Policy #6 - Competitive Team Operations - Effective 2024-03-08

 PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to define the operational parameters for Timmins Ringette Association competitive teams.

PROCEDURE

The Board of Directors will approve the bench staff for the competitive teams no later than April 15 each year. The Head Coach of a competitive team is responsible and accountable for their team's operations and commitments until May 31 following the competitive season.

IMPLEMENTATION

1. All bench staff must be properly registered on the RAMP registration system by July 1st.
2. Teams must submit their preferred tournament selections pursuant to Ringette Ontario guidelines.
3. The Ice Scheduler, in collaboration with the Head Coach, will allocate a minimum of two hours of tryout time for each competitive team and arrange ice time bookings. Each team will collect fees from each player for each hour of tryout ice time and submit it to the Timmins Ringette Association Treasurer along with duplicate receipts.
4. Coaches and Bench Staff are responsible for collectively completing all required Ringette Ontario courses by the specified due dates for the season, as verified by the Director of Coach Development.
5. Team Managers are responsible for registering their teams for all approved tournaments, paying attention to registration deadlines. Once all registration and acceptance documentation is received from the Team Manager, the Timmins Ringette Association Treasurer will make necessary payments to the tournament organizing committee.
6. Fundraising:
   1. All fundraising activities must receive prior approval from the Board.
   2. Any fundraising efforts must be related to the Timmins Ringette Association Competitive Program for team development and not for any individual player.
   3. Individual sponsor Name Bars are not permitted on Timmins Ringette team jerseys or equipment.
   4. The maximum fundraising limit for competitive teams, including sponsorships and bingo, is $9,000 (This does not include money collected from registration fees). Any increase beyond this limit requires approval from the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis.
   5. Teams will receive four bingo shares per season, with the share value determined by the Board at the first meeting of each fiscal year.
   6. FUNDRAISING AND SPONSORSHIP MONEY CAN ONLY BE USED FOR ICE COSTS AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. THE PURCHASE OF PERSONAL ITEMS SUCH AS APPAREL AND NOVELTY ITEMS IS NOT PERMITTED.
7. An initial team fee of $250 will be collected from each player by the team manager at the beginning of the season to cover expenses such as:
   
   1. Ringette Ontario Ringette team registration fee
   2. Tournament(s) registration fees
   3. Additional ice fees
   4. Bench staff Ringette Ontario fees
   5. Provincial tournament registration fee (if applicable)
   6. Apparel or swag if the players/parents are in agreeance of the intent to purchase
8. In January, managers may collect additional fees from players/parents if necessary.
9. All collected funds must be submitted to the Association Treasurer, accompanied by a detailed report and duplicate receipts.
10. The acquisition of apparel or novelty items for players or team staff must be coordinated by the Team Manager, who will be responsible for ordering and collecting payment from participating team members. All received funds must be submitted to the Timmins Ringette Association Treasurer, who will facilitate payment to the merchandise supplier(s). Funds collected from players/parents for these purchases are separate from those required for team operations.
11. Bench Staff are expected to contribute to the Timmins Ringette Association, either through coaching or assisting a house league team, aiding in Tournament preparations and events, participating in Timmins Ringette Association fundraising, or actively serving on the Board.
12. Timmins Ringette Association is prepared to cover coaching course costs on the condition that coaches assist with a house league team.
13. All competitive team players must:
    1. Register with their home association and pay house league registration fees,
    2. actively participate in 75% of House League activities during the season.
    3. Player’s attendance will be monitored monthly. The Board will review any attendance issues which may result in removal on the competitive program.
14. Competitive team players are expected to assist with Timmins Ringette Association Season events if required (bunny program, practices, Bring a Friend, Fun Day, Father/Daughter game, challenge cup, etc.).
15. Players must wear the Timmins Ringette Association competitive uniform when representing the Timmins Ringette Association competitive program. The Team Manager will be responsible for distributing the Competitive Team jerseys allocated to each player at the beginning of a tournament and collecting them at the tournament's end with the understanding that they should be returned in a clean state temporarily to the Association upon request if needed for house league tournaments.
16. In cases where the Association has surplus ice time that could be returned to the city, the opportunity for extra ice will first be offered to a competitive team for their use, even with short notice.
17. Each A team will have a $1,000 allowance to manage minor expenses, like exhibition games and team supplies. The Manager and Head Coach, aided by the Treasurer, will be responsible for setting up an account under Timmins Ringette Association. The Manager must submit associated invoices/receipt to the Treasurer for reconciliation. The Manager must submit an updated monthly budget no later than the 10^th day of every month to the Treasurer as well as a budget to the parents/players in October, January, and season end.
18. Timmins Ringette Association will provide a basic first aid kit, practice jerseys, a set of Tornado jerseys with a bag, and rings at the season's start. Any additional supplies are the team's responsibility.
19. A-Team activities, including practices and team bonding, must not conflict with house league games or practices.
20. The Association's Board of Directors reserves the right to make changes to the competitive team program if such changes are deemed to be in the best interest of the Timmins Ringette Association.
21. All Bench Staff members are mandated to peruse this policy then acknowledge and agree to the terms of the policy by signing Appendix “A” (attached) and returning the completed Appendix “A” to the Secretary at secretary@timminsringette.com no later than October 1st.

APPENDICIES

• Appendix “A” Bench Staff Acknowledgement
• Appendix “B” U14A - U19A Try Outs / U12A Evaluations

APPENDIX “A”

Bench Staff Acknowledgement

We the undersigned have perused this policy and we agree to abide by the terms laid out in the policy.

Bench Staff:

___________________________    ________________________          __________________

Name (signature)                                         Position                                 Date

___________________________    ________________________          _________________ 

Name (signature)                                         Position                                 Date

___________________________    ________________________          __________________

Name (signature                                           Position                                 Date

___________________________    ________________________          __________________

Name (signature)                                         Position                                 Date

___________________________    ________________________          __________________

Name (signature)                                         Position                                 Date

___________________________    ________________________          __________________

Name (signature)                                         Position                                 Date

APPENDIX “B”

U14A - U19A Try Outs / U12A Evaluations

Each player who is trying out or being evaluated for an “A” level competitive team must participate in all scheduled try outs / evaluations.   A fee of $20.00 will be collected per player, per session. 

If a player cannot attend a scheduled try out / evaluation they must send an email to secretary@timminsringette.com who will then help schedule other arrangements with the Competitive Director and Head Coach of the respective competitive team to ensure that a fair and equal evaluation is done on all players.   The same fee will be collected as was for the scheduled try out / evaluation. 

All fees will be collected by the Timmins Ringette Association and will be used in order as follows:

1. All ice time costs associated with all try outs / evaluations at all levels.
2. A $25.00 gift card for each evaluator that gives their time to ensure a fair evaluation is given to each athlete.
3. Any surplus of fees collected will be shared equally amongst each of the “A” level competitive teams with the following qualifications:
   1. Funds must be used for team development (ice, dryland, exhibition costs, training equipment)
   2. Funds will not count against fundraising cap as identified under IMPLEMENTATION item #6(d) in the policy

This will help to ensure that all “A” level competitive teams start each season on an equal footing and allows for the teams to show their appreciation for the time the evaluators take to ensure each and every athlete gets a fair chance.