4000

Recreation & Sports – ATHLETICS

4100 Authority

The Recreation and Sports Division (Division) operates under the authority of the Town of Collierville (Town) and the Collierville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department (Department) and the adopted policies, procedures, ordinances and laws adopted by the Town of Collierville Board of Mayor & Alderman (BMA) and direct input from the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Director (Director) and the Recreation and Sports Manager of the Department.

4105 Athletic Policy Statement

The Town’s Youth Athletic Programs are designed to allow participants an opportunity to have fun, learn an athletic skill, and learn the values of teamwork and sportsmanship. The Town recognizes that youth, athletic programs provide: Development of Character, Commitment, Leadership and Attitude. The Town recognizes its responsibility to ensure that participants and parents know the following to be true: There will be equal treatment of all participants, and the teams will be leveled fairly to assist in providing league parity in all sports.

4110 Purpose and Objectives

The Department and the Division has the responsibility of providing sports, recreation and special events for the citizens of the Town, with the following purposes and objectives:

  1. Promote the concept that participation in some type of active sports, recreation or special event program is both necessary and beneficial to a long and healthy life.
  1. Recreational, athletic programs are the foremost responsibility of the Division and its approved Service Providers, and athletic facility distribution shall reflect that position.
  1. Responsible to provide the best facilities possible for all programs.
  1. It is the desire of this Department to improve the physical and mental health of all participants.
  1. Provide the opportunity for our citizens to learn the skills and establish the habit of participation in a society of activities so there will be enjoyment of appropriate activities in later life as well as present.

4115Communication with the Public

The Recreation and Sports Manager, under the direction of the Director, with information and input by the Athletic Coordinator, Special Events Coordinator and/or Recreation Coordinator will handle all communication between the Department and the public. Forms of communication used will be:

1)Town of Collierville website

2)Newsletters

3)Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Website

4)Rec-Check Information

5)Facebook

6)Twitter

7)Instagram

4120Facility Hours

All park areas, facilities, parking lots, and any other Department-operated areas shall close at 11:00pm, unless posted otherwise. Only staff supervised and/or controlled areas or activities shall be allowed to operate past 11:00pm.

No athletic contest shall begin after midnight on Saturday, and shall not begin prior to 12:00pm Sunday without written permission of the Athletic Coordinator.

4200 Service Providers and Special Interest Groups

  1. All associations and interest groups shall operate under the administration of the Division and Parks Advisory Board.
  1. These associations must request to become the service provider for any or all specific sports and/or athletic programs.
  1. Service provider information can be obtained from the Department upon request.
  1. No group or association may conduct any sport, recreation program or special event without the written consent of the Department, and the request must be copied to the Director of the Department.

4310Implementation of the Athletic Programs

  1. The Division shall assist any association, bound by the service provider, with scheduling, administration, fee structure, etc. of league by request of association or as the Department deems necessary to benefit the overall program and the citizens of Collierville.
  1. All athletic events will be held at Town owned/operated fields, joint department/school fields and facilities and multi-purpose fields designated as playing areas.
  1. Specific leagues, ages, grades and gender groups will be designated play and practice areas prior to and during the season by the Division.
  1. Any individual, residing in the Town of Collierville, may participate in organized, athletic activities regardless of race or gender group.
  1. Youth athletics shall be five years to eighteen years. Adult athletics shall be 18 and over, or completed high school. All officials and coaches must meet or surpass age requirements for adult athletics participants.
  1. Each sport, according to league affiliation (if applicable), shall have its own age/grade divisions and date for determining these ages.
  1. Leagues not affiliated with any state or national associations shall have ages/grades and age/grade cutoff dates set by the Division.
  1. All participants in youth athletics must be enrolled in and/or attending classes in a recognized education program.
  1. League organization shall be determined by the committee, with input and approval from the Advisory Board and/or the Division, or according to any program affiliation in order to comply for proper sanctioning.
  1. The Rules and Regulations, rules changes and any other policies and procedures concerning programs taking place on Town facilities shall be determined by the committee and/or program affiliation with input and approval by the Division.
  1. Any fee structure and/or fee changes must include input and approval of the Division.
  1. Refer to Service Provider Information

4320 Complaints

  1. All complaints or comments must be submitted to the Division in person, by mail or email. A complaint form will be provided by the Department.
  1. Both the person filing the complaint and the staff member accepting the complaint must sign the form.
  1. Once the complaint has been received and reviewed, a meeting shall be set up between the complainant, person complained against and at least two Department Staff members. This meeting shall be recorded.
  1. If complainant is unsatisfied with result, he or she shall be instructed of next step they can take to further complaint.
  1. Complaints received by the department concerning service providers or associations will be dealt with directly by the Athletic Coordinator and president or chairman of service provider association.

