member schools voted down the first NIL proposal, 538–254, keeping the ban in place. Momentum shifted in 2025 after a lawsuit challenged the association’s restrictive policy. An emergency referendum was issued, and OHSAA partnered with Influential Athlete to help guide leadership and member schools through the NIL education and voting process.

In November 2025, member schools voted 447–121 to approve updated NIL language, making Ohio the 45th state to permit high school NIL opportunities. The bylaw went into effect immediately, establishing clear guidelines that outline what athletes can and cannot do – protecting both opportunity and the integrity of high school sports.

2. Increased Reporting & Compliance Requirements
With greater earning opportunities comes stricter oversight.
Athletes must now:

• Report any NIL deal worth more than $600 (only if an athlete is in college or
  plans to attend an NCAA DI school
  • If this applies to you, the reporting of deals can be done at nilgo.com
  • Expect potential third-party review of contracts
• Report all deals regardless of value to OHSAA within 14 days of signing
  agreement
  • Report here – https://www.ohsaa.org/Eligibility/NIL-Resource-Center
• Report all deals to any school you’ve committed to, or at least ask about their
  disclosure policy and what you need to do to remain compliant
• Ask your school athletic director if there is anything you need to know about
  disclosing your deal to your school. Remember, all schools can have their own
  policy within the state or athletic association’s policy.

Every athlete is now part of the NIL world, whether they pursue deals or not.
Understanding NIL is essential because:

• Rules are changing fast, and violations can impact eligibility
• Bad actors exist, and athletes who aren’t informed are more vulnerable
• Parents need clarity so they can help guide their athlete safely
• Proper understanding protects athletes, their reputations, and their future
  opportunities

To ensure our members have access to accurate, trustworthy, expert-led information, we’ve partnered exclusively with Influential Athlete, the leader in NIL education for schools, associations, and athletic organizations nationwide.

All NIL education provided to our members comes directly from Influential Athlete to ensure consistent, high-quality guidance.

You can learn more about the founders and their expertise below or visit their website influentialathlete.com

Stephanie Grady

CEO & Co-Founder, Influential Athlete

As a 2x Emmy Award-winning journalist and former athlete, Stephanie brings nearly two decades of experience helping others show up confidently under pressure — whether on camera, on stage, or on the field. After years as a television news anchor, she founded Influential Athlete to teach student-athletes how to communicate with confidence, build a personal brand, and prepare for the new world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).

A former figure skater, Stephanie understands the athlete mindset and the challenges that come with balancing sport, school, and personal growth. Today, she works with high school and collegiate athletes and programs across the country to educate on how NIL can open doors — not just financially, but for life after sports.

Joe Grady

CEO & Co-Founder, Influential Athlete

With over 20 years of experience in athletics, Joe has dedicated his career to developing athletes and building programs that thrive on and off the field. For the past decade, he served as the Athletic Director of a nationally respected, sports-focused private high school — leading programs that consistently produced Division I and professional athletes.

In addition to his leadership as an AD, Joe has spent years as both a coach and club director, giving him a unique 360° view of the athlete experience — from training and recruitment to family dynamics and long-term athlete development. His deep understanding of how to strategically navigate “the game” — both the sport itself and the systems around it — allows him to guide athletes and families through today’s evolving NIL landscape with confidence and clarity.