RULES & REGULATIONS

Half Moon Volleyball Club

Playing Time

We do not guarantee equal playing time on any team or at any event.  Half Moon VBC has the philosophy that what you pay for is instruction time during practices.  Tournaments are a bonus!

Playing time for athletes is determined by attendance, attitude, effort, performance, the athlete’s potential, the team’s needs at the moment, and the team’s needs in the future, and is left solely to the discretion of the Half Moon coaches.

The “coaching decision” is not up for debate or question.  Athletes are encouraged to ask what they can improve on to get more playing time.  (See Grievance Procedure)

Rules and Regulations

While representing Half Moon VBC, all athletes are expected to behave in a responsible manner.  Determination of what is responsible lies solely with the coach.

Half Moon is proud of our image.  We require all game shirts to be tucked in at all times.  It’s this simple:  If it has Half Moon Volleyball Club on it or it is a part of a team uniform, you should look your best.

Any athlete damaging equipment owned by Half Moon VBC or any facility used by the Club during practices, tournaments or other functions, or at lodging facilities will be required to reimburse the Club and/or facility for the damages before continuing in the Club.  In an extreme case, the athlete may be dismissed from the Club.

An athlete with a delinquent account during the current season may be denied the privilege of playing in a tournament and/or asked to sit out at practice until the account is paid or arrangements are made with the Director.

The athlete’s current season account must be paid in full before the athlete will be allowed to participate again in any tournaments.

All athletes must have the following items signed by their parents or guardians before they will be allowed to tryout: 

Geva Membership Forms

Player Information Sheet.

In case of any inclement weather, please listen to the radio for school closings.   You can also check the web site:  halfmoonvbc.com for cancellations.  Players should also check their e-mails from their coaches.

We strongly encourage athletes who make a Half Moon Volleyball team to take this participation seriously.   We hope that athletes make their practices and tournaments a high priority.

Practice Rules

All practices will be closed practices with no one but certified personnel allowed in the gyms.  All staff from the Half Moon Volleyball Club were screened and have all passed background checks.   Each staff member has a clearance that allows them to be working with the athletes.    Please do not ask to help or sit in the gym if you have not had a background check.

Scheduled practice time is start time and not arrival time.  All girls should plan on arriving at least 15 minutes prior to the start of each practice.  If you are going to be late, call!  There should be no e-mails the day of practice.

Volleyball shoes should be carried into practice and not worn.  This will ensure that they last longer and it will help to keep our facility surfaces clean and safe.

All types of horseplay by athletes or coaches at practice and tournaments is strictly prohibited.

All athletes are expected to make every effort to attend every practice.  Playing time could be affected when a player misses practices.

If an athlete cannot be at practice, the athlete is expected to call the coach.  It is the athlete’s responsibility (not the parent’s) to reach the coach before the practice starts.  This should not be done by e-mail because there is no guarantee that a coach can check their e-mail before practice.  Please use the phone!

Athletes are encouraged to bring water, in an unbreakable container, to practices and tournaments.  Absolutely no glass containers allowed in gymnasiums.

Tournament Rules

All athletes are expected to be in the gym, ready to warm-up, at the scheduled arrival time.  This usually means the athlete needs to arrive at the site 15 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time.  Earlier is always better.

Proper conduct is expected for all members of the Club at all times.  This includes athletes, parents, and supporters.  This also means treating supporters from other teams, other parents, and officials with respect. 

Athletes and/or parents are expected to provide transportation for their athlete to and from tournament sites and practices.

If an athlete cannot be at a tournament, the athlete is expected to call the coach as soon as the athlete knows she will be absent.  It is the athlete’s responsibility (not the parent’s) to reach the coach before the tournament starts.  No athlete should e-mail a coach the night before a tournament in regards to missing a tournament.  Coaches go to bed early in order to get up early in the morning and be on time for the tournament.    They cannot be expected to check e-mails in the late or early hours of the day.   Players should call their coach if there is a last minute change in their status!

Parents should also realize that punishments prohibiting players from playing in a tournament should not be allowed.  When a parent punishes a player, they are ultimately punishing an entire team!  The coach is put in a bind as well as the girls who are expecting all teammates to show up.   

Athletes will not be allowed to leave the tournament site until excused by the coach.  Most tournaments require teams to work when they are done playing.   It is not fair for some girls to leave and not others.  The team stays together!  Special circumstances will be addressed should they arise.

Tournaments

Tournaments can last anywhere between 1 and 3 days.  Teams will begin pool play where they will play each team in their pool with the winning teams advancing to Gold brackets and the like.  Most tournaments are best 2 out of 3 games utilizing rally scoring. 

