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NKYVC TRAVEL POLICY

NKYVC /USA TEAM TRAVEL POLICY - SAFE SPORT

Travel Policy for NKYVC  

 

NKYVC has some teams that travel regularly to play in tournaments, has some teams where travel is limited to a few events per season, and some teams where there is no travel other than local travel to and from our own area. NKYVC prohibits all types of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, bullying, threats, harassment and hazing, all as described in the USA Volleyball SafeSport Handbook. NKYVC has established policies to guide our travel, minimize one-on-one interactions and reduce the risk of abuse or misconduct. Adherence to these travel guidelines will increase player safety and improve the player’s experience while keeping travel a fun and enjoyable experience.

 

We distinguish between travel to training, practice and local tournaments (“local travel”) and team travel involving an overnight stay (“team travel”). 

 

Local Travel

Local travel occurs when NKYVC does not sponsor, coordinate or arrange for travel. 

 

  • Players and/or their parents/guardian are responsible for making all arrangements for local travel. The team and its coaches, managers or administrators should avoid responsibility for arranging or coordinating local travel. It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to ensure the person transporting the minor player maintains the proper safety and legal requirements, including but not limited to: a valid driver’s license, automobile liability insurance, a vehicle in safe working order, and compliance with applicable state laws. 
  • The employees, coaches and/or volunteers of NKYVC or one of its teams, who are not also acting as a parent, should not drive alone with an unrelated minor player. 

 

Team Travel

Team travel is overnight travel that occurs when NKYVC or one of its teams or designees  sponsors, coordinates or arranges for travel so that our team can compete locally, regionally or nationally. Because of the greater distances, coaches, staff, volunteers and chaperones will often travel with the players. 

 

  • When possible, NKYVC will provide reasonable advance notice before team travel. Travel notice will also include designated team hotels for overnight stays as well as a contact person within NKYVC or the team. This individual will be the point of contact to confirm your intention to travel and to help with travel details.  Player parents are responsible for arranging for the overnight stays of their child and assuming the financial responsibility for that stay.

 

 

  • Regardless of gender, a coach shall not share a hotel room or other sleeping arrangements with a minor player (unless the coach is the parent, guardian or sibling of the player). 

 

  • The coach or his/her designee will establish a curfew by when all players must be in their hotel rooms or in a supervised location.  At no time should only one adult be present in a room with minor players, regardless of gender.  Parents or the individual designed by the player’s parent(s) will enforce curfew and be responsible for the safety of the players.  NKYVC assumes no responsibility for this.

 

  • Individual meetings between a coach and a player may not occur in hotel sleeping rooms and must be held in public settings or with additional adults present, with at least one of those adults being the same gender as the player. 

 

  • Families are encouraged to stay in the team hotel especially during Stay to Play Events. Coaches should be advised when a player will be staying in a different hotel than then team.

 

  • Parents shall designate the person responsible for their child when the child is away from home without a parent. If any special arrangements are necessary for your child, please inform the parents who can either make or assist with making those arrangements. 

 

  • No coach or chaperone shall at any time be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while performing their coaching and/or chaperoning duties. 

 

  • In all cases involving travel, parents have the right and are encouraged to transport their minor player.

 

  • Prior to any travel, coaches will endeavor to make players and parents aware of all expectations and rules. Parents/chaperones will participate in the monitoring of the players for adherence to curfew restrictions and other travel rules. 

 

  • If disciplinary action against a player is required while the player is traveling without his/her parents, then except where immediate action is necessary, parents will be notified before any action is taken, or immediately after.

 

  • Players are expected to remain with the team at all times during the trip unless released “on your own” by the coach. Players are not to leave the competition venue, the hotel, restaurant or any other place at which the team has gathered without the permission/knowledge of the coach, parent, or their designated chaperone. 

 

  • When visiting public places such as shopping malls, movie theaters, etc., players will stay in groups of no less than two persons or the number of players requested by the parent/designated chaperone. Athletes 12 and under will be accompanied by a chaperone.

 

  • Safety Policies
    • Additional guidelines can be established as needed by the coaches;
    • Players, coaches and parents shall respect the privacy of each other;
    • Only use hotel rooms with interior entrances;

 

 

  • Behavior Policies - Players shall:
    • Be quiet and respect the rights of teammates and others in the hotel;
    • Be prompt and on time;
    • Follow cell phone usage guidelines established by coach, if any;
    • Use appropriate behavior in public facilities, including language;
    • Respect two different curfews – in own rooms and lights out;
    • Stay in assigned hotel room approved by parents; and
    • Know that needs and well-being of the team come first.  Tournaments are not a vacation.

 

 

  • Financial
    • NKYVC accepts no responsibility for hotel incidental charges as all players stay with parents or their designee.
    • Players/parents are responsible for any damages or thievery at hotel.
    • NKYVC or its representatives will bear no responsibility for actions of players or parents at the hotels but will be responsible only for their own actions.  Consequences for Players/Parents will be born only by themselves.

 

 

 

Code of Conduct / Honor Code

 

    1. Team members, parents and staff will display proper respect and sportsmanship toward coaches, officials, administrator, teammates, fellow competitors and the public at all times, including any line judge or player performing officiating duties,
    2. Team members, parents and staff will refrain from any illegal or inappropriate behavior that would detract from a positive image of the team or be detrimental to its performance objectives.
    3. The possession or use of alcohol or tobacco products by any athlete is prohibited.
    4. The possession, use or sale/distribution of any controlled or illegal substance or any form of weapon is strictly forbidden.
    5. Team members, parents and staff are reminded that when competing in tournaments, traveling on trips and attending other club-related functions, they are representing both themselves and NKYVC. Athlete, parent and staff  behavior must positively reflect the high standards of the club.

 

 

FAILURE TO COMPLY:

 

  1. Failure to comply with the Honor Code as set forth in this document may result in disciplinary action. Such discipline may include, but may not be limited to:
    1. Dismissal from the trip and immediate return home at the athlete’s expense, or in the case a parent who is dismissed from the trip, they must designate a guardian/custodian for their player for the remainder of the trip or remain apart from the team or staff for the duration of the trip;
    2. Disqualification from future tournaments, either local or traveling;
    3. Financial penalties;
    4. Dismissal from team; and/or
    5. Penalties set forth in the USA Volleyball Participant Code of Conduct, which may include a lifetime ban. 
  2. Parents, players and staff are to refrain from inappropriate physical contact at team activities.
  3. Parents, Players and Staff are to refrain from the use of inappropriate language. 

 

 

 

 

NKYVC ADDENDUM TO NKYVC/USA TEAM TRAVEL POLICY

 

 

COVID 19 RULES

 

NKYVC athletes, parents and staff shall respect and abide by all rules and precautions as set out by NKYVC, Town and Country Sports, and any and all tournaments and venues where they will participate.  Masks shall her worn as directed by each entity.  Failure to comply may result in the consequences listed above in section “Failure to Comply.”