4330 Refunds

  1. A refund request must be submitted to the appropriate Athletic Staff member by written notification or email prior to player drafts. Once player is drafted onto a team, no refund will be awarded; however, a refund request due to injury, relocation, or insufficient numbers to accommodate a league will be taken under a case by case approval.
  1. Refunds for team sports will in full unless team has been placed on schedule before refund is requested. After a team has been placed on a league schedule, no refund will be awarded.
  1. If more than three (3) games in any adult sport are cancelled and not rescheduled due to weather conditions or time restraints, there shall be a partial refund given. This shall be at the discretion of the Recreation and Sports Manager.

4340 Fees and Charges

  1. Youth – a resident of the Town of Collierville shall pay a base user fee to be determined by the Department and approval by the BMA. Fee shall include monies for game officials, trophies, field maintenance and/or facility usage, administrative services, insurance, league affiliation, special capital improvements, or other related athletic expenses. The fee shall be per activity.
  1. Adult – user fee shall be on team basis, not individual. Fees shall be based upon number of games during a season. Registration fee for tams will be based upon facilities, umpires, number of games, non-residents, etc. Each team will pay the Department a base fee set by the Recreation and Sports Division and approved yearly by the BMA.
  1. Youth Team registration fees include a $50 non-resident fee in the fee structure.

4400Use of Town Facilities and Equipment

  1. The Athletic Coordinator and the Athletic Fields Supervisor shall coordinate any use of facilities and athletic fields. Refer to the Department Athletic Field Calendar – attached. Facilities can be closed at any time by the Department due to weather circumstances caused by inclement weather.
  1. The Department reserves the right to close athletic facilities and/or fields due to weather (wetness or temperature), maintenance (spraying of chemicals, fertilization, etc.), special event/program or for rehabilitation of turf. Refer to the Department Athletic Field Calendar – attached.
  1. Athletic Facilities and fields are reserved only for Town of Collierville programs and/or any association approved as a Youth Sports Service Provider. Exception: Suggs Park fields are first come, first served and open to general public usage unless during Department programs. The Department leagues/programs are given priority over fields for games, practices, tournaments, and special events.
  1. Individuals must complete Facility Usage Agreement and/or Association/Organization Request to Raise Funds Form, and must be approved and filed by the Recreation and Sports Division before use of facility.
  1. Collierville School Usage must follow the Collierville Schools approval process. All requests must be made to the Chief Operating Officer of Collierville Schools. Information must include which facility is requested, date, beginning and ending time, if lights will/will not be needed, any setup information or facility changes (field marking, line marking, soccer goals moved, etc.). The Chief Operating Officer of Collierville Schools will contact the Director of Parks and Recreation, who will in turn approve/disapprove the request.
  1. Travel Baseball/softball teams must fill out and turn in a Field Rental Policy Packet to the Recreation and Sports Manager before the team is allowed to rent fields. The Recreation and Sports Manager will then approve or deny the team request due to the packet information. All teams wishing to rent fields must have at least 70% Collierville residents on the approved roster by the affiliating provider (USSSA, ASA, etc.).
  1. The Division reserves the right to deny usage of facilities to any association that does not maintain good status with Facility Usage Agreement and Service Provider Agreement.
  1. No athletic field or facility shall be used for personal or organizational gain unless specifically approved in writing by the Director.
  1. Concession stands are the property of the Town and can be requested for use by associations or organization during events or programs approved in writing by the Director.
  1. Users of facilities and/or concession stands are responsible for cleanliness, health permits, and litter pickup during and after each day of any event or program.

4410Weather Cancellations

  1. All decisions to play or cancel will be made by the Athletic staff prior to 4:00 pm on weekdays, 8:00 am on Saturdays and 11:00 am on Sundays.
  1. All parents, players, coaches and fans should contact the Rec-Check line at 457-2255, placed on the Field Conditions email list (email ), or follow us on Facebook or Twitter at #colparksrec. Rec Check information outlets are only updated in the threat of bad weather or if there is any question that fields may be CLOSED.
  1. Make up and rescheduled game information can be obtained from the Division.
  1. All weather related cancellations should be made up if at all possible. This will be the decision of the Division.

4420Rain Out Policy

  1. The Town maintains athletic facilities for a variety of sports, and these sports facilities are operated and maintained daily with the following philosophy:
  2. Player safety
  3. Fair and even surfacing
  4. Pleasant and appealing appearance
  5. Understanding that today’s actions create tomorrow’s problems (long term results)
  6. High School Events: Athletic Staff, with maintenance personnel input, will decide if conditions are favorable for play or practice before 3:00 pm. High School coaches and/or administrators shall be contacted as soon as possible as to the decision to play or not. If inclement weather continues or the situation deteriorates, Athletic Staff shall decide up to and through the game, with input from available maintenance personnel, as to the status of the contest based on the long-term results. Due to minute-by-minute decisions that could result in cancellations, Athletic Staff will be reachable for consultation and questions on these days of inclement weather.
  7. Department Events: Decisions will be made by 3:00 pm. This does not preclude the right to the Department to cancel contests up to or at the game time. All available means shall be utilized to insure the public’s knowledge and compliance with inclement weather decisions based upon the long-term results. These include, but not limited to: Rec-Check, red flags, signage, phone calls, patrol, etc. Athletic Staff shall be responsible for participants’ knowledge of inclement weather decisions. This includes (as time allows) Administration, Community Center personnel, Recreational and Gym/Field Attendants, Collierville Sports Officials Association (CSOA) and Association Presidents. It is the intention of this policy to eliminate misunderstandings between the Department and our customers concerning athletic cancellations. Decisions will be based on the long-term results and not public pressure or opinion.