Seating is sparse at most tournament sites so we recommend that you bring our own chairs.  We strongly advise that you pack a cooler for your athlete for the day of a tournament because they can run very long.  Some players also bring pillows and sleeping bags so they can rest between rounds.  Homework and other forms of entertainment are recommended for some of the longer tournaments.  Arrive early so you can help set up your team area and get ready to warm-up.  Except for the starting times, most tournaments do not follow a set time schedule.  Matches follow immediately after each other and if the tournament is well -run, we generally are out of a site before dinner.  But to be on the safe side, expect to be there all day!

Officiating

Officiating is the shared responsibility of the entire team.  All Half Moon athletes are required to either attend the scorekeeper clinic, second referee clinic, or they will become a lines judge.  Every player will have a duty to help out their team.  Each coach will determine a procedure their team will follow for officiating assignments.  Every player is required to stay until the entire team can leave.  Please do not ask the coach if you can leave early.  You are expected to stay!

Grievance Procedure

Competitive team athletics, by its very nature, creates situations where everyone may not be happy all the time.  Knowing when to communicate and how to communicate with your athlete’s coach is a concern for almost every parent at some time during the season.  Most often the concern is how to inquire about issues surrounding playing time.

At Half Moon, we encourage the athlete to take responsibility for their participation.  For this reason, we expect the player to talk to the coach first when she has a problem concerning her playing time, or if she is unclear about what the coach expects from her either in practice or in a competition.    The appropriate way to do this is for the athlete to ask the coach what she needs to do in order to get more opportunities to play in matches.  Most of the time, the player knows why they may not be playing as much as a teammate when the parent may not.

Parents can best help their athlete by helping her set some goals to achieve more opportunities.

When a parent has a problem that is specific to their own athlete, we also expect them to first talk to their athlete’s coach.  Coaches have been instructed not to discuss “coaching decisions” with a parent.  These “coaching decisions” include, but are not limited to, specific match decisions such as who played when, where, and how long.  Also, who was subbed out and when, etc.

The coach will not be required to defend his/her thought process or conclusions in the determination of playing time and it is improper for a parent to request that.

Specifically, the procedures to follow if you as a parent, or your athlete as a member of a Half Moon Volleyball Club team, have concerns about our policies or a coach’s actions are, in this order:

The athlete will speak or meet with the coach to discuss the matter.  If the matter remains unresolved, or if the athlete has reasonable concern that speaking to the coach will not resolve the matter,

The parent should speak to or meet with the coach.  Parents should call the head coach on the phone to set up a meeting.  Meetings are to be at times and locations other than tournaments.  If a coach is approached by a parent during a tournament, we have instructed the coach to refuse to discuss any controversial matter, to refer the Parent to the Club Director and to walk away from the situation.  The recommended time for a parent and/or an athlete to talk to a coach about a problem is a previously arranged meeting time either before or immediately after a scheduled practice.

If the matter remains unresolved, or if the parent has reasonable concern that speaking to the coach will not resolve the matter,

The parent may speak to the coach and the Club Director.  In certain situations, the athlete may be asked to attend the meeting also.  Meetings should be previously arranged.  Meetings will not be scheduled during a tournament.  The coaches or the Club Director will not engage in discussions about “coaching decisions.”

Other Policies Regarding Grievances

Half Moon will not tolerate hostile, aggressive confrontations between a parent and any official, or a parent and any coach, or a parent and any athlete, or a parent and any other parent, whether the coach, athlete or other parent is a member of Half Moon Volleyball Club or not.  Violation of this policy may result in the athlete being dismissed from Half Moon Volleyball Club without refund.

It is inappropriate for an athlete or a parent to approach other Half Moon

members about a problem the athlete or parent is having with a specific coach, about objections to coaching decisions, or about disagreements with an administrative decision.   Asking uninvolved people to take sides in an issue is unfair to the third party and to the Club.  For the psychological health of the teams and the Club as a whole, grievances need to be handled between the parties involved and in the proper manner. 

If a player of a parent is approached and asked to listen to, or express an opinion about matters between two other parties in the Club, they are strongly encouraged to refer the complaining party to take the matter up with either the coach in question, and/or the Club Director of Half Moon Volleyball Club.

Any member who, as a third party, hears remarks or stories about Half Moon Volleyball Club, the coaches or the policies, that cause the member to be concerned, is encouraged to contact the Coach and/or the Club Director immediately to determine the facts, or to alert the club administration to a situation it may be unaware of.  It is detrimental to everyone involved to repeat complaints you hear or overhear, to other uninvolved parties.  By the time a story gets to the third or fourth party, it frequently bares little resemblance to the truth or the facts of the situation.

Please refrain from negative comments around your daughter and the other athletes.  Young players are vulnerable and if they hear complaining about the coaches or their coaching style, this can have an adverse effect on their performance and/or attitude.  If you, as a parent, are unhappy about something, you should follow the grievance procedure in this guide to resolve the matter.

Repetitive complaining to the athlete(s) or other third parties that interfere with the Club’s efforts to pursue a positive, winning atmosphere, may be cause, and the sole determination of the Club, to ask a member to resign.

Rules & Regulations Signature Form

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