Direct from the NCAA Eligibility Center...

The following activities may impact your amateur status:

• Signing a contract with a professional team.
• Playing with professionals.
• Participating in tryouts or practices with a professional team.
• Accepting payments or preferential benefits for playing sports.
• Accepting prize money above your expenses.
• Accepting benefits from an agent or prospective agent.
• Agreeing to be represented by an agent.
• Delaying your full-time college enrollment to play in organized sports competitions.

http://web3.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp

The prizemoney is $400 ( works out $100 per player).

I think there are two issues that you should consider here:

1. Is the prize money allowable under the NCAA rules
2. Even if it is, should you accept it?

If the kid has any aspirations for a College gig in the future then amateur status is something that needs to be taken seriously because the NCAA take it very seriously and the consequences of infractions can be the end of College sport and education.

That said, my read of the rules indicates to me that as long as the $100 is not in excess of "actual and necessary expenses" then it is ok. The NCAA is quite specific about "actual and necessary expenses" which includes meals, lodgings, apparel/equipment, transportation, medical treatment, entry fees & other reasonable expenses (??). Totally up to you, but you could accept the prize and also get $100 of receipts/other docs for the aforementioned items and file them away to be on the safe side. The expenses can only be for the player (no parents etc expenses).

My second thought is that when the kid gets to College he will have to sign off on his athletic history and amateur status which includes questions on whether he has accepted prize money and he will have to tick that box. This will most likely be followed up on by the Colleges compliance people and/or the NCAA and may bring unwanted focus and further information having to be supplied. It can be quite a hassle to provide the detail they need (I have known of a D1 player being randomly audited by the NCAA and there was quite a deal of work required - all good in the end but who needs it?). Again your call but is the risk of that worth $100??
Hope this helps and well done to him (or her?) on the win (future win??)

DONT DO IT

Would it be unusual that a rep club runs this tournament most school holidays under this format.. given that they have had players graduate from their rep program to rather decent colleges in the USA?

Plenty of players in the USA college system in very high level colleges that have come via Europe( where they all get given prize money if they win tournaments) plus ones who have played with professional players, same as those who go to college and have p,ayed/ trained with the likes of SEABL/NBL/WNBL.
They understand the system is different than the American one, and so long as your p,Ayer contrac ckearly states amateur, and no wages are paid its fine. As for prize money, if the money is going to a team effort it's not classed as individual payment.
And unless it's a major tournament I doubt very much NCAA would even hear about it.

I coached NCAA they will be fine to play. Prize money is not excessive. And as long as they pay their own entry fee.

The 100 bucks won't hinder your kid's chances, but I hope their spelling is better than yours or the SAT's could be an issue :)

Apart from a deliberate shortening of the word "tourney" what spelling mistakes have I made... just asking?

Joe? "eligibility"

And yes anonymous...I agree. But the SAT's have to be done here before they go and I've seen a couple of kids trip up on them. Not saying Seppos are smart :)

That's more my shit typing than a spelling error. I'm generally very good at spelling and my grammar is usually above par.

So if that's all you have to hang your hat on .... well ....

I generally blame my typo's on fat finmger syndrome...

...finger...

See what I mean :)

SAT's are harder than the ACT'S especially if you don't like grammar and math ;)

Geez Joe. Should I have used more smiley faces to signify I was messing around. Next time let us know when you're posting will menstruating

Maybe, Duke fan.

I took your post on face value.

All good under the hood. ;)