4500Health Control

  1. Infectious participants
  1. The Department reserves the right to deny participation in any activity or in any facility if, in the judgment of the supervisor, the possibility for the spread of any infectious disease is possible.
  1. The Department shall not prohibit participation by any individual eligible to participate unless it is in the best interest of the community and as advised by legal counsel.

4600Sports Awards

  1. Eligibility for Youth Athletics and Adult Athletics
  2. Adult Leagues
  3. Leagues with six or more teams will receive League Champion awards. Teams will also receive Tournament Champion and Tournament Runner Up awards.
  1. Youth Leagues
  2. Baseball, Softball, Flag Football, Basketball and Volleyball leagues will issue League Champion and League Runner Up awards. They will also issue Tournament Champion and Tournament Runner Up awards.
  3. Any program with no scoring or standings, each player will receive an award.
  1. Cost of all awards shall be budgeted and shall be provided for by registration fees.

4610Supervisor of Athletics and Sports

  1. All associations, volunteers, league officials, seasonal, part-time or any paid personnel, such as officials, shall report directly to the Athletic Coordinator who in turn reports directly to the Recreation and Sports Manager.

4620Liability Release

  1. Parental authorization shall be secured, in writing, on registration forms prior to any minors participating in youth sports, instructional camps and clinics or other Department-related events.
  1. Legal parent or guardian must sign in order for youth to participate.
  1. Parents must sign a release, which shall insure the Department that participant’s parents or guardian understand that this youth is involved in a particular activity.
  1. Youth shall register with the Department and not with a particular team.

4630Disciplinary Action

  1. All participants, including spectators, shall be under the control and authority of the supervising Departmental Staff Member in charge of an event or sport.
  1. Recommendations of discipline shall come from any Departmental Staff member.
  1. Recommendations for action may also come from Advisory Board members, citizens, officials or other groups, through staff members involved in a particular program.
  1. The Athletic Coordinator, with the support of any volunteers involved, shall present all recommendations to the Director.
  1. All disciplinary action recommendations shall have written documentation, eye witness accounts, detailed staff member knowledge of the situation, and any other pertinent factors pertaining to the situation.
  1. After review of all the facts, the Athletic Coordinator shall determine any and all penalties upon the offending parties. These penalties will be submitted in writing to the Recreation and Sports Manager for approval and carried out then by the Athletic Coordinator.
  1. The Recreation and Sports Manager shall notify the persons involved by email of the actions to be taken.
  1. The person involved may appeal to the Park Advisory Board. Request for appeal must be done in writing to the Director within fourteen (14) days of date of email.
  1. Please refer to the Participant Behavior Policy attached to this manual or it can be obtained from the Recreation and Sports Manager.

4700Volunteers

  1. It should be the practice of all Department personnel to use and involve volunteers in as many programs and activities as possible.
  1. Volunteers shall work in cooperation with Department staff to ensure the best possible programs and facilities are provided to the citizens of Collierville.
  1. The Park Advisory Board shall encourage the participation of community volunteers through volunteer youth sports boards and Service Providers. (See attached providers or obtain it from the Recreation and Sports Manager)

4800Dual Sports Participation

  1. When there is an overlapping of sporting events for any reason, the child concerned will make the decision as to which event he will participate in. No coach will in any way penalize the child for making his/her preference. Any coach in violation of this shall be suspended from coaching for a period of no less than one calendar year.

4820Participants “Move Up” Policy

  1. The Division requires that a child must play in his/her desired age group determined by the national affiliation the youth sport is registered or any set forth by the Department.
  1. However, a parent or guardian may request that his/her child be moved from one age group to another. In order for a child to move up an age/grade group, that parent or guardian of the child must be named as a Head Coach, or be named as a Head Coach’s Assistant Coach.
  1. The Division will not allow the child to move up more than one (1) age level.

4830Waiting List Policy

  1. Once a particular sports registration has concluded, the Athletic Coordinator will determine how many teams to form, depending on the number of players signed up by the deadline, and by how many Head Coaches there are. The Athletic Coordinator will determine how many spaces are left in each age/grade to even out the number of players on a team. The Athletic Coordinator will then fill in the available spots on a first come first served basis.
  1. Any youth who desires to sign up after the registration deadline, and after the available spots have been filled, will go on a Waiting List. If teams have players quit or drop out for various reasons, players may be assigned from the Waiting List to complete the roster at the discretion of the Athletic Coordinator.
  1. Due to any state or national guidelines, players may be assigned from the Waiting List due to an age discrepancy.
  1. A legal roster limit will be defined at each drafting procedure.

4840Team Draft Procedures