Travel Policy

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Twin Rivers VBC 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. Twin Rivers VBC prohibits all types of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, bullying, threats, harassment, and hazing, all as described in the USA Volleyball SafeSport Handbook. Twin Rivers VBC 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. Local Travel Local travel occurs when Twin Rivers VBC 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 [Club] 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 Twin Rivers VBC or one of its teams or designee’s sponsors, coordinates or arranges for travel so that the 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, Twin Rivers VBC 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 with Twin Rivers VBC or the team. This individual will be the point of contact to confirm your intention to travel and to help with travel details.

● 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. Regular monitoring and curfew checks will be made of each room by at least two properly background screened adults. At no time should only one adult be present in a room with minor players, regardless of gender.

● Team personnel shall ask hotels to block adult pay per view channels for player-only rooms.

● 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.

● Family members who wish to stay in the team hotel are permitted and encouraged to do so.

● The team will make every effort to accommodate reasonable parental requests when a child is away from home without a parent. If any special arrangements are necessary for your child, please contact the team personnel 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 to transport their minor player.

● Prior to any travel, coaches will endeavor to make players and parents aware of all expectations and rules. Coaches will also support chaperones and/or 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 travelling without his/her parents, then except where immediate action is necessary, parents will be notified before any action is taken, or immediately after. Suggest Additional Policies The following policies are additional guidelines for developing a travel policy based on the club’s preferences and needs.

● Players are expected to remain with the team at all times during the trip. 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 or chaperone.

● When visiting public places such as shopping malls, movie theatres, etc., players will stay in groups of no less than three persons. Athletes 12 and under will be accompanied by a chaperone.

● Safety Policies

o Additional Guidelines to be established as needed by the coaches.

o Supervised team room provided for relaxation and recreation.

                              o Respect the privacy of each other.

o Only use hotel rooms with interior entrances.

o Must wear seatbelts and remain seated in vehicles.

● Behavior Policies

o Be quiet and respect the rights of teammates and others in the hotel.

 o Be prompt and on time. o Develop cell phone usage guidelines.

                              o Develop computer usage guidelines including social media.

 o Respect travel vehicles.

 o Establish travel dress code.

o Use appropriate behavior in public facilities, including language.

               o Establish two different curfews – in own rooms and lights out.

o Must stay in assigned hotel room; and

o Needs and well-being of the team come first

● Financial

o No room service without permission

 o Players are responsible for all incidental charges.

o Players are responsible for any damages or thievery at hotel.

o Players must participate in contracted group meals; and

o Communicate travel reimbursement information and policies.

● General

o Establish fair trip eligibility requirements.

o Establish age guidelines for travel trips. o Parent(s) are responsible for getting player(s) to stated departure point; and

o Requirements for families to attend “Team Travel Tournaments